Politicians top list of Britons’ biggest fears
MPs beat heights, spiders, clowns, Brexit, debt and fear of missing out

Politicians scare British people more than heights, clowns and drowning, according to a poll revealing the country’s biggest fears.
In the run-up to Halloween, the gift retailer Clintons has compiled its annual fear index. Politicians have come out top, with more than half (56%) of those surveyed saying they are scared by their elected representatives.
Although traditional fears such as heights (39%), spiders (33%) and clowns (28%) also ranked highly, the presence of Brexit (28%), debt (17%) and North Korea (11%) shows that real-world worries are beginning to eclipse imaginary fears.
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It is also the first time that a form of social anxiety, FOMO, or fear of missing out, polled higher than horror movies.
Tim Fairs, VP Marketing & eCommerce at Clintons, said: “It’s extraordinary that people are more afraid of Prime Minister’s Questions and Question Time than they are of The Exorcist.”
Clintons fear index top 14:
- 56% - Politicians
- 39% - Heights
- 33% - Spiders
- 28% - Evil Clowns
- 28% - Brexit
- 25% - FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out)
- 22% - Drowning
- 17% - Coriander
- 17% - Debt
- 17% - Needles
- 11% - North Korea
- 6% - Flying
- 6% - Herds of Cows
- 4% - Horror Movies
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