People being rude, queue jumpers and pavement hoggers top Brits list of everyday complaints

Today, new research from Liberty reveals that Britain really is a nation of self-confessed complainers, uncovers the everyday things that get under people’s skin and that both how people treat one another and what happens in the world around them matter.

Two in three people (67%) say rudeness towards shop and restaurant staff is among the public behaviours that annoy them most, followed by nearly three in five (59%) who say the same about queue jumping. Also topping the list, more than half of Brits (51%) are also annoyed by people talking on speakerphones, nearly one in three (33%) find influencers recording themselves irksome, while almost a third (31%) get irritated by people taking an extra seat on public transport or taking up too much space on the pavement.

The findings come from a new YouGov polling of more than 2,000 people across the UK, commissioned by human rights organisation Liberty for Britain, Keep Complaining, its new campaign using Britain’s love of a good moan to open up a more accessible conversation about free speech and why it matters.

When asked what they complain about most, almost one in four Brits (24%) say current affairs, followed by people being rude (18%) and work (11%). Just 8% say traffic is their biggest complaint, and only 6% cite the weather and 3% football.

The research also finds that three quarters of Brits (76%) admit they are complainers, while one in five (20%) say they never complain. But complaints are not always directed at the person responsible with almost half (45%) of people most likely to complain to a partner or family member, compared with just 12% who complain directly to the person or to the organisation responsible.

Some of the biggest irritations are more trivial, with research showing that one in five (19%) say people eating loudly is among the sounds that annoy them most, followed by drunk people shouting or singing (17%), loud car or motorbike engines (15%), smoke alarm beeping (13%) and flies buzzing (12%).

Britain, Keep Complaining launches with a billboard stunt in central London, inviting the public to call a live phone line and ‘leave their moan after the tone’.

The campaign also features a new film, Good Moaning Britain, with comedian Davina Bentley and members of the public sharing their daily gripes. It uses Britain’s love of complaining to highlight the importance of free speech at a time when growing restrictions and increasingly complex laws are leaving people less certain about what they can say and less confident about speaking out.

Akiko Hart, Liberty Director, said: “This polling shows we Brits admit to loving a good moan, but it also reveals some treasured British values: we care about how people treat each other, and the world around us. The freedom to speak up, disagree and make a fuss is also a British value we should hold close.

“We’re fortunate to live in a diverse society shaped by different identities, experiences and perspectives. We won’t always agree, and some views will be uncomfortable or even offensive. But having the freedom to express our views is fundamental to a healthy democracy and a right that benefits us all.

“Liberty is here to protect the widest possible space for free speech, while protecting everyone’s right to live safely and peacefully. At a time when free speech is coming under threat, we want to help people understand where the line is between lawful and unlawful speech, so they can feel confident speaking out and using their voice on the issues that matter to them.”

Contact the Liberty press office on 07973 831 128 (calls only) or pressoffice@libertyhumanrights.org.uk if you want more information.