In March, in an article for the Daily Mail, Michael Gove wrote:
'Survey after survey has revealed disturbing historical ignorance, with one teenager in five believing Winston Churchill was a fictional character while 58 per cent think Sherlock Holmes was real.'
A Freedom of Information request revealed the sources of the surveys referred to were:
• UKTV Gold;
• a survey of 2000 11-16 year olds by Premier Inns;
• a study commissioned by Lord Ashcroft of 1000 children aged 11 to 18 to mark the unveiling of the Bomber Command Memorial in London;
• a report by Professor Robert Tombs for think-tank Politeia;
• an article by London Mums Magazine;
• research carried out by the Sea Cadets to mark the anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar.
All that's missing is Family Fortunes.
'Michael Gove revealed to be using PR-commissioned puff-polls as evidence' - New Statesman (13 May 2013)
