It is so easy to become cynical and dismissive about politics and public life in Britain today.

Led as we are by such indecisive and opportunist political pygmies in all the parties, it is not surprising there is such widespread disenchantment among the electorate.

Which is why my heart is so cheered by the results of three quite separate polls in the past few days - two of them about our relationship with Europe and one about our thoughts on the royal family.

For they each show we are not prepared to be bullied and bamboozled by our leaders and we are able to think things through for ourselves, especially the younger generation. It is wonderfully refreshing.

One of the polls about Europe specifically targets younger people aged 21 to 35. Three quarters of the young Britons questioned defined themselves as British rather than European and showed themselves to be the most patriotic in Europe. The poll also showed they were unenthusiastic about political union with Europe and favoured a shift in political power back to the British government.

How stimulating! How reassuring! It will make Tony Blair even more nervous about holding a referendum on the subject.

Another poll looked at changing adult respect for other countries between 1994 and 2000. Again, the results are fascinating. They show that hostility towards most of Europe is deepening - the last thing the Prime Minister wants to hear.

In percentage points, respect for France dropped from 87 to 73, for Italy from 84 to 73 and for Spain from 80 to 74. Respect for Germany plummeted from 72 to 41.

Business and political leaders may hope that one day, they will walk hand in hand into some glorious pan-European sunset. Public opinion is making it very clear that such a day is a long way away.

The third poll, privately commissioned for the royal family, but leaked to the press, had some devastating news for them. They were told the public regards them as irrelevant with Prince Charles personally getting a lower rating than the family overall.

They were poor value for money and for the most part, poorly advised. Of those polled, less than a quarter thought they worked hard and less than a third respected them.

As for the possibility of Britain becoming a republic, it is again challenging and exciting that young people are kicking convention. Just 55 per cent of 15 to 24-year-olds, compared with 87 per cent of over 65-year-olds, wanted to retain the monarchy although many 'don't knows' make the comparison less clear cut.

What is certain is that a nanny state is trying harder than ever to manipulate our thinking, and a royal family, hand on heart, is trying to make us believe it really wants to change.

Happily, there are enough clear-sighted people capable of making up their own minds about what is going on. And more and more, it will be the young ones calling the shots.