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The Guardian
27-05-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Half of ‘red wall' voters disapprove of Labour's handing of benefits, says poll
Nearly half of all 'red wall' voters disapprove of the way Keir Starmer's government has dealt with benefits-related policy, a poll has found, as ministers faced continued pressure over winter fuel and disability payments, and the two-child benefit cap. According to the survey across 42 traditionally Labour seats won by the Conservatives in 2019, 48% of all voters had a somewhat or strongly negative view of the government's handling of the policies, against 25% who approved. Even with people who said they voted Labour in last year's election, opinion was evenly split, with a 38% rating for both approval and disapproval in the poll, carried out by Merlin Strategy. In another apparent sign of the cut-through of the decision to limit the annual winter fuel payment to just the poorest pensioner households, disapproval over benefits policy was most vehement in older people, with 12% of those aged 65 and over believing ministers had done well and 60% taking the other view. The poll more widely makes for gloomy reading in Downing Street, with red wall voters also taking a net negative view of the government's record so far on the economy, health, taxation, immigration, housing, the environment, defence, crime and foreign affairs. Asked which party would be best placed to handle particular issues, those surveyed ranked Labour top for health and housing, but placed the most faith in Reform UK on a series of subjects, including immigration, defence and crime, as well as benefits. Nigel Farage, the Reform leader, is expected to use a press conference on Tuesday to promise that if his party won an election it would restore the winter fuel payment to all pensioners, and scrap the rule which prevents parents claiming child tax credit or universal credit for more than two children. While a number of Labour MPs would agree with this, Starmer's party is likely to use Farage's decision to try to place renewed focus on the cost of Reform's taxation and spending plans, which some economists have said would create a fiscal gap far larger than in Liz Truss's disastrous mini budget of September 2023. Last week, Starmer confirmed that his government would aim to ease the £11,500 threshold over which pensioners are no longer eligible for the winter fuel payment, while giving no details about how this will be done. He is also facing disquiet from many Labour MPs over the continued two-child cap, seen as a leading driver of child poverty, and could face a major rebellion over plans to tighten eligibility for the personal independence payment, which goes to those with long-term physical or mental needs, and is intended to help get more people into jobs. Sign up to Headlines UK Get the day's headlines and highlights emailed direct to you every morning after newsletter promotion Speaking on Monday morning, the junior health minister, Karin Smyth, described the shift on winter fuel payments as 'the sign of a government that is listening'. Also on Monday, Labour backbencher Stella Creasy reiterated her call for the two-child limit to end, saying it would take '350,000 children out of poverty overnight'. She said: 'It's worth reflecting on the fact that 60% of those kids are in households where somebody is in work.'
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Nigel Farage speaks for voters on net zero. Here's how we know
It may sound bizarre now, but only a few weeks ago, many political analysts were convinced that Nigel Farage's opposition to net zero would cost him lots of votes. One polling expert even declared that it could be Reform's Achilles' heel. Frankly, that strikes me as a touch improbable. In reality, I suspect the opposite is true: Mr Farage speaks for voters on net zero. And here's how we know. This week, a new polling firm called Merlin Strategy asked voters for their views on tackling climate change. But here's the crucial thing, it didn't merely ask them: 'Do you support net zero?' Instead, it asked them which was more important: action to achieve net zero, or cutting the cost of living. And guess what they said? Almost 60 per cent chose cutting the cost of living, while a mere 13 per cent chose net zero. A telling outcome. Asked, in isolation, whether they back urgent action on climate change, voters may say yes. When they're asked whether they would prioritise it over their own personal finances, however, it's a different story. There's more to it than that, though. In my view, this result doesn't just show that the overwhelming majority of people think the cost of living is more pressing than net zero. It shows that they don't really believe in net zero full stop. After all, if they did genuinely believe in it, they would prioritise it ahead of literally any other issue. Because they'd be shrieking: 'Never mind about the price of the weekly shop! Or the economy, NHS, crime, schools or potholes! We absolutely have to put net zero first – otherwise we'll soon be facing climate catastrophe, the collapse of civilisation, and the end of life on Earth as we know it! And then it won't matter how expensive our grocery bills are – because we'll all be dead!' Evidently, however, most voters hold no such fears. So next time Ed Miliband claims that the public supports net zero, perhaps someone could politely explain this to him. In a way, the situation reminds me of Labour during the Jeremy Corbyn years. Mr Corbyn's fans used to get terribly excited because, in isolation, his policies actually tended to poll very well. When it came to the crunch, however, most voters clearly decided they had greater priorities. At the election of 2019, for example, they proved to be rather more interested in getting Brexit done than in, say, nationalising broadband, or free bus travel for the under-25s. This is why politicians have to be wary when trying to find out what voters want. It all depends on how you ask. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Nigel Farage speaks for voters on net zero. Here's how we know
It may sound bizarre now, but only a few weeks ago, many political analysts were convinced that Nigel Farage's opposition to net zero would cost him lots of votes. One polling expert even declared that it could be Reform's Achilles' heel. Frankly, that strikes me as a touch improbable. In reality, I suspect the opposite is true: Mr Farage speaks for voters on net zero. And here's how we know. This week, a new polling firm called Merlin Strategy asked voters for their views on tackling climate change. But here's the crucial thing, it didn't merely ask them: 'Do you support net zero?' Instead, it asked them which was more important: action to achieve net zero, or cutting the cost of living. And guess what they said? Almost 60 per cent chose cutting the cost of living, while a mere 13 per cent chose net zero. A telling outcome. Asked, in isolation, whether they back urgent action on climate change, voters may say yes. When they're asked whether they would prioritise it over their own personal finances, however, it's a different story. There's more to it than that, though. In my view, this result doesn't just show that the overwhelming majority of people think the cost of living is more pressing than net zero. It shows that they don't really believe in net zero full stop. After all, if they did genuinely believe in it, they would prioritise it ahead of literally any other issue. Because they'd be shrieking: 'Never mind about the price of the weekly shop! Or the economy, NHS, crime, schools or potholes! We absolutely have to put net zero first – otherwise we'll soon be facing climate catastrophe, the collapse of civilisation, and the end of life on Earth as we know it! And then it won't matter how expensive our grocery bills are – because we'll all be dead!' Evidently, however, most voters hold no such fears. So next time Ed Miliband claims that the public supports net zero, perhaps someone could politely explain this to him. In a way, the situation reminds me of Labour during the Jeremy Corbyn years. Mr Corbyn's fans used to get terribly excited because, in isolation, his policies actually tended to poll very well. When it came to the crunch, however, most voters clearly decided they had greater priorities. At the election of 2019, for example, they proved to be rather more interested in getting Brexit done than in, say, nationalising broadband, or free bus travel for the under-25s.
The Sun
05-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Cutting cost of living MUST come before expensive Net Zero drive, Brits overwhelmingly believe in major snub to Miliband
CUTTING costs for families should come before expensive Net Zero goals, voters overwhelmingly believe. Sir Keir Starmer is today warned to prioritise fed-up Brits' finances over the green agenda. 1 The PM's eco drive — spearheaded by Ed Miliband, is projected to cost around £4billion every year until 2050, with the public saddled with pricey climate edicts. A Merlin Strategy poll of 3,000 people found 59 per cent of Brits agreed that 'action to reduce the cost of living has to come first over sustainability and being eco-friendly'. Just 13 per cent of people thought ministers should put environmental aims first. The verdict was returned by supporters of all parties. For Labour voters, 61 per cent agreed and 12 per cent disagreed, for Tories it was 70 per cent and eight per cent, and for Reform it was 65 per cent and 15 per cent. The poll was commissioned by campaign group Looking for Growth. Co-founder Dr Lawrence Newport said: 'Voters aren't rejecting clean energy. 'They're rejecting a political system that talks green while delivering higher bills, slower building, and endless delays.' Merlin Strategy's Scarlett Maguire said: 'Voters want action on their priorities, they believe the cost of living must come before environmental concerns.' It piles more pressure on Sir Keir to ease up the dash to Net Zero and rein in Mr Miliband, who has banned all new oil and gas drilling licences from the North Sea. The Department for Energy said: 'We are making the UK a clean energy superpower to get off the roller coaster of fossil fuel markets controlled by dictators. That is how we can protect family finances and our national finances.'
