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abour is ahead of the Tories as the best party for taxes, as Rishi Sunak is under increasing pressure to do more to help families struggling in the cost of living crisis, a poll found.
An Ipsos poll by Standard found that Sir Keir Starmer’s party had reversed the lead that Boris Johnson’s Conservatives had in taxation ahead of the 2019 general election. Labor is now considered the best party in terms of 32 % of adults in the UK, with the Tories lagging behind by 25%.
This is a reversal from the Conservatives, who are 38 percent and Labor at 26 percent in December 2019, and is the best result of the last since September 2012. The findings came just weeks after the Chancellor increased national insurance contributions by 1.25 percentage points and only days before the mayoral election. Many households now also see their weekly budgets affected by rising energy bills, rising food prices, other inflation and high gasoline prices.
Significantly, the poll found that the cost of living is a prominent issue that people would see as very important if they voted in the local elections on May 5. This was cited by 67 percent of adults, far higher than climate change – and asylum policies – both 47 percent, followed by the pandemic, 43 percent, equalization, 42 percent, Ukraine, 38 percent and Downing Street Party , 37 percent.
In the latter, this was emphasized by only 10 percent of Tory supporters, compared to 58 percent of Labor supporters.
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As the cost of living crisis escalates, Mr Sunak has opened the door to an unforeseen tax on energy giants if they fail to invest enough to increase supplies. This would be a major policy change.
The Chancellor has already announced an increase in the NI contribution threshold to £ 12,570, a reduction in the fuel duty of 5 pence per liter and a package of £ 9 billion to help people with energy bills. He also hinted that there could be additional help for families struggling with energy bills in the autumn if they rise further.
In terms of economic governance, the Conservatives still have a six-point lead, but that is less than 24 before the December 2019 elections and is the lowest lead they have had since March 2013, when both parties were joking.
In other key findings:
- Labor is up 40 percent, one point higher, Tories 35 percent, the Liberal Democrats 10 percent, both unchanged from last month.
- The record low performance for Boris Johnson as Prime Minister earlier this year has improved slightly, while Sir Care’s performance is slightly lower.
- 55% believe that the Conservatives should change their leader, compared to 61% in January, but they are still worse than Johnson’s results in 2019-2021 and worse than Theresa May and David Cameron.
- 31 percent believe Johnson has what it takes to be a good prime minister, but 56 percent disagree, better than in January, when the partygate erupted again, but returned to results only in November.
- 34 per cent say Sir Cair is ready to be prime minister, with 44 per cent disagreeing, which is slightly worse than in January, when 38 per cent were up from 40 per cent.
- Others say Labor is ready to form the next government, with 46 percent disagreeing, similar to 32 percent who think the Conservatives deserve to be re-elected, with 51 percent dissenting.
Gideon Skinner, head of political research at Ipsos, said: “The next few months could be crucial for the prime minister and his chancellor. With inflation at the top of the electoral agenda amid pessimistic economic prospects, Rishi Sunak will want to address concerns about his handling of the cost of living crisis if he wants to regain the Conservative lead over the past few elections. for the economy and taxes. “
Economic optimism remains very low, if not as bad as last month. Seventy percent expect the economy to deteriorate over the next 12 months, with only 14 percent saying better, giving an economic optimism index of -56.
Ipsos interviewed 1,006 adults across the UK between 20 and 28 April. The data is weighted. The questions about the local elections were about where they are held or, if not, whether they are held in the people’s area.
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