Most people see healthcare as more important than the economy when voting
For the first time since September 2011, the Conservatives have moved ahead of Labour in the monthly telephone survey conducted by ComRes for The Independent.
The Tories have moved up two points since last month and are now on 31 per cent, while Labour have moved down two points to 30 per cent. UKIP have moved up one point to 17 per cent, the Lib Dems down four points to eight per cent and the Greens up two points to seven per cent.
According to ComRes, three in five of the people surveyed (59 per cent) say that the parties’ policies on healthcare and the NHS will determine their vote more than their policies on the economy.
Only one in three (34 per cent) say that economic policies will be more important than health ones.
On NHS funding, people trust David Cameron about the same amount as Ed Miliband, with 29 per cent saying they trust Cameron to ensure the NHS has enough money and 28 per cent saying the same of the Labour leader.
ComRes interviewed 1,001 British adults between 23 and 25 January 205, weighting the data to ensure it was demographically representative.
45 Responses to “Conservatives polling ahead of Labour for the first time since 2011”
Leon Wolfeson
Very, very little indeed, right. They plan to have the overall benefit cap, they intend to apply UC and in-work conditionality, they plan full-out austerity, no talk about taxing or reversing many of the Tory slashes to the social welfare net, etc.
Moreover, that’s a £8 *cap* on the minimum wage by the end of the Parliament. It’s an utterly unambitious house building target, and no commitment any of it will be council housing. “Integrating” NHS and social care without sufficient cash will be a disaster, forced minimum-wage labour for young people, tiny changes to renting which may well raise prices sharply and locks-in expectations of rises in rent well above housing benefit, reducing wages severely and creating perverse incentives to keep unemployment high and so on…
…meanwhile, benefits reduce rapidly in value against inflation, especially housing benefit, and poverty rises. And they still push austerity.
Leon Wolfeson
Their conference was the last, best chance to energise people.
They lead with a benefit freeze and refusal to allow borrowing for council house building.
Leon Wolfeson
…ComRes is one of the last to show a Conservative lead in at least one poll.
Stormbringer
Because of the unreformed election boundaries, the Tories would have to poll at least 4 points ahead just to have an even number of seats with Labour in the House-of-Commons.
I think the smart money is still on a minority government, with the largest party probably being Labour but, personally, I think there is much about this general election that smacks of 1992.
If there is a minority government then there will almost certainly be a second general election and that will suit the Tories, with their extra large campaign treasure chest, just fine.
GrumpyOldTory
LORD MINERS!!