73% of Labour Party voters supported bringing energy companies back into public ownership, as did 60% of Conservative Party voters
A majority of UK adults support bringing energy companies back into public ownership, an exclusive poll for LFF has revealed.
The poll, conducted by Savanta:ComRes, found that 60% of those asked supported bringing energy companies back into public ownership compared to 17% who opposed any such move. 23% of those asked said they did not know.
The latest poll comes after soaring energy prices for millions of households across the country, with many businesses also facing steep rises following an increase in the price of gas and energy supplies.
Wholesale gas prices have surged by 250% since the beginning of the year, including a 70% rise since August. A cold winter in Europe last year meant a squeeze on gas supplies, along with increased demand from Asia, which further caused a hike in prices. Earlier this month, the CEO of British Glass, Dave Dalton, said some of the confederation’s “significant” members were “teetering on the edge” as a result of rising energy costs.
Support for bringing energy companies back into public ownership was highest among 55-64 year olds, with 64% in favour, with 56% of 18-24 year olds also in support.
66% of Londoners supported bringing energy companies back into public ownership, compared to 45% of those in the East Midlands.
When it came to party affiliation, 73% of Labour Party voters supported bringing energy companies back into public ownership, as did 60% of Conservative Party voters. 75% of Green Party voters also supported public ownership of energy companies as did 91% of those who had voted for the Brexit Party in 2019.
Commenting on the latest poll findings, a spokesperson for the campaign group We Own it told LFF: “With energy companies collapsing and the industry in crisis, it’s not surprising that most of us want to see energy brought into public ownership.
“A publicly owned supply company could give us all more security and help make sure people have affordable, green energy. And bringing our energy networks – transmission and distribution – into public ownership would save £3.7 billion every year. That’s enough to buy 222 new offshore wind turbines.”
Representative poll of 2092 GB adults. Prepared by Savanta: ComRes ~ Fieldwork Conducted between 15th and 17th October 2021
Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward
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