AN ANALYSIS of who voted for Labour in the General Election, and what they want, has found a coalition backing bold action on the economy. The new survey finds that voters who put Labour in government are more united than many think.
For example:
- On the economy: Almost all constituencies that elected Labour MPs (99 per cent) have a majority or plurality of people who would support extra government borrowing to invest in the economy and public services. Conservative to Labour switchers also back this idea by a large margin.
- On workers’ rights: Every UK constituency has a majority or plurality of voters backing the strengthening of workers’ rights.
- On housebuilding: Every UK constituency has more people supportive of housebuilding than oppositional to it.
- On Europe: The majority (84 per cent) of Labour held constituencies – and the majority (74 per cent) of seats Labour gained at the election – back closer economic ties with the EU, even if that comes at the cost of ceding some sovereignty.
- On climate change: The view that “government policy on climate change should be going further and faster than it is right now” beats “government policy on climate change should be going slower than it is right now” in every UK constituency except two (Clacton and Boston and Skegness, both held by Reform UK).
The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) says Labour cannot expect a generous ‘honeymoon period’, as voters are impatient for change. Across most policy areas, Labour voters expect improvements within two to three years.
However, Labour will also have tough questions to answer on policies which divide the coalition that elected them, including on immigration, where there is a large spread of opinion, with many Labour seats having very pro-immigration opinions and many much less so.
Harry Quilter-Pinner, director of policy and politics at IPPR, said: “This coalition that came together to give Labour its landslide expects bold and tangible change. The good news for Labour is that this coalition is more united than many think, and they are clear they want to see action on the economy, climate change and workers’ rights.
“If the government can deliver on the things that matter the most, it will have a better chance of turning this temporary coalition into a permanent one, and winning a second term.”
The report is based on results of a 20,000 person polling survey, with fieldwork conducted in the week of 1 July 2024, by FocalData, using the Multilevel Regression with Poststratification technique to map opinion across every constituency.
* Read: A ‘mandate’ to deliver: Who voted Labour and what do they want? here.
* Source: Institute for Public Policy Research