14 June 2024
If you knew Keir Starmer's father was a toolmaker, this newsletter is for you
A poll for More in Common finds that just 27 per cent of respondents know what Starmer's father did for a living. If that doesn't sound like much, it's actually up from 11 per cent in April.
13 June 2024
Farage aims to be ‘leader of the opposition’ but Reform could end up with no MPs
Ed Hodgson of pollsters More In Common, says his data does not currently show Reform winning any seats but does believe Farage’s personal brand could push him over the line in Clacton.
“The bigger impact of Reform at the general election will be taking seats away from the Conservatives,” says Hodgson.
12 June 2024
Green activists are knocking on doors in the UK election campaign
But it is not just the electoral system holding back the Green vote. A focus group of voters in Redcar, a “red wall” seat now held by the Conservatives, highlighted voters’ doubts about climate action. “It doesn’t matter [what a candidate pledges] because nobody delivers,” said Stephen, a former construction worker.
Luke Tryl, UK director of More in Common, which ran the focus group, said: “What was surprising is that [the participants] were so fatalistic about climate — and that tied to their lack of faith in politics.”
11 June 2024
The UCL Policy Lab and More in Common have published a major poll that reveals just how Starmer’s lead is currently built. That lead is, of course, partly a response to the perceived weaknesses of the Conservative party, the chaos of parliamentary in-fighting and the struggles of a flat-lining economy.
But it is also based on a stronger positive sense among core groups in the electorate. Seen this way, the appeal of Starmer’s Labour Party is based on one element above all others and that is: respect.
11 June 2024
In 2024, the one to watch is ‘Whitby Woman.'
She’s around 61, lives in a coastal town, has voted Conservative before but is undecided this time.
Her decision now will play a big part in determining whether the Tories are wiped out, or manage to survive.
That’s according to the think tank More in Common, who insist 'Whitby Woman' is about more than just alliteration, but reflective of important electoral geography.
11 June 2024
Voters back Labour’s private school tax plan despite concerns for state sector
Luke Tryl of More in Common said: “As we look ahead to the release of general election manifestos, Labour’s policy of applying VAT on private school fees is consistently one of their most popular policies, supported by a majority of the public.
“However, despite the policy’s popularity with voters, most aren’t yet convinced of that the money raised from the policy will exceed the extra cost of educating more children in the state sector.”