News

New Statesman

17 December 2024

Retailers have historically relied upon December takings to make up for poor revenues earlier in the year. But polling by More In Common, commissioned by think tank Power to Change, found that, while 37 per cent of people normally do their shopping in their local town centre, it now declines to a quarter around Christmas.

Although elaborate Christmas displays in department stores once attracted crowds each December, this year just 7 per cent of people this year said they planned to do their shopping in one; 44 per cent planned to do it online. “It seems that even Christmas cannot save the department store,” the report concluded grimly.

Politics Home

15 December 2024

MP Says His Paternity Leave Was "Not Enough" And Calls For Reform

Polling suggests the public supports the idea that fathers should be actively involved in childcare.

A More in Common survey conducted in November for Dad Shift and Movember found that when presented with an either-or choice, respondents were much more likely to say a good father is actively involved in childcare as well as providing for and protecting his family, rather than that a good father concentrates on providing financially for and protecting his family.

Lib Dem voters were the most likely to agree – 87 per cent – while Labour and Reform voters were least likely to agree at 76 per cent, according to findings shared with PoliticsHome.

The Times

14 December 2024

More than half of public support digital ID cards

Digital ID cards are supported by the public, according to a poll for The Times Crime and Justice Commission.

The More in Common survey found that 53 per cent of people are in favour of a universal digital identification system, with 25 per cent strongly in favour, while only 19 per cent are against it. There is a clear majority among the supporters of all four main political parties and across all ages.

There is particularly strong support among so-called Loyal Nationals, the segment of the electorate which best represents red-wall voters who are a key target group for the political parties. Of these, 63 per cent backed the introduction of digital ID cards and 17 per cent opposed it.

Politics Home

5 December 2024

Can Donald Trump Help Reform UK Win The 'Bro Vote'?

So far there is little evidence that Farage is having anything like the same effect as Trump. Overall youth support for Reform has not shifted since the general election, holding steady at around 11 per cent.

Support from 18- to 24-year-olds is relatively evenly split between men and women, according to More in Common, but for 25- to 34-year-olds this begins to diverge – 16 per cent of young men supporting Reform compared to just 11 per cent of young women.

“We’ve seen young men move to parties of the populist or radical right. So, I definitely don’t think it’s impossible, it just hasn’t quite happened yet,” explains More in Common director Luke Tryl.

The Daily Mail

1 December 2024

Younger MPs overwhelmingly more likely to vote for assisted dying, analysis shows

Around 72 per cent of MPs born in the 1990s were in favour - compared to 40 per cent of those born in the 1970s and 38 per cent of those born in the 1950s, according to the think tank More in Common.

Ed Hodgson, of More in Common, said: 'What's interesting is the age gradient does not match the general public. Across Britain, support for assisted dying increases as people get older, but it was the oldest MPs who were more likely to vote against the Bill.

There could be many reasons - perhaps because older MPs are more likely to be religious or from the Conservative Party, where opposition was concentrated. It's possible the Bill's success could have been partially helped by the younger cohort of MPs elected this July.'

The Independent

25 November 2024

Labour is losing the PR battle over the ‘tractor tax’

Who will decide who wins the fight between the government and the farmers? The public – and, according to opinion polls, the farmers appear to be ahead.

More in Common found that 57 per cent of people support making farmers exempt from inheritance tax, including 45 per cent of Labour voters. YouGov reported that a narrow majority (52 per cent) would support protesting farmers withholding non-perishable items, such as meat or certain crops, for a week.