Public disapproves Sunak’s progress on key priorities, Ipsos UK poll reveals

A recent Ipsos UK poll reveals that the majority of the British public believe Chancellor Rishi Sunak is underperforming in delivering on his five key priorities. These priorities, announced almost six months ago, include halving inflation, growing the economy, reducing NHS waiting lists, lowering the national debt, and stopping small boat crossings. The survey indicates that over 50% of respondents think the government is not performing well in almost all of these areas.

The poll also suggests that the public considers Sunak’s performance to be particularly poor in the areas most important to them. Easing the cost of living was identified as the top priority by 59% of respondents, followed by ensuring quicker access to NHS treatment (54%) and reducing NHS waiting lists (51%). However, 60% of participants said the government was doing a poor job in easing the cost of living, and 62% believed it was failing to reduce NHS wait times.

On the matter of growing the economy, which 39% of respondents listed as a priority, 50% said the government was performing poorly. Stopping small boats and ensuring the swift deportation of illegal immigrants was a lower priority for the general public, with 29% mentioning it. However, this issue was a higher priority for those who voted Conservative in 2019 than for those who voted Labour. Nearly half of Tory voters considered the swift removal of illegal immigrants an important priority, while only 14% of Labour voters agreed.

The public was more likely to think a Labour government would perform better than the Conservatives on each of Sunak’s priorities. Between 25% and 33% of respondents believed that Sir Keir Starmer’s party would do a good job in halving inflation, cutting NHS waiting lists, and reducing the national debt. In contrast, less than 20% thought the current government would do well in these areas, except for growing the economy, where 22% believed the government was doing a good job. However, this figure was still lower than Labour’s score of 29%.

The Ipsos UK poll, conducted between May 26 and May 30, surveyed 2,200 British adults about the government’s priorities and their thoughts on the outcome of the next general election. The results showed that the public was more likely to prefer options involving a Labour government rather than a Conservative one. A total of 39% said a Labour majority would be a great outcome, and 31% supported a coalition between Labour and the Liberal Democrats. Only 27% considered a Tory majority a good outcome, with 17% favouring a Conservative-Lib Dem coalition. The only Labour option less popular than a Conservative majority was a Labour minority reliant on support from the SNP, which 22% of respondents considered a good outcome.