Public wants ‘positive, proactive’ vision from Budget – poll

The public wants to hear a “positive, proactive vision” for growing the economy and restoring public services when the Chancellor delivers her Budget on Wednesday, a poll has found.

Polling by Ipsos on the eve of the Budget found 84% of people thought it was important to hear about Labour’s plans for improving public services during Rachel Reeves’s speech while 80% wanted to hear about plans to grow the economy.

Only 69% said they wanted to hear about the financial “black hole” in current spending plans while less than half the public said it was important for Ms Reeves to talk about the role of the previous government in bringing about the current situation.

So far, more people said they had heard negative stories about the problems facing public services and the economy than about Labour’s plans for the future.

Trinh Tu, managing director of Ipsos UK public affairs, said the public was “sending a clear message” to the Government – “we know the problems, now give us solutions”.

She said: “Awareness of the challenges is high, but people are much less clear on Labour’s plans to address them.

“It is not enough to simply point out the ‘black hole’ in the Budget or criticise the previous government. To win over the public, Labour needs to put forward a positive, proactive vision on growing the economy and restoring public services.”

Most people surveyed by Ipsos said they thought they should be able to see improvements within two to three years, but half the public thought it would actually take five years or more.

Ms Tu said: “Diagnosing the problems isn’t sufficient – people want to hear the treatment plan too, one that will deliver tangible improvements quickly.”

Meanwhile, a poll by YouGov also published on Tuesday found strong support for raising taxes on the rich and businesses.

Some 82% backed increasing income tax on the “super-rich”, with 75% supporting tax increases for the rich and 59% backing a rise in corporation tax.

Almost half the public thought the problems faced by the UK’s public services and public finances could be solved solely through raising taxes on the rich and businesses.

Wednesday’s Budget is expected to see a range of tax rises, including increasing employers’ national insurance contributions and possible changes to capital gains tax, while Labour has already promised to cap corporation tax at its current rate.

Those tax rises are set to be accompanied by promises of greater public spending, particularly on the NHS, with the Chancellor promising to end “neglect and underinvestment” seen by the health service.

Ipsos’s poll surveyed 1,047 British adults online between October 22 and 23. YouGov polled 2,106 British adults between October 21 and 22.