In the latest ConservativeHome survey of party opinion we asked which issues party members thought would be most important in moving votes at the next General Election. The results suggest that members are much more tuned into mainstream concerns than is often suggested.
More than three times as many members chose the NHS (10%) as the number one decisive issue for voters as chose Europe (3%). 97% of members thought the NHS would be an important vote-moving-issue compared to 65% who said the same of Europe.
The most important issue for members was general economic management (27%) and then crime (26%).
The core vote issues of crime, immigration, tax and Europe are often lumped together but this poll shows that party members understand that crime, in particular, and immigration are much more important as electoral issues than tax and Europe. At least at the moment. Europe might be seen as a more potent issue if it was linked to bread and butter issues that include loss of control over criminal justice policy etc.
The full set of answers are posted below.
WHAT, IN YOUR OPINION, IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE THAT WILL DETERMINE HOW PEOPLE VOTE AT THE NEXT GENERAL ELECTION?
General economic management: 27%
Crime: 26%
Social breakdown: 12%
Immigration: 11%
NHS: 10%
Tax: 7%
Europe: 3%
Security and terrorism: 2%
Education: 1%
Environment, helping the poor and pensions all score under 1%
HOW IMPORTANT DO YOU THINK THE FOLLOWING ISSUES WILL BE IN MOVING PEOPLE’S VOTES AT THE NEXT GENERAL ELECTION?
General economic management: 92% say important, 8% say unimportant
Crime: 99% say important, Under 1% say unimportant
Social breakdown: 84% say important, 16% say unimportant
Immigration: 89% say important, 11% say unimportant
NHS: 97% say important, 3% say unimportant
Tax: 87% say important, 13% say unimportant
Europe: 65% say important, 34% say unimportant
Security and terrorism: 87% say important, 13% say unimportant
Education: 95% say important, 5% say unimportant
Environment: 70% say important, 30% say unimportant
Helping the poor at home and overseas: 39% say important, 60% say unimportant
Pensions: 87% say important, 12% say unimportant