JOHNSON’S GRIP ON POWER IS SHAKEN BY INFLATION

Mon 23 May 2022:

Only 24% of voters think Johnson’s Conservatives are the best party to deal with the inflation situation, according to a poll done by Savanta ComRes for The Daily Mail and released on Saturday, while 39% think the opposition Labour Party is.

The survey found that dealing with rising prices will be the top election topic, with 90% of respondents saying it will influence their vote.

Inflation accelerated to a 40-year high of 9% in the 12 months to April, the UK government reported this week, crimping the lifestyles of most Brits. Six in 10 voters have already begun spending more time at home rather than going out, and 51% are wearing more layers of clothing to avoid using their heaters, The Daily Mail poll showed.

With petrol and diesel prices rising to all-time highs, 44% of voters have turned to walking and cycling more instead of driving. Three in 10 have canceled subscriptions, such as streaming services and gym memberships.

The poll found that many voters have been forced to take more drastic steps, including 21% who skipped meals regularly and 20% who borrowed money from family or friends. Meanwhile, 11% have stopped making loan payments, and 19% have either gone to a food bank or thought about doing so to put meals on the table.

As for who voters blame for the inflation crisis, the top choice was the UK government at 25%, the poll found. This was followed by the Russia-Ukraine conflict at 22%, and the COVID-19 pandemic at 20%. A whopping 74% said the UK economy is worse than it was six months ago.

Brits are looking to the government to help them get through the crisis, with 73% calling for a higher minimum wage, 72% favoring cuts to fuel taxes, and 65% supporting acceleration of a planned reduction in income taxes. Strong majorities also called for reducing environmental levies on energy bills and scrapping a planned increase in national insurance premiums. About 75% said the government should impose a windfall tax on the profits of energy companies.

According to the study, 40% of respondents intend to vote for Labour in the next election, while 34% prefer Johnson’s Conservative Party. The remaining 26% want to vote for minor opposition parties.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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