Conservative manifesto 'grasping at straws' according to Yorkshire voters

The snap study of a variety of 105 voters by pollsters JL Partners on behalf of campaign group 38 Degrees, and seen exclusively by The Yorkshire Post, was conducted immediately after the manifesto launch on Tuesday, and asked participants their thoughts on five questions.

Those involved were asked if they thought the manifesto pledges would make life better for people in Yorkshire; if they thought the cut in National Insurance would help them and people like them with the cost of living; whether cutting taxes or increasing spending on services like the NHS should be the priority of the next government; if the policies in the manifesto would address problems in the NHS; and whether or not the manifesto had changed their opinions on Rishi Sunak and the Conservative party.

On whether or not the manifesto would help people in Yorkshire respondents were split, with 40 per cent believing it would, and a similar amount believing it wouldn’t.

There was concern about whether popular ideas could be delivered - one former Conservative voter said “I believe they would [help people in Yorkshire] but I don't trust them to implement [the pledges] ”, while an undecided voter said the manifesto would help Yorkshire “if these policies were implemented and not withdrawn a year down the line.”

The proposed 2p cut in National Insurance - which would be the third such cut in a year - failed to impress voters in Yorkshire, with only 36 per cent saying it would help with the cost of living, while nearly half (46 per cent) said it wouldn’t.

One female respondent who voted Conservative in 2019 but no longer knows who to vote for said the cut in National Insurance “doesn't give us financial security,” adding, “what difference it makes in our pay packet is a pittance.”

Meanwhile, the focus on tax cuts in the manifesto similarly failed to convince respondents, with 48 per cent prioritising the need to increase spending on public services ahead of cutting taxes.

Whilst a small number of voters said the policies had improved their view of the Conservative party “slightly” the vast majority said the announcement had done little to change their minds.

One female Labour voter said the manifesto had not changed her view on Rishi Sunak or the Conservatives, as she felt they were just “grasping at straws.”

Matthew McGregor, CEO of 38 Degrees, said: “The response from people across the region seems to be that Rishi Sunak’s party neither offers plans ambitious enough to tackle the scale of these issues in Yorkshire, nor that they are trusted enough to actually deliver on those pledges, even if the public back them.

“Whoever forms the next Government must show they’re able to do what it takes to put voters’ priorities first with real, concrete action on the cost of living and investment in our NHS, instead of gimmicks and half-measures, which voters can see straight through.”

Tom Lubbock, co-founder of JL Partners, added: “Positive responses focused on housing, the NHS, job creation and long term planning. But you don’t need to read far to find a deep seated scepticism about the delivery of these policies and trust in the messenger – both party and leader.

“The overwhelming sentiment is that people have not changed their mind off the back of the Conservative Manifesto and the campaign as a whole. People appear to have made their minds up about this Conservative Government and Rishi Sunak and our larger polls along with the qualitative answers here would suggest it's not for the better.”