Labour Budget Backlash Deepens as Publicโ Trustโข Erodes
LONDON – A post-Budget โsurveyโ reveals growing public dissatisfaction with the Labour government’s economic policies, fueled โby revelations of โขmisleading statements regarding the state of public finances. The data indicates a significant preference for โreduced public spending over tax increases,โฃ and a widespread belief that the country is heading in the wrong direction.
The survey, conducted โฃfollowing theโฃ recent Budget declaration, โfoundโข that 56 per cent of respondents favour less spending on public services, compared to 33 per cent who support tax hikes and spending rises. This discontent is compounded byโข a prevailing pessimism about the UK’s economic future,with 75 per cent believing the country is onโค the wrong track and 56 per cent anticipating economic deterioration in the coming year.
Critics argue the budget failedโ to deliver concrete measures to stimulate economic growth, despite the government’s stated focus on this โคobjective. The situation has been further inflamed by the Office for Budget Responsibility’s โฃdisclosure that it informed Shadow โฃChancellor Rachel Reeves of aโ ยฃ4 billion surplus almost a month before the Budget – prior to public statementsโฃ highlighting a precarious financial position. This revelation has led to accusations of political manipulation and aโข loss of trust,โฃ with even some ministers reportedly admittingโค theyโข were misled.
The shifting political landscape may benefit the Conservatives. While Reform UK maintains a โlead in primary vote intention at โ31 per cent (down four points in the โlast two โmonths), thier momentum has slowed. The Conservative party has seen a one-point increase to 20 per cent, โandโข Labour a two-point rise to 19โ per cent. โFollowingโค her โคresponse to the Budget,Kemi Badenoch โฃhas emerged as the preferred Prime Minister,garnering 41 per cent support compared to Keir Starmer’s โ32 per cent.
The initial positive receptionโ of the Budget has quickly โdissipated, leaving the Labour leadership facing increased scrutiny and a challenging political environment.
matthew Lesh is country manager at Freshwater Strategy.
