New YouGov poll reveals how popular Labour policies are with voters

A new poll has revealed strong support for certain Labour policies ahead of the release of the party’s general election manifesto later this week – but opposition to reported plans to lower the voting age to 16.

The polling from YouGov – published today – found that 74% of respondents backed Labour’s plan to create Great British Energy, a publicly-owned clean power generation company, while just 9% said they were opposed.

Almost seven in ten (68%) supported Labour plans to use private sector capacity to address NHS waiting lists, with 20% opposed, while 61% endorsed its proposal to charge VAT on private school fees, with 23% saying they were against the idea.

More than half (53%) of respondents backed Labour’s commitment to a nuclear deterrent ‘triple lock’, while 22% said they were opposed.

READ MORE: Brighton Pavilion: ‘AI candidate’ jostles with Labour to oust one Green MP

46% said they supported Keir Starmer’s pledge to maintain income tax, National Insurance and VAT at their current levels – a commitment made by both the Labour leader and Rishi Sunak during the leaders’ debate last week – but there was notable opposition to the policy among respondents, at 30%.

There was also strong opposition to Labour’s reported plan to lower the voting age to 16, with 59% of respondents saying they were against the idea and 32% saying they were in favour. The 18-24 age category was the only group where support for the policy outweighed opposition, at 47% to 41%.

A party spokesperson said last week that Labour’s general election manifesto had been “endorsed” by the crucial ‘Clause V’ meeting, which brings together senior party figures to sign off the party’s policy platform ahead of each general election.

But it is understood that major affiliated union Unite has not endorsed the plans. It follows a string of public criticisms by general secretary Sharon Graham of the party’s revisions to its workers’ rights reforms, with Graham recently warning that the New Deal for Working People had “more holes in it than Swiss cheese“.

Labour’s manifesto is expected to be published on Thursday, following the launches of the other major parties’ manifestos in the coming days. The Liberal Democrats have unveiled their manifesto this morning, with the Conservatives due to follow tomorrow and the Greens’ launch expected on Wednesday.

READ MORE: Labour manifestos of old: Read previous policy platforms from 1997 to 2019

Read more of our 2024 general election coverage here.

If you have anything to share that we should be looking into or publishing about this or any other topic involving Labour or about the election, on record or strictly anonymously, contact us at [email protected]. 

Sign up to LabourList’s morning email for a briefing everything Labour, every weekday morning. 

If you can help sustain our work too through a monthly donation, become one of our supporters here.

And if you or your organisation might be interested in partnering with us on sponsored events or content, email [email protected].