A new survey of Keir Starmer shows spending options

Digest opened free editor

Rola Khaleda, FT editor, chooses her favorite stories in this weekly newsletter.

A clear majority of workers ’voters believe that spending on social welfare is more important than strengthening the defense budget in the United Kingdom, according to the new polling poll, with a highlight of the political challenge facing Sir Kerr Starmer and makes the issue to re -armament.

The exclusive voting was made before Wednesday Spring statement He also revealed that voters from all parties believe that the government can increase spending with a tax reduction.

Although the voters accepted that there was an end to the government’s ability to increase borrowing, the survey conducted by Stohanefin and the year showed for the first time that they did not accept that the bites were required to re -deport.

Where does the money come from?

The survey also showed that Starmer has already pulled two of the four major cranes – lowering external aid and increasing taxes on companies – which the majority of voters consider acceptable to pay the costs of high defense spending.

The other two logic that the two voters agreed that they had been reduced to increase the defense budget are investing in renewable energy and public transportation – two policies told Chancellor Rachel Reeves that they were essential in the Labor Party plans to revive the economy.

In recent weeks, employment has been extracted through internal departments regarding the decision of Starmer to increase defense spend Reducing the annual welfare bill in the United Kingdom By 5 billion pounds per year.

Robert Ford, a professor of political science at the University of Manchester, said that the “cake and eating” approach to the public in tax and spending issues has created a major problem for the government, especially as it has increased discounts in difficult spending through Whithal.

“The fact that the public believes in the” magic money tree “is a blessing for the opposition-which can call it all the time when the government imposes discounts-but it is a government station that is forced to recognize the existence of bodies.”

On Monday, the BBC Radio 5 Live told Monday that it hoped that the greatest use of the spontaneous organization and technology will enable the government to find savings, which would liberate the financial space of the Labor Party priorities.

The Prime Minister said that his government had achieved “standard investments” in the budget last year with more money in the national health service.

“But … one of the areas we will look at is, can we manage the government more efficiently? Can we take some money from the government? And I think we can so,” he said.

“I think we are asking companies all over the country to be more efficient, and we look at artificial intelligence and technology the way they do their businesses. I want the same challenge in the government, which is why we should not be more efficient?”

The president of Stohanefin Peter Lebourne said that the poll showed that the general feelings were behind politicians and business leaders who are currently declaring a “moment of renewal” for Europe.

He added: “Investors and governments who believe that this moment must understand the whereabouts of the voters, otherwise those who are in a hurry to re -deport or build energy and transport infrastructure may not be separated.”

Axis to Europe?

The polling, which was made between 11 and 15 March, showed apparent hardening feelings towards the United States.

It found that more than a third of the UK voters would prefer the European Union as an arms supplier, compared to less than a quarter of the voters who say America was a favorite partner.

On a possible sign of rapid views about the value of the Atlantic alliance, voters in the United Kingdom were also supportive of the “armed forces across Europe” despite years of conservative warnings and essential against the emergence of the “Euro Army”.

It is worth noting that France was seen as more likely than the United States to provide military aid in a case that attacked the United Kingdom by a terrorist group-despite the American defensive relations with the United Kingdom, including the subscription to the nuclear nuclear in the United Kingdom.

Trump’s trap?

The political debate in the United Kingdom on whether more will be spent on defense and compatibility with the United States or the European Union splits clearly on the party’s lines, with conservative and reformist voters in favor of adhesion near Washington.

But while Starmer tried to walk in a diplomatic rope with the Trump administration on how to bring peace to Ukraine and Avoid trade warVoters from all parties carry a clear negative view of US President Donald Trump.

Even among the reformist voters, whose leader, Nigel Faraj is a voice supporter of Trump, said less than half that they have a positive vision of the American president, compared to a third of the conservatives and a quarter of the workers ’voters.

Ford from Manchester University said that the opinion of the generally low voters about Trump provided political risks to Farraj and the conservatives who mocked themselves with the Maga Republican movement in the United States.

“The problem is that their association with Trump is not shared by the majority of their voters, or more importantly, voters who are trying to win it from other parties. Trump is a way to govern and reform alike to reduce their vote.”