Best Party On Key Issues: Managing the Economy

Q I am going to read out a list of problems facing Britain today. I would like you to tell me whether you think the Conservative party, the Labour party or the Liberal Democrats has the best policies on each problem.

Q I am going to read out a list of problems facing Britain today. I would like you to tell me whether you think the Conservative party, the Labour party or the Liberal Democrats has the best policies on each problem. Base: c. 1,000-2,000 GB adults aged 18+

Base: All mentioning issue as important

  Con Lab Lib Dem None / Don't know Lab Lead
  % % % % %
"Managing the economy"
21-24 July 1995 25 35 6 34 +10
22-25 March 1996 31 34 6 27 +3
23-28 July 1996 36 31 5 28 -5
21-24 February 1997 44 29 8 18 -15
8 April 1997 45 23 5 27 -22
21-24 May 1998 27 43 4 25 +16
23-26 July 1999 27 44 4 24 +17
20-25 January 2000 24 46 4 24 +22
20-24 July 2000 32 34 4 29 +2
15-20 February 2001 25 50 5 19 +25
11-16 September 2003 23 36 11 30 +13
10-14 September 2004 30 33 9 25 +3
17-21 February 2005 24 42 8 25 +18
7-11 April 2005 23 53 4 18 +30
31 August - 6 September 2006 26 38 3 32 +12
20-26 September 2007 17 46 5 30 +29
15-17 August 2008* 43 21 9 22 -22

* "None" was not recorded as a separate response option in the August 2008 poll

Base: All

  Con Lab Lib Dem None / Don't know Lab Lead
  % % % % %
"Managing the economy"
15-20 March 1990 31 31 5 31 0
October 1990 33 29 7 31 -4
6-10 December 1990 43 25 3 28 -18
18-21 January 1991 47 23 4 25 -24
22-25 February 1991 41 24 5 30 -17
19-22 April 1991 41 22 8 28 -19
24-28 May 1991 37 26 7 29 -11
21-24 June 1991 38 23 8 30 -15
19-22 July 1991 37 26 7 29 -11
20-24 September 1991 42 25 9 22 -17
18-21 October 1992 38 26 6 29 -12
17-21 January 1992 41 25 8 25 -16
21-25 February 1992 36 24 9 30 -12
11-12 March 1992 34 28 9 28 -6
16 March 1992 36 30 7 24 -6
23 March 1992 34 30 9 26 -4
30 March 1992 36 31 11 21 -5
15-20 September 1993 23 25 13 38 +2
19-23 May 1994 25 33 12 29 +8
21-24 July 1995 22 33 4 40 +11
22-25 March 1996 24 33 6 35 +9
23-28 July 1996 28 27 5 39 -1
21-24 February 1997 34 30 5 30 -4
8 April 1997 33 26 5 34 -7
21-24 May 1998 19 40 4 36 +21
23-26 July 1999 24 38 5 31 +14
20-25 January 2000 22 40 4 33 +18
20-24 July 2000 26 35 4 34 +9
15-20 February 2001 18 44 3 34 +26
21-26 February 2002 18 44 4 33 +26
11-16 September 2003 20 31 6 42 +11
10-14 September 2004 18 32 6 42 +14
7-11 April 2005 18 44 5 32 +24
31 August - 6 September 2006 18 31 4 46 +13
20-26 September 2007 13 38 4 43 +25
13-15 June 2008 36 27 5 30 -9
18-20 July 2008 37 21 11 21 -16
15-17 August 2008* 38 23 7 27 -15
16-18 January 2009* 30 29 9 25 -1
17-19 April 2009 30 25 10 19 -5
25-27 September 2009 30 25 12 29 -5
19-22 March 2010 29 26 12 30 -3
15-17 October 2010 38 25 10 21 -13
11-13 March 2011 31 28 6 27  -3
10-12 Sept 2011 33 23 8 27  -10
12-14 May 2012 31 30 7 21 -1
15-17 September 2012 30  25  34   -5
 9-11 March 2013 27  26  28  -1 

* "None" was not recorded as a separate response option in the August 2008 and January 2009 polls

  Con Lab Lib Dem UKIP  Other  None  Don't know  Lab Lead
  % % % % %
"Managing the economy"
7-9 September 2013 38 20 5 12 17  -18
 8-12 March 2014  35 22 6 2 7 10 18 -13
 6-9 September 2014 45 20 3 2 7 8 15 -25
 12-15 April 2015 41 23 4 3 7 6 16  -18
21-25 April 2017 52 17 6 2 2 6 14 -35
2-7 March 2018 41 25 4 * 5 7 16 -16
December 2019 44 20 8 - 4 7 17 -24
October 2020 41 23 4 - 6 7 18 -18
April 2022 32 26 5 - 8 9 21 -6
October 2022 21 34 5 - 6 14 20 +13
Feb 2023 24 30 4 - 7 10 23 +6
June 2023 24 29 4 - 6 16 21 +5

 

See also trends on Government Record (Good Job/Bad Job) on Managing the Economy and Confidence that the Government's policies will improve the economy

 

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