Government Delivery Index - Post-Election Pick Up

The latest Deloitte / MORI Delivery Index shows a rise in optimism over the economy and public services after the General Election, continuing the steady upward trend since 2003. For the first time since May 2002, people are more positive than negative about the government's long-term economic policies, and the proportion of optimists has risen from 43% in February to 47% after the election.

The third Labour victory also sees a rise in optimism about public services. Those who think that "in the long term, this government's policies will improve the state of Britain's public services", rose from 39% pre-election to 43% in May, compared with 45% who disagree.

Looking at the Government's main priorities, the NHS and public transport both saw rises in public optimism. Thirty-seven per cent expect the NHS to get better over the next few years, up five points from 32% in February (28% expect it to get worse), and those expecting public transport to improve rose from 24% to 28% (23% expect it to get worse). The public remain most optimistic about the quality of education, with 35% expecting it to get better and 23% expecting it to get worse, while the balance of opinion about the future of policing is also just positive (27% expect the way their area is policed to get better, while 22% expect it to get worse). Only on the environment are people negative. A quarter (26%) of the British public expects the quality of the environment to improve over the next few years, compared with 38% who think it will get worse.

Topline Results

• MORI interviewed 975 British adults 18+
• Fieldwork conducted by telephone between 13-15 May 2005
• Data weighted to the national population profile
• An '*' indicates a finding of less than 0.5%, but greater than zero
• Where percentages do not add up to exactly 100% this may be due to computer rounding, the exclusion of "don't knows" or to multiple answers

On balance do you agree or disagree that...

Q1 In the long term, this government's policies will improve the state of Britain's economy?

Q2 In the long term, this government's policies will improve the state of Britain's public services?

Q3-7 Thinking about... over the next few years do you expect it to...?