The Key Issues that MPs will be focussed on during the election and in the new parliament

Brexit has dominated the news this year and many will perceive this to be a ‘Brexit Election.’ Just over three in five (63%) of the electorate say that Brexit is the single biggest issue facing Britain today as reported by Ipsos in the Issues Index October 2019.  For Boris Johnson, Brexit has become a personal priority of almost life or death importance, even being quoted saying that he would rather be “dead in a ditch” than ask for a Brexit extension. But what issues are in the minds of MPs overall as we head towards polling day?

Asked what issues facing the UK today are most important, over 9 in 10 MPs have said “Europe” since the UK voted to leave the EU in the June 2016 referendum. In fact, over the past decade, agreement among MPs about the most important issue facing the UK has never been so high (98% in the last 2 waves), and the gulf between the most important and second most important factors has seldom been quite so wide.

Up until the referendum the economy had always led as the most important issue of the day; however, its importance has halved since the referendum (winter 2015 71%, summer 2019 36%). At the same time, issues related to the environment and social care are increasingly being seen to be important by MPs. Other frequently mentioned issues included Housing (21%), Education (19%), NHS (17%) and Crime (16%).

MPs perceptions about key issues will naturally be influenced by what they hear from their constituents. So, what issues do constituents currently contact MPs about, through letters or approaches in clinics, and so on? A peak inside MPs postbags paint a slightly richer picture.

Unsurprisingly around 9 in 10 Conservative (94%) and Labour (87%) MPs say that Brexit is the subject addressed most by letters in their postbags. After Brexit, there is a clear 34% gap to the next most common subject covered by letters addressed to Conservative MPs; Health service (60%) and climate change (59%). Meanwhile, letters addressed to Labour MPs cover a whole plethora of subjects including; housing (79%), benefits (76%), social security (68%), climate change (65%), refugees (62%).

Labour MPs are more likely than Conservative MPs to report that they have received letters addressing 18 of the top 24 subjects shown, particularly around social policy subjects such as benefits, housing and refugees.

Labour MPs receive more post than Conservative MPs about:

• Social Security, +44% gap
• Housing, +33% gap
• Refugees, +30% gap
• Tax Credits, +25% gap
• Benefits, +24% gap
• Crime, +20% gap

Conservative MPs are more likely than Labour MPs to receive post around rural issues (reflective of their vote demographic) and marginally more likely to receive post about the health service and Brexit.

Conservative MPs receive more post than Labour MPs about:

• Rural issues, +17% gap
• Health Service, +8% gap
• Brexit, +7% gap

Understanding the topics that MPs are currently dealing with can add context to our clients’ own communications with MPs. Providing clients with powerful insights that will enable them to align their messages with things that MPs will care about and appreciate views on.

Whatever the outcome of the December General Election, one thing is almost certain, there will be a lot of personnel changes within the house.

Ipsos is due to run its winter wave of the MPs survey soon after the election (in January), offering a unique opportunity for subscribers to get an early measure of their reputation among the new parliament, receive guidance on how best to engage with MPs and gather views on policy issues. The deadline for subscribing is the 2nd December. If you think you may be interested in the survey, please contact Guto Hunkin

Methodological notes

Ipsos interviewed 148 MPs during 3 June to 2 August 2019, with all interviews conducted face-to-face with MPs. Quotas and weights were used to ensure the final data reflects the composition of British MPs by ministerial status within political party, with further sample controls on gender and region. 97 MPs were asked the key issues question. The MPs survey is a biannual multi-client survey run by Ipsos (next wave will go into field this January), and forms part of a wider suite of syndicated stakeholder surveys that it runs (which also includes surveys among AMs, MSPs, Business Journalists and Business Leaders).