Politics

Pulse Check - May 2025

Reform UK enjoys the highest level of trust on having the right immigration policies (37%), handling migrant crossings of the English Channel (39%), and making illegal entry more difficult (42%). Conservatives are the least trusted party on these issues.

People are more likely to think public opinion leans more towards opposition to the building of more homes in their local area (42% are of this view) than support (26%). However, the opposite is true - 46% support building, 25% oppose it.

17% hold a favourable opinion of leader of the opposition Kemi Badenoch, while her score of 49% unfavourable is her worst in this series as Conservative party leader – Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick follows closely behind, with 16% favourable.

Just over two in five (43%) think that the UK will receive no points in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest, a 19 ppt jump from last year.

Labour's immigration white paper is clearly a response to growing public concern. But shifting public opinion on such a complex and emotive issue isn't easy, especially when public opinion has so many - often contradictory - aspects.

Two in five (40%) believe it would be a good thing for Chancellor to break her fiscal rules, if it meant raising more money for higher quality public services. However, they are less supportive of breaking the rules in principle (20%) or if it leads to more borrowing (14%) or higher taxes (15%).

Half (51%) of Britons now think that Britain should prioritise building a closer trade relationship with the EU, even if it means increasing barriers to trade with the United States – up from 42% in March.

Across all five of Starmer’s missions, more people continue to believe Labour is doing a bad job than a good job.