Is the environment only something we care about when we are prosperous?

The chart above is from the latest Ipsos-MORI and shows responses to the firm’s unprompted “What do you thing are the main/important issues facing Britain today” which they have been asking in exactly the same way for more than two decades.

As can be expected the current top topic raised by respondents was the economy. But just look at the way “green” concerns have been declining. When your main interest is just making ends meet then caring for the planet might be put on the back-burner.

With the three main parties all articulating quite radical approaches to climate change it will be interesting to watch how important they regard this in the eighteen months up to the election. My guess is that their enthusiasm will be like the chart above.

Spread betting report. The latest US election spreads on electoral college votes from PB’s spread-betting sponsor, Sporting Index are:- OBAMA 344-350: MCCAIN 188-194. In addition there’s a big range of other US election markets.

The UK general election commons seats spreads have moved a couple of notches to Labour. The latest figures are CON 340-346: LAB 236-242: LD 43-46 seats.

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Mike Smithson