With the formal hostilities due to start on Thursday with the Channel 4/Sky News event the British Election Study has new polling that looks at the CON record on key policies.

Though BES data shows the Tories are unlikely to lose voters during the campaign, their ability to build support could be limited by discontent with some areas of policy as we enter the election campaign.

BES Co-Director Professor Jane Green from The University of Manchester told a Political Studies Association briefing in London that less than 20% of voters see an improvement in the Tory’s record on immigration, the NHS, crime, education and cost of living. And only just over 20% see themselves as personally better off.

According to the figures, only around 6% think the NHS is getting better and 3% think immigration is getting lower.

The British Election Study is managed by a team based at The Universities of Manchester, Oxford and Nottingham. It is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council.A sample of around 16,000 respondents were interviewed between 6-13 March 2015.

Professor Green said: “What is well known is that the national economic recovery is an electoral asset for the Conservatives.aHowever, what isn’t known is that the Tories have much work to do if they are to convince voters that a range of key policies are working.”

BES data, adds Professor Green, shows most voters think cuts in public spending have gone too far. And only 25% consider it ‘absolutely necessary’ to cut the deficit.
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Mike Smithson

For 11 years viewing politics from OUTSIDE the Westminster bubble

For latest polling and political betting news follow @MSmithsonPB