A new poll by WeThink has revealed that most Brits don’t believe the Conservative Government will deliver on promises it made during its party conference this week. 

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak confirmed the northern leg of HS2 between Birmingham and Manchester would be scrapped and the money saved would be spent on enhancing public transport in the North and Midlands. 

However, nearly two thirds (63%) said they did not believe the money saved would be spent entirely on transport projects in the North and Midlands. Only 15% said they believed the Government and 23% didn’t know. 

Meanwhile, more than half of voters (53%) said they didn’t believe the Government was committed to its flagship ‘Levelling Up’ policy which is designed to ‘create opportunities for everyone across the UK’. Only 26% said they believed they were committed and 21% said they didn’t know. 

ON CONFERENCE POLICY ANNOUNCEMENTS 

The Government made a raft of policy announcements during the Conservative Party Conference this week and WeThink asked Brits whether they agreed or disagreed with:

A ban on smoking by raising the legal age every year by a year so that a 14-year-old today will never be old enough to buy tobacco. 

• 66% agree 
• 23% disagree 
• 11% don’t know 

Everything outside of the London to Birmingham part of the HS2 project will be scrapped, with the cash saved going on transport plans for the North and Midlands.  

• 38% agree 
• 34% disagree 
• 28% don’t know 

Replacing A-levels and T-Levels with a new advanced “British standard”, with all students studying maths and English to the age of 18 along with five different subjects.   

• 38% agree 
• 34% disagree 
• 29% don’t know 

Increased sanctions for people on benefits found to be not looking for work.  

• 59% agree 
• 26% disagree 
• 15% don’t know 

Whole-life prison sentences as default for anyone convicted of sexual or sadistic murders.  

• 82% agree 
• 7% disagree 
• 11% don’t know 

Restricting availability of vapes to children.  

• 81% agree 
• 11% disagree 
• 8% don’t know 

ON VOTER INTENTION 

In our regular weekly voter intention trackers, Labour’s lead fell by four to 16 points this week, while the Prime Minister’s net approval score fell by a point to –14.

ON PRIME MINISTER APPROVAL

ON SIR KEIR STARMER'S APPROVAL

ON BEST PRIME MINISTER

ON BREXIT SENTIMENT (all respondents)

BREXIT SENTIMENT (excl. don't know / won't vote)

This week’s poll was conducted on 5^th-6^th October 2023, questioned 1,261 people and is weighted to a national representative population. 

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