Merlin Strategy

*but* - UK withdrawal from NATO is unpopular with everyone, even Greens - legalisation of class A drugs also underwater with all groups, and net -27 with Labour voters

- a wealth tax is in overhwelmingly positively territory with every voter group - a 4 day working week is backed by all apart from Reform voters

Tomorrow's @StrategyMerlin newsletter looks at the Greens + how much further they can go. Greens' economic policies *are popular* even with Cons and Reform voters. Some of their other positions, less so... To get the full picture sign up here: merlinstrategy.com/#:~:text=Subsc

Meaning a majority of Green and Labour voters, as well as nearly *4 in 10 Conservative and Reform voters* disagree that 'it is more important for everyone to be better off, even if the rich get richer'

The public are split on whether they prioritise reducing inequality or growing the economy 53% of Labour voters and 64% of Green voters say it is more important to reduce inequality than it is to grow the economy.

Green voters and Reform voters are th most likely to prioritise money off their energy bills. 3 in 4 of Green and Reform supporters say that would be the most effective way to reduce the cost of living crisis.

Even pre-Iran the government was under more pressure than they realised to give people money off their energy bills. Number 1 issue for public is the cost of living. How do they want it reduced? Not economic growth but direct gov intervention on energy bills...

This aged extremely well

I wrote about how the Greens overtaking Labour + the political consequences of that seemed inevitable in November last year for the @NewStatesman ⬇️

Merlin @StrategyMerlin are hiring for a graduate trainee: merlinstrategy.com/join-merlin-st… Do share with anyone who is interested!

From November: Starmer's "me vs Farage" strategy not as straightforward for Labour as many think Last night's results proved why: 1) multi-party under FPTP means challenger unclear (and contested) 2) the left refusing to unify behind unpopular PM + gov, want "change" too

Graduates + younger people make up a core part of Labour's base. @StrategyMerlin 's @JulianGallie argues that with >5 million now holding plan 2 student loans (that will stay with them as they age into their 40s + 50s) Labour cannot afford to ignore the issue politicshome.com/opinion/articl…

Labour's support among graduates has already fallen sharply since the 2024 general election, while the Greens' has more than doubled If it wants to avoid a row with students that it really can't afford, then the government should take meaningful action on Plan 2 loans, writes Merlin Strategy's @JulianGallie politicshome.com/opinion/articl…

The latest @StrategyMerlin newsletter out featuring a preview of Gorton & Denton, what the public wants to see next from Labour and economic populism... Sign up here: merlinstrategy.com/#:~:text=Subsc…

A lot of the public do not associate economic growth with improvements to their own cost of living. Our @lfg_uk research asked what would be the most effective way to end the COL crisis: 70% put reducing energy + utility bills in their top 3, just 47% put growing the economy

Starmer will be tainted by the Mandleson scandal... Voters' trust in WM through the floor. Mandelson well known + this will only reinforce view that politicians are corrupt + in it for themselves... Starmer so unpopular that voters give him no benefit of the doubt on anything

There's been too much agonising re the semantics of "Britain being broken" Whether you say "broken" or not, the public *strongly* feel the country is on the wrong track + have lost faith in the ability of politicians to fix it I went on @BBCPolitics to discuss voter malaise

The real puppet master of @StrategyMerlin 🧙

A busy start to 2026 for @StrategyMerlin 🧙

Energy is everything. But if you looked at the UK economy you would not see some sign that our government thought energy prices must immediately reduce. The acceptance of the fingleton review can only be the start! Great polling by @StrategyMerlin