Labour more trusted than Tories to grow the economy
Labour is now more trusted than the Tories to grow the economy, a new poll reveals.
The survey will come as a major boost to Sir Keir Starmer as he prepares to set out his plan to increase national wealth on Monday.
But it is bad news for Rishi Sunak, suggesting the Autumn Statement has done little to win over disaffected voters.
The YouGov poll shows that one in four Britons (25 per cent) now thinks Labour would do the best job of getting the economy firing again.
Fewer than one in five (19pc) think the Tories have the best policies for growth.
The survey, commissioned for the launch of a new Inclusive Growth Commission, reveals how public confidence in politicians has been dented.
Asked which party they trusted the most to grow the economy, 52 per cent chose either “none of the above” or “don’t know”.
Voters were also asked how credible they found each leader’s economic promises. Labour achieved a net score of minus nine, but the Tories performed even worse, with a net minus of 30 points.
The survey of 2,077 people was carried out on November 28-29, a week after Jeremy Hunt presented his Autumn Statement. Downing Street had hoped the promise of tax cuts, in particular a reduction in National Insurance, would win over voters.
Sir Keir has put rebuilding Labour’s reputation for economic competence at the heart of his election agenda as he looks to outflank the Tories.
On Monday, the Labour leader will deliver a major speech in which he will promise not to recklessly hike public spending if he wins the next election. He will say growth will be his “obsession” in office, because it represents the only way to fund public services in the long term.