Seven in ten Britons say the economy is one of the top three issues facing the country
The UK will have a new prime minister by the beginning of September, and the Tory candidates vying for position are putting forward their flagship policies to be considered by the Conservative party members who will choose the next leader. As political commentators have noted, the contest has been characterised by culture wars issues, with the main nod to anything economic being candidates’ plans for tax cuts.
But new YouGov tracking data shows that the economy is at the top of the list of people’s concerns. Seven in 10 Britons (69%) now see the economy as one of the top three most important issues facing the UK – the highest level in almost a decade.
The last time at least seven in 10 Britons saw the economy as a top issue for the UK was in June 2013 (71%), by which point the economy had consistently been by far the most important issue for the public since our tracker began in June 2010.
The economy has been the highest-priority issue for the British public since 7 February 2022, when it overtook health as the dominant concern. For most of the Covid-19 pandemic, health took the top spot, although the economy and Britain’s exit from the EU made brief appearances at the top of the priorities list.
Concern about the economy is highest among Britons aged 50-64 (77%) and lowest among 18 to 24-year-olds (58%). More Conservative voters (74%) than Labour voters (69%) see the economy as a pressing issue for the UK, although the economy is still the highest-priority issue for both.
