British public opinion is split on whether recent changes in Government policies show that the Government is willing to listen to people and drop policies that are unpopular, or in fact indicate that the Government is weak, incompetent or had not thought its policies through well enough. Around one in ten people did not take up either side of the argument.
- 39% of British people believe that recent changes in Government policies show that the Government is weak, incompetent or hadn’t thought its policies through
- While a slightly larger number, 41%, think that the changes show that the government are willing to listen to people and drop policies that are unpopular
- Nearly three quarters of people (72%) think that the Government was right to drop plans to give people who commit crimes reductions of up to 50% to their sentences if they plead guilty at the earliest opportunity
- And 64% thought that the Government was right to alter its proposed NHS reforms, changes which will, among other things, involve doctors and nurses more in the GP consortium
- Despite this, more than half of people (54%) do not think that David Cameron will keep his recently announced five pledges on the NHS
- Two in five people (40%) do think Cameron will keep his promises
Policy changes
The results come after the Government recently abandoned plans to give people who commit crimes reductions of up to 50% to their sentences if they plead guilty at the earliest opportunity, a move which proved popular in our survey, as nearly three quarters of people agreed with the policy drop.
Similarly, more than three in five people agree with the announced changes to the Government’s proposed NHS reforms. Even so, more than half of Britons do not trust Prime Minister David Cameron to keep his pledges.
Bad policy making?
David Cameron and the Justice Secretary Ken Clarke met last week to discuss the proposed policy of reducing sentences by up to half for those who plead guilty at the earliest opportunity, therefore avoiding the need for a trial. The plans were part of wider reforms of sentencing policy, but proved controversial and were subsequently dropped.
Government NHS reforms have also been changed from the original form. Doctors and nurses will now be more involved in the GP consortium, reforms will be introduced more gradually than previously suggested, the new NHS watchdog will be charged with promoting integration of care and there will be a rule of only introducing competition if it benefits patient care and choice.
As indicated by the poll, changes have sparked a divide in opinion on whether the reforms show greater willingness to listen to public opinion on policy, or just bad policy making in the first place. David Cameron’s five pledges on the NHS promise to protect universal coverage, not to break up integrated care, to keep waiting lists low, to increase spending on the NHS and not to sell it off.
