NHS overtakes Brexit as top issue in voters’ minds

Pro-EU protesters taking part in a 2018 march to protect the NHS. Picture: Yui Mok/PA Archive/PA Images - Credit: PA Archive/PA Images

The NHS has overtaken Brexit as the top issue that voters have on their minds in the general election, a poll has found.

In what is considered to be a boost for Labour, 60% of UK adults said that the NHS is now very important in helping them decide who to vote for, compared to 56% of people who felt the same way about Brexit.

The two topics stand head and shoulders above any other in this election, according to the polling by Ipsos MORI.

After this, adult social care and crime were considered “very important” issues in the election for 30% of voters.

The prominence of the healthcare system in voters’ minds will please Labour, who have been criticised for their equivocal stance on Brexit but who have traditionally been seen as the most passionate defenders of the NHS.

Favourability towards the party has also improved “slightly”, said the pollster.

While the Tories are still seen as the most favourable party – by 35% of voters – Labour have inched forward three per cent since last week to be considered most favourable by 29% of UK adults.

Nonetheless, Jeremy Corbyn’s personal popularity as a leader has not improved with just 22% of people polled considering him favourably.

This has not stopped Remain voters beginning to favour Labour over the Liberal Democrats, who trail Corbyn’s party by 5%.

MORE: Lib Dems position themselves as party of Remain with manifestoAt her party’s manifesto launch, Jo Swinson has acknowledged that the Lib Dems are not polling as well as she would like but said: “There has obviously been a bit of a squeeze, but, at this point in the 2017 election the polls weren’t a very good indicator to what actually happened in the final outcome.”