Angus Reid Global Monitor : Polls & Research

Britons Assess Economic Times After Election

April 17, 2005

Credit:UN/DPI Photo by Evan Schneider

Gordon Brown

(Angus Reid Global Scan) - Many adults in Britain believe their country's financial resurgence could be jeopardized after next month's House of Commons ballot, according to a poll by YouGov published in the Daily Telegraph. 40 per cent of respondents believe a Tory government might put recent economic gains at risk, while 26 per cent feel the same way about a new term for Labour.

Britain will renew the lower house of Parliament on May 5. Chancellor of the exchequer Gordon Brown has been in charge of Britain's finances since 1997—the longest continuous tenure for any public servant in the position.

On Apr. 5, Brown declared that a third term for the governing Labour party would be beneficial for businesses, saying, "Despite higher world oil prices and despite the lower growth of European economies, the British economy will continue to grow at a faster rate over the course of this year than the rest of the European Union (EU)." 13 per cent of respondents say Britain's financial status is strong enough for it not to matter who is in power.

Polling Data

Which view comes closest to your own?

The British economy is strong enough
for it not to matter who is in power

13%

Electing a Tory government under Michael
Howard might put recent economic gains at risk

40%

Electing a Labour government under Tony
Blair might put recent economic gains at risk

26%

Don't know

21%

Source: YouGov / Daily Telegraph
Methodology: Online interviews to 2,240 British adults, conducted from Apr. 12 to Apr. 14, 2005. No margin of error was provided.

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