February 28, 2006

Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Scan) - Britons believe their government should focus primarily on two issues, according to a poll by ICM Research published in The Guardian. 71 per cent of respondents would like their current administration to improve the National Health Service (NHS), while 50 per cent would like to improve education.

(Angus Reid Global Scan) - Britons believe their government should focus primarily on two issues, according to a poll by ICM Research published in The Guardian. 71 per cent of respondents would like their current administration to improve the National Health Service (NHS), while 50 per cent would like to improve education.

Acting to tackle climate change and fighting the terror threat are next on the list with 28 per cent each, followed by making the economy grow with 16 per cent.

In May 2005, British voters renewed the House of Commons. The governing Labour party secured 356 seats, followed by the Conservatives with 197 and the Liberal Democrats with 62. Labour leader Tony Blair has served as prime minister since 1997. In October 2004, Blair vowed to retire at the end of his third term in office. Current chancellor of the exchequer Gordon Brown has been mentioned as his possible replacement.

In February 2005, the Labour government announced a $250 billion U.S. investment in the NHS. The strategy increases the average funding per person from $1,685 U.S. in 2002, to $2,579 U.S. in 2008. Health secretary John Reid vowed to ensure "that the most deprived areas, where there are appalling inequalities in life expectancy and concentrated problems of disease such as lung cancer or heart disease, receive extra investment." After the last election to the House of Commons, Patricia Hewitt took over as Britain's health secretary.

Yesterday, Blair called his education reforms an "important moment for the government" and "absolutely the crux of what a Labour government is about." Up to 100 of the Labour party's current parliamentarians are opposed to the prime minister's plan—which seeks to give schools greater freedom—citing that it could eventually lead to a two-tier system, where schools pick the best students to help improve their exam rates.

Polling Data

Which two of the following things do you think should be top priorities for the government?

Improving the National Health Service	71%
Improving education	50%
Acting to tackle climate change	28%
Fighting the terror threat	28%
Making the economy grow	16%
None of these	1%
Don't know	1%

Source: ICM Research / The Guardian
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,002 British adults, conducted from Feb. 17 to Feb. 19, 2006. No margin of error was provided.