Nigel Farage’s UK Independence Party (UKIP) continues to impact the British public’s idea of what should be nationally prioritised, as the UK economy improves, and on the back of the party’s huge election victories last month.
The Economist reports that today’s IPSOS MORI polling reveals ‘race relations and immigration’ to be the foremost concern for Britons today – the first time it has been at that level since April of 2008.
The Economist says:
Mentioned by two fifths (39%) of the public–an increase of five percentage points since May–this probably reflects the media fracas surrounding these issues leading up to the local and European elections. The economy has slipped to second place with a third (33%) mentioning it. In June 2013, 50% of people cited the economy as the most important issue.
12% of Britons say Europe is the most important issue–the highest share in nine years. That suggests Britons are paying attention to the row over the candidacy of ex-Luxembourg PM Jean-Claude Juncker as European Commission president. This is bad news for David Cameron, who loudly opposes his candidacy, and who looks almost certain to lose over the issue.
Britain’s National Health Service ends up in fourth place, with poverty in sixth and education in seventh.
Surprisingly, the EU/Europe/Euro are only mentioned by 12 percent of the population, though this has grown by four percent on last month, and moves the issue up the rankings by six places.
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