Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: To what extent is the British public divided over policy preferences a year on from the 2024 general election? While party system fragmentation may persist, less is known about how voters differ in their underlying policy preferences. Drawing on a large‐scale conjoint survey experiment with over 8,000 British adults, this paper examines which policy proposals attract broad support and where lines of division remain. I find that policies offering tangible improvements to services—such as NHS investment, childcare provision and holding water companies accountable—consistently increase support for a policy platform. By contrast, proposals around immigration, welfare and housing produce sharper divides. I also demonstrate that voters who have shifted from Labour to Reform since the 2024 election hold distinctive, more punitive preferences across some policy domains. Taken together, these results suggest voters largely support policies that align with their everyday interests and concerns.
Source: The Political Quarterly
Author: Lotte Hargrave
Language: English
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,520
OpenAlex ID: W4415759124
FWCI:
Cites:
Cited by:
Related to: