Public Chose Cuts When Faced With Dividing Line

A poll from the Guardian and ICM that will be published tomorrow shows that the Conservatives are winning the argument with the Public for spending cuts.

In total, 64% think the government should cut spending against 28% who want more increases. The numbers get more interesting when you look at voting intentions as 55% of people likely to vote Labour and 57% who are likely to back the Liberal Democrats would like to see reductions in state spending. Amongst likely Conservative voters the number rises to 73%.

It is a damning indictment of the Governments spending strategies as the public feel the pinch in the height of this recession and look feel the Government has spent too much and are worried that the Government seems to want to spend even more.

It is a personal slap in the face for Gordon Brown, both as it means the public reject the former Iron-Chancellors assessment for the best course of recovery; but also because it shows that Gordon Brown’s efforts to set this as the dividing line will backfire when it becomes the cornerstone for all national debate.

Overall voting intentions show the Conservatives on 41%, Labour on 27% and the Liberal Democrats on 20% which puts the polls back roughly where they were before the EU Election got rolling.

Public Chose Cuts When Faced With Dividing Line