London24NEWS

Mirror’s General Election 2024 survey outcomes – this is what you needed to say

POLITICS

We head to the polls on Thursday for the first General Election since 2019 – but before we cast our vote, we wanted to know how YOU feel about life in the UK these days.

Over the past five years we have witnessed unprecedented change, both at home and abroad. We’ve seen Brexit, the rise and fall of Covid – and a war in Europe with the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

We’re currently experiencing a real squeeze on our purse strings, an intensifying conflict in the Middle East and a small boats crisis gripping the English Channel. NHS waiting times continue to be a major issue across the country, there’s increasing environmental concern and a ticking pensions time bomb.

With all this in mind, we wanted to hear about how you are feeling, and if an overwhelming past few years of events had changed how you live. From immigration to crime, or the NHS to Brexit, your opinion matters – and thousands of you shared it with us.

What you had to say

The results made for very interesting reading, with most of you (51.4 per cent) saying you’ll be voting for the same party you chose at the last General Election. Immigration & Asylum was your most important current issue (28.4 per cent) and more than half (50.2 per cent) felt their vote ‘made a difference’.

Elsewhere, the most popular score out of ten for ‘how happy are you with life where you live compared to five years ago’ was a modest ‘5’, while the majority (57.7 per cent) put improving roads as the number one transport issue in their area. A sizeable 56.4 per cent didn’t fear being a victim of crime where they lived, while most (57.5%) felt political leaders didn’t talk about mental health enough.

Many readers (52.5 per cent) felt life was worse following Brexit and 48.3% said they didn’t have enough money to live on. A hefty 46.5 per cent of you want to see the return of National Service and most – 70.2 per cent – were aware constituency boundaries had changed for this election.

Finally, 83.8 per cent knew who their local MP was and the majority of respondents were aged more than 60 years (71.9 per cent).

Question by question breakdown of what you had to say:

Will you be voting for the same party you voted for in the 2019 General Election?

  • Yes – 4,269 (51.4%)
  • No – 3,756 (45.2%)
  • Blank – 279 (3.4%)

What’s the most important issue to you in run-up to General Election?

  • Immigration & Asylum – 2,362 (28.4%)
  • Cost of living crisis – 1,717 (20.7%)
  • Health – 1,450 (17.5%)
  • Britain leaving the EU – 690 (8.3%)
  • Other – 455 (5.5%)
  • Pensions – 357 (4.3%)
  • Defence & Security – 209 (2.5%)
  • Welfare benefits – 187 (2.3%)
  • Tax – 165 (2%)
  • Environment – 159 (1.9%)
  • Crime – 148 (1.8%)
  • Blank – 125 (1.5%)
  • Housing – 110 (1.3%)
  • Education – 56 (0.7%)
  • Family life & childcare – 51 (0.6%)
  • International affairs – 42 (0.5%)
  • Transport – 21 (0.3%)

Do you believe your vote will make a difference?

  • Yes – 4,169 (50.2%)
  • No – 4,015 (48.3%)
  • Blank – 120 (2.5%)

How happy are you with life where you live compared to five years ago? Answer on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the most happy, and 1 being the least happy

  • Blank – 1,911 (23%)
  • 5 – 1,373 (16.5%)
  • 1 – 779 (9.4%)
  • 8 – 719 (8.6%)
  • 4 – 698 (8.3%)
  • 3 – 696 (8.3%)
  • 7 – 614 (7.4%)
  • 6 – 536 (6.5%)
  • 2 – 437 (5.3%)
  • 10 – 293 (3.5%)
  • 9 – 249 (3%)

    • Which area of transport do you feel most needs to be improved where you live?

    • Roads – 4,792 (57.7%)
    • Buses – 1,650 (19.9%)
    • Trains – 788 (9.5%)
    • Blank – 649 (7.8%)
    • Other – 281 (3.4%)
    • Cycling – 144 (1.7%)

    Do you fear being a victim of crime as you go about your daily life where you live?

    • No – 4,680 (56.4%)
    • Yes – 3,206 (38.6%)
    • Blank – 418 (5%)

    Is the issue of mental health discussed enough by political leaders?

    1. No – 4,772 (57.5%)
    2. Yes – 2,666 (32.1%)
    3. Blank – 866 (10.4%)

    Do you feel Brexit has made life better or worse?

    1. Worse – 4,356 (52.5%)
    2. No difference – 1,913 (23%)
    3. Better – 1,297 (15.6%)
    4. Blank – 738 (8.9%)

    Do you feel you have enough money to live on?

    1. No – 4,013 (48.3%)
    2. Yes – 3,626 (43.7%)
    3. Blank – 665 (8%)

    Are you supportive of introducing National Service for young people?

    1. No – 3,858 (46.5%)
    2. Yes – 3,151 (37.9%)
    3. I don’t know – 860 (10.4%)
    4. Blank – 435 (5.2%)

    Are you aware that constituency boundaries in the UK are changing for this General Election?

    • Yes – 5,826 (70.2%)
    • No – 2,242 (27%)
    • Blank – 236 (2.8%)

    Do you know who your current MP is?

    • Yes – 6,958 (83.8%)
    • No – 1,149 (13.8%)
    • Blank – 197 (2.4%)

    Are you aged:

    • Under 18 – 5 (0.1%)
    • 18-30 – 70 (0.8%)
    • 31-45 – 441 (5.3%)
    • 46-60 – 1,635 (19.7%)
    • Over 60 – 5,974 (71.9%)
    • Blank – 179 (2.2%)

    There’s still time to take the survey – but be quick!

    If you can’t see the survey, click here

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