Labour "least honest" on spending plans |

Tuesday 16th June 2009 | 16:01

Labour "least honest" on spending plans

Labour is failing to convince non-aligned voters that they are being honest about their spending and tax intentions

Non-aligned voters consider the Labour party the least honest of all the main parties on their future tax and spending plans, new research by PoliticsHome reveals.

The public were asked to choose which of the three main political parties they feel are most honest about their tax and spending plans. They were allowed to select up to two parties.*

The Conservatives are seen as the most truthful about their fiscal policy with thirty seven per cent of the public vote, followed by the Liberal Democrats who gained twenty eight per cent. Only sixteen per cent of the public believe the government to be more honest than the opposition parties on spending plans.

The results from nonaligned voters were perhaps the most revealing of the level of suspicion in this area: only six per cent of nonaligned voters think the Labour party are honest: the largest percentage (forty per cent) chose 'none of them.'

Labour failed to score an overall majority even with their own supporters; only forty eight per cent of Labour party supporters believe they are the party that is most honest about their spending and tax intentions. In contrast, the Tories and Lib Dems were both backed by eighty two per cent of their supporters.

The government's rhetoric on tax and spending has failed to convince independent voters. Only six per cent feel they are most honest, whereas thirty three per cent chose the Conservatives and twenty three per cent the Liberal Democrats.

Twenty eight per cent of the public believe that none of the main parties are honest about their spending and tax plans.

PoliticsHome interviewed 1,295 adults by email between 15 - 16 June 2009. Results are weighted by party ID to reflect the UK at large

*Respondents were allowed to choose up to two parties who they felt were honest, which is why the total adds up to more than 100. This delivers a better impression of how people feel about this specific issue, rather than just the party they support.

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