Almost half of voters expect John Healey's Budget to make 'no difference' to the economy, according to City AM/Freshwater Strategy polling published on 3 November. It found 49% expect no difference, 24% think the Budget will improve the economy and 22% think it will make it worse.
This is a more neutral reading than the BMG Research poll for the i Paper, which found 33% felt positive about the Budget and 28% negative. The two polls asked different questions. BMG asked how people felt about the Budget, while Freshwater asked about its effect on the economy.
Freshwater also found that reducing inflation and the cost of living is voters' top priority. Defence ranks in their top three, above job security, cutting taxes and house building.
A separate City AM/Freshwater vote-intention poll puts Labour on 30%, with Reform UK and the Conservatives both on 22%. That is an eight-point Labour lead, one point narrower than BMG's nine. BMG had the Conservatives ten points behind Labour.
City AM says the Budget raises taxes by more than £7bn in three years, through temporary levies on banking profits and higher rates on property and savings income. That figure has not been independently checked.