Voters trust May more than Corbyn on big election issues

THERESA MAY’S personality has partly neutralised the NHS and housing as danger zones at the election, a new study reveals today.

The Prime Minister is more trusted than Jeremy Corbyn on four of the five most important election issues to voters, researchers at Ipsos MORI found.

But while Labour has held on to its lead over the Conservative party on healthcare, one of its strongest issues, the gap virtually disappears when people are asked which of the leaders they most trust with health.

It is the same story on housing, with L abour more trusted than the Conservatives but the two leaders virtually neck and neck on that issue.

The “May effect” was most dramatic on crime, health, housing, pensions, poverty and inequality and overseas aid. In each, she was trusted markedly more than her party itself was.

The findings explain Tory strategist Lynton Crosby’s decision to run a presidential-style campaign with Mrs May’s personal leadership at its heart. She is trusted significantly more than her party on a string of touchstone issues, including pensions, fighting poverty and delivering overseas aid.

Mr Corbyn has a clear lead over Mrs May on just one issue — tackling poverty and inequality. But this is low down on the list of voter priorities.

The findings come from a survey in which Ipsos MORI took readings for how the main parties and their leaders were trusted on 13 key issues. The five deemed most important by the public were, in order, handling Brexit and relations with the EU; healthcare; education; managing the economy; and immigration. Asked which party was most trusted on a wider range of 13 topics, the Conservatives were clearly ahead in seven — European relations, immigration, crime, education, the economy, tax and defence. Labour was ahead on health, housing, and tackling poverty and inequality. Three areas — benefits, pensions and overseas aid — were tied.

But when people were asked which leader they most trusted to deal with the same issues, Mrs May had a lead on the previous seven (plus overseas aid and pensions), taking her tally to nine out of 13. The Conservatives have their best scores on education since 1983, on the economy since 1990 and on defence since 1991.

Since 2015 they have gained trust on immigration, crime, defence, education, the economy and tax, but lost trust on pensions compared with Labour. Gideon Skinner from Ipsos MORI said Conservative scores on leadership and competence issues are “some of the best recorded for them for many years.” @JoeMurphyLondon