Britons shun back to work plea

More than half say restrictions are being eased too fast Most feel BETTER off – especially staff in the public sector More are keen on pubs reopening than classrooms

‘Mr Magic Money Tree’

BRITONS do not want to go back into work because they fear the lockdown is being eased too quickly – and they enjoy being at home, a poll revealed last night.

The survey was a setback for Boris Johnson, illustrating the uphill task he faces to bring the nation’s moribund economy back to life quickly.

It showed that on average people have more money in their pockets than when the lockdown started – with public-sector workers gaining the most. Millions of voters are putting their feet up at home – and an astonishing four in ten have put on weight, particularly worrying following clear evidence of a link between obesity and coronavirus.

The Daily Mail survey by JL Partners highlights the heroic status gained by doctors, nurses and other NHS staff on the front line, with almost 100 per cent approval.

But there is a big difference between the effect of the lockdown on people with jobs in the private sector compared with the 5.5million in the public sector.

A total of 38 per cent who work in the private sector, where tens of thousands have lost their jobs or had wages cut, are worse off, according to the poll. Just 29 per cent are better off.

By contrast, 46 per cent of public sector workers are better off, 30 per cent say it has made no difference and only 23 per cent, fewer than one in four, are worse off.

It means a total of 76 per cent – more than three quarters – of those in the public sector are either no worse off or are better off.

Overall, the public say they are better off by 4 per cent. The survey will ring alarm bells in Downing St where there were already fears that many people were reluctant to go back to work to rescue the economy – a view reinforced by crowded beaches and parks in last week’s sunny weather.

People are well aware how badly the economy has been hit. Four in ten say it will take at least three years to recover.

But the survey also confirms they enjoy being off work – marriages have improved, and there is more support for re-opening pubs and restaurants than getting children back in classrooms from June.

The poll will also fuel concerns among Tory MPs that Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s multi-billion-pound pandemic rescue package – including paying furloughs of up to 80 per cent to laid-off workers until October – may be too generous.

It has made Mr Sunak, dubbed ‘Mr Magic Money Tree’ by critics, by far the most popular politician in Britain. He even gets an unprecedented 13 per cent rating from Labour voters, a big proportion of whom work in the public sector. Other key poll findings include:

Aside from seeing family and friends after lockdown, people are most looking forward to having a haircut;

Only one in four primary school parents plan to send their children back to school in June;

Men are more relaxed than women about easing lockdown – and more keen to reopen shops;

Only four in ten have not broken at least one lockdown rule;

Voters say the biggest scandal is the mass deaths in care homes;

Boris Johnson is winning his ‘coronavirus war’ with Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer.

In addition to public sector workers, pensioners have become better off during lockdown.

A total of 35 per cent of OAPs say they have more money, 53 per cent say it has made no difference, and only 12 per cent are worse off.

Forty-three per cent of all voters say they have enjoyed being at home more, with just 25 per cent not enjoying it.

A total of 53 per cent overall say the lockdown is already being eased too fast, while 11 per cent insist it is too slow. However, Tory voters are keener to get back to normal – 45 per cent of Conservatives say the pace of easing the lockdown is ‘about right’, a further 10 per cent say it is ‘too slow’. Few Britons believe the economy will bounce back quickly. Only 6 per cent say it will revive in twelve months – 41 per cent say it will take at least three years.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson still has his work cut out to persuade parents that schools should start to re-open in June.

Only 26 per cent of primary school parents say they will send their children to school in early June – 60 per cent say they will refuse. A total of 55 per cent back the bid by teaching unions to stop schools returning at the start of June, while 27 per cent say the unions do not have the right to do this. Conservative voters also take a tougher stance on the unions, with 48 per cent of Tories saying they should not be allowed to veto the return to school.

Asked what should be re-opened soon, cafes, pubs and shops are put ahead of schools.

The survey also reveals how the lockdown has affected family life.

Twenty-two per cent say they are getting on better with their spouses, while 9 per cent say relations have got worse. However, 17 per cent reveal their love life has deteriorated, with only 13 per cent saying it has improved. Twenty÷More

one per cent of parents say their relationship with their children has improved, and 6 per cent reveal it has become worse.

Clearly not everyone is working out with Joe Wicks, with 41 per cent getting fatter. Only 16 per cent are slimmer. The weight gain is most marked among women.

The survey indicates as many as half of us may have flouted lockdown rules. A total of 43 per cent said they had not broken any of the rules. The Government gets credit from 63 per cent of voters for preventing the NHS from being overwhelmed. But 66 per cent say elderly care home residents were not protected. Despite the criticism, Sir Keir’s attacks on the Prime Minister over the crisis have won him few fans. A total of 42 per cent say Mr Johnson is doing a better job, while 27 per cent say Starmer is winning.

Mr Sunak gets 37 per cent in a Cabinet popularity test, with Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab second on 8 per cent, followed by Mr Johnson on plus 5 per cent.

Even Labour voters give ‘dishy Rishi’ a rating of 13 per cent.

JL Partners interviewed 2,053 people in Britain online between Wednesday and yesterday.