The last ten years have been unprecedented, with vast political and social change transforming modern-day Britain. The latter half of the 2010s saw the country grapple with the historic Brexit vote — and an historic separation from the EU bloc. Now, data compiled by British Future has offered compelling insight into issues from Brexit to immigration, the Royal Family to what it means to be British.
The last ten years have been unprecedented, with vast political and social change transforming modern-day Britain.
The report, titled ‘Jubilee Britain’, looks at these matters in the time between the Queen’s Diamond and Platinum Jubilees.
Data show how Britons’ “hopes and fears” were far different back in 2012 — when the study launched — to today’s world, in which the coronavirus pandemic and global warming have become poignant issues.
However, other areas beyond health and the environment have also taken precedence, such as the worry about being unable to afford a “normal life” with the increase of bills and inflation, otherwise known as the cost of living crisis.
On these issues, the report found that in 2022, “less than half of the public (44 percent)” feel optimistic, while “three in ten (30 percent) feel pessimistic today.”
The cost of living was the biggest concern with 70 percent citing that the increase of prices and bills was one of the top three issues that concerned them.
In fact, the cost of living is the biggest issue affecting all people across the spectrum, from age to political affiliation.
The Government has moved to try and quell these fears, introducing a vast package of financial aid.
In 2022, the Government will provide £37billion in support, intended to help with the payment of things like energy bills.
The most vulnerable households will receive at least £1,200 of support in total this year to help with the cost of living, while all domestic electricity customers will get at least £400 towards their bills.
Yet, many people believe this is not enough.
Research by pollster Ipsos MORI suggests that 49 percent of Britons do not think the Government is doing enough — down from 76 percent in early May.
Even Prime Minister Boris Johnson admitted at the beginning of May that he had not done enough to alleviate the impact of the crisis.
He said while he understood that households would be feeling the squeeze, he conceded that the Government will not be able to help everyone.
He warned: “No country is immune and no government can realistically shield everyone from the impact.”
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While a very modern problem, the British Future report shows that even back in 2012, the cost of living was a worry for many.
Back then, the world was only just coming out of the 2008 financial crisis, and 61 percent of those asked in 2012 stated that the cost of living was their greatest worry.
The Conservative Party came to power in 2010 on the promise that it would clean up the financial mess that it said 13 years of Labour had left.
It has dominated the political landscape ever since.
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But recent events like the Partygate scandal have tarnished the Tories image in the eyes of the public.A recent Ipsos poll — based on data from when Prime Minister Boris Johnson survived the confidence vote on June 6 — stated: “Half of Britons (51 percent) believe Conservative MPs made the wrong decision by voting to keep him in office.”
Just 36 percent believe that Conservative MPs made the right decision.
And while he did survive the vote, 43 percent of people felt that this was a bad result for him.
A lesser 33 percent said the outcome of surviving the confidence vote was a good result.
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