The first poll conducted since the country will have had the chance to watch last night’s news and make informed conclusions about Boris’s national insurance rise suggests the public may have flipped from their previous pro-tax rise views. The exclusive Opinium poll, shared with Guido, reveals just one in three support the change, versus 45% opposing. Tory voters, however, do back the move by 49% to 33%, in contrast to Labour voters opposing it 59% to 25%.
The poll of 1101 adults, surveyed between last night and today, also finds 50% of voters think the move is overwhelmingly unfair, versus just 34% who think it’s reasonable. This is reflected in the age breakdown, with just 29% of 18-34-year-olds describing the tax bombshell as fair, versus 40% of over 55s.
On yesterday’s other announcement about the one-year scrapping of the pensions triple lock, this is even more unpopular than the national insurance rise. 47% oppose the decision versus 23% who support it. Here there is much greater agreement between parties’ voters, with Tories and Labour opposing the decision. Luckily for the PM, 44% of voters accept they would prefer a government to make decisions that are in the best interest of the country, even if they hurt them financially…