Latest news with #FindOutNow
Spectator
3 days ago
- Politics
- Spectator
Votes at 16 won't necessarily benefit Labour
Gerrymandering is as old as the hills, and neither of what have been Britain's two main political parties for the past century has a clean nose. Why did the Conservatives extend the franchise to long-term expats who are not even paying taxes in Britain? And why has the present government just announced that 16- and 17-year-olds will be granted the vote in UK general elections for the first time? Forget any high-mindedness about fairness, encouraging responsibility and so on – these are raw attempts to swing the political arithmetic in the governing party's favour. The only trouble is: has Labour made a fatal miscalculation in assuming that 16- and 17-year-olds will vote for the party? It is received wisdom that the young are more idealistic and left-wing than older people – as per the adage often attributed to Winston Churchill (possibly because of his own political transformation): if you are not liberal at 20 you have no heart, and if you are not a conservative at 40 you have no head. Moreover, it is certainly true that in recent elections age has been a very strong determinant of how people vote: the younger a voter, the more likely they are to have voted Labour; the older a voter, the more likely they are to have voted Conservative. But will that relationship still hold for 16- and 17-year-olds? There have not been many polls asking for the opinions of this age group, but those held over the past year or so ought to fire a strong warning shot over Labour's bows. They appear to confirm a reluctance to vote Tory among young voters, but also suggest that Reform is remarkably popular among this cohort. A JL Partners poll from July last year suggested that 39 per cent would vote Labour, 23 per cent Reform, 18 per cent Green, 9 per cent Liberal Democrat and just 5 per cent Conservative. That, however, was in the week of the last general election, before Starmer and his government had had a chance to become unpopular. Another poll was conducted by Find Out Now in February this year. It ought to be emphasised that it didn't ask 16- and 17-year-olds directly for their voting intentions but instead asked their parents how they thought their children would vote – so it is not necessarily the most reliable of polls. It is also worth adding that today's announcement will have no effect on current 16- and 17-year-olds, as they will all be over 18 by the next election anyway; it is today's 13- and 14-year-olds for whom this will make a difference. Putting that aside, the Find Out Now poll suggested support for Reform at 30 per cent, level with Labour. The Greens were on 17 per cent, the Lib Dems 9 per cent and the Conservatives 7 per cent. The poll also suggested that just over half of 16- and 17-year-olds think immigration is too high – which may help explain their favourability toward Nigel Farage's party. Overall, both polls suggest that received ideas about how 16- and 17-year-olds will vote may be biased towards the views of middle-class students. We think of young people as being woke and left-wing because we hear an awful lot about the antics of student activists. Yet half the population do not go to university and may well be less motivated by woke ideas than by the fear that migrants are taking some of their potential job opportunities. The expansion of the franchise to 16- and 17-year-olds could end up being a very big problem for Labour if it means losing the votes of the working-class young. It is also worth noting the strong attraction of the Greens to young voters; that, too, could detract from Labour's vote. The big losers from votes for 16- and 17-year-olds look like being the Conservatives and also the Lib Dems. In times past, the latter used to cultivate young votes through conference votes to legalise dope and the like. But they no longer seem to be cutting through; they have become a party of the middle-aged and middle-class. As to who the winners will turn out to be, that is harder to answer. But it is certainly not guaranteed to be Labour; on the contrary, it could conceivably help Reform into power.
South Wales Argus
12-07-2025
- Automotive
- South Wales Argus
Welsh drivers ahead of curve on electric vehicles
The national average was 31 per cent. And by 2035, 44 per cent of the country's drivers envisage themselves driving a BEV or PHEV. Of those who do want to plug in, more Welsh drivers want to go fully electric (28 per cent) than drive a plug-in hybrid (16 per cent). The survey was by CTEK of more than 1,000 UK drivers by Find Out Now. CTEK deals in battery chargers. Daniel Forsberg, marketing manager EVSE at the EV chargepoint manufacturer CTEK, said: 'Welsh drivers look set to be in the fast lane for switching both in five years' time and a decade from now. 'The Welsh Government and the local councils can do more to entice drivers to move from petrol or diesel to electricity, including by massively expanding the availability of public charging so ICE drivers feel confident that if they do switch to an EV they can charge easily and conveniently.'
Scotsman
10-07-2025
- Automotive
- Scotsman
Scottish drivers in the EV switch fast lane
Scottish drivers look set to be in the fast lane for the switch to Electric Vehicles, according to a CTEK survey of more than 1,000 UK drivers by Find Out Now. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Asked what type of car they imagine they would be driving in 2035, more than three out of five (41%) of the country's drivers envisage themselves behind the wheel of a fully battery electric vehicle (BEV) or a plug-in hybrid (PHEV). The national average was 36%. The three in ten (30%) of Scottish drivers who anticipate they will be driving a fully electric car by 2035 makes the region a joint national leader, alongside the North West and Yorkshire and Humber. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Even by 2030, the survey found that almost one in three (28%) of Scottish drivers think they will be behind the wheel of a BEV or PHEV. A CTEK EV charging installation Scottish drivers expecting to buy a second hand car next are also in the fast lane for the switch to electric. Some 7% expect to buy a used BEV and an even larger 16% a used PHEV. Daniel Forsberg, Marketing Manager EVSE at the EV chargepoint manufacturer CTEK, said: 'Scottish drivers look set to be in the fast lane for switching within a decade from now. 'The UK Government and the regional mayors and councils can do more to entice drivers to move from petrol or diesel to electricity, including by massively expanding the availability of public charging so ICE drivers feel confident that if they do switch to an EV they can charge easily and conveniently.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Nationally, the survey found drivers in their 30s look set to spearhead the switch to EVs. The survey reveals 30 to 39-year-olds are the generation most primed to buy EV and ditch petrol and diesel first. The survey found almost two thirds (61%) of drivers currently in their 30s foresee they will be driving an EV in the year 2035, when they will be in their 40s. Only one in six (17%) thirty-somethings think they will still be driving an ICE (purely petrol or diesel) vehicle in a decade's time. The rest don't know. Even by 2030, a majority (59%) of what CTEK is terming 'Generation E' will be driving a Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) or a hybrid. Just over a fifth (21%) think they will be driving an ICE car. Daniel Forsberg said: 'We're calling UK drivers in their 30s 'Generation E' because they are leading the way in practically every question we asked in our nationally representative survey. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'We suspect there are several factors at play in this. People in their 30s are likely to have both the financial means to be able to choose electric and the environmental and climate awareness to want to do so. Not far behind them are the 18 to 29-year-olds, who are the second age group most set to go EV. 'In contrast, it is the older generations aged 55 and above who are least likely to switch, in spite of probably being financially able to. They are, we suspect, more wedded to fossil fuels after decades of driving ICE cars. 'Overall the survey results point to a rapidly approaching future of mass adoption of electric mobility, especially by the younger generations. This suggests millions more EVs on the UK roads in just a few years, begging the question: where will they all charge? The roll-out of public charging must accelerate to keep pace with the huge demand our survey results suggest will emerge.'
Scotsman
10-07-2025
- Automotive
- Scotsman
Scottish drivers in the EV switch fast lane
Scottish drivers look set to be in the fast lane for the switch to Electric Vehicles, according to a CTEK survey of more than 1,000 UK drivers by Find Out Now. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Asked what type of car they imagine they would be driving in 2035, more than three out of five (41%) of the country's drivers envisage themselves behind the wheel of a fully battery electric vehicle (BEV) or a plug-in hybrid (PHEV). The national average was 36%. The three in ten (30%) of Scottish drivers who anticipate they will be driving a fully electric car by 2035 makes the region a joint national leader, alongside the North West and Yorkshire and Humber. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Even by 2030, the survey found that almost one in three (28%) of Scottish drivers think they will be behind the wheel of a BEV or PHEV. A CTEK EV charging installation Scottish drivers expecting to buy a second hand car next are also in the fast lane for the switch to electric. Some 7% expect to buy a used BEV and an even larger 16% a used PHEV. Daniel Forsberg, Marketing Manager EVSE at the EV chargepoint manufacturer CTEK, said: 'Scottish drivers look set to be in the fast lane for switching within a decade from now. 'The UK Governments and the regional mayors and councils can do more to entice drivers to move from petrol or diesel to electricity, including by massively expanding the availability of public charging so ICE drivers feel confident that if they do switch to an EV they can charge easily and conveniently.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Nationally, the survey found drivers in their 30s look set to spearhead the switch to EVs. The survey reveals 30 to 39-year-olds are the generation most primed to buy EV and ditch petrol and diesel first. The survey found almost two thirds (61%) of drivers currently in their 30s foresee they will be driving an EV in the year 2035, when they will be in their 40s. Only one in six (17%) thirty-somethings think they will still be driving an ICE (purely petrol or diesel) vehicle in a decade's time. The rest don't know. Even by 2030, a majority (59%) of what CTEK is terming 'Generation E' will be driving a Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) or a hybrid. Just over a fifth (21%) think they will be driving an ICE car. Daniel Forsberg said: 'We're calling UK drivers in their 30s 'Generation E' because they are leading the way in practically every question we asked in our nationally representative survey. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'We suspect there are several factors at play in this. People in their 30s are likely to have both the financial means to be able to choose electric and the environmental and climate awareness to want to do so. Not far behind them are the 18 to 29-year-olds, who are the second age group most set to go EV. 'In contrast, it is the older generations aged 55 and above who are least likely to switch, in spite of probably being financially able to. They are, we suspect, more wedded to fossil fuels after decades of driving ICE cars.
Daily Mirror
05-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Alarm call for Keir Starmer as stark poll shows voters don't understand his plan
The pundits and politicos have had their say on Keir Starmer's first year. But there's only one verdict that matters: Yours Keir Starmer faces an alarm call to get Labour's government on track - as a stark new poll shows voters don't understand his plan to fix Britain. Alarming new polling by Electoral Calculus and Find Out Now for the Sunday Mirror found almost half (46%) of those polled feel worse off than they did when Labour came to power last July. Just 8% said they thought Britain was on the "right track" with 55% saying it was on the "wrong track". Nearly half (48%) of voters thought Keir Starmer doesn't have clear values and priorities - with 63% saying they don't think the Prime Minister shares their values. Nearly half the population think Labour is focusing on the wrong things, with only one voter in sixteen saying their focus is mostly right. Even among Labour supporters, the most common response is that things have been "a bit mixed", with more thinking it has gone wrong than right. The poll comes at the end of a torrid week for Labour in the Commons. On Tuesday, an angry revolt from backbenchers forced the government to drop huge parts of its welfare reforms which would have slashed billions from the benefits bill. And the following day Chancellor Rachel Reeves appeared tearful in the Commons - causing a dip in the markets as many assumed it was an indication her job as in jeopardy. Ms Reeves later said she had been upset by a personal matter, and No10 insisted she was going nowhere. Martin Baxter, CEO of Electoral Calculus, said: "The poll shows the problems that Keir Starmer has had in his first year. People think his values are unclear or wrong, and that he focuses on the wrong issues. To keep power he will have to convince people that the economy and NHS are improving. Many of his supporters want a "proper" Labour government with higher spending, but he doesn't have that much cash to splash around." "Reform are widely seen as the main threat to Labour. That could help Starmer if he can convince centre-left voters that only Labour can beat Reform and also if he can persuade Reform supporters that he can govern better than Nigel Farage. Starmer needs to show his vision and deliver on it, otherwise the public will lose patience." Find Out Now polled 2,665 GB adults online between 3-4 July 2025. The sample was weighted to be representative by gender, age, social grade, other demographics and past voting patterns. Find Out Now and Electoral Calculus are both members of the British Polling Council and abide by its rules. Family finances Q1. "Are you and your family better or worse o than a year ago, or about the same?" Response More people (46pc) are feeling worse off than better off (12pc) in the last twelve months. This applies to Labour supporters as much as the general public. Since the economy is a top issue for the public, Labour must hope that perceptions of the economy improve before the next election. Britain off track Q2. "Is Britain under Keir Starmer's leadership on the right or wrong track?" A majority (55pc) of voters think Britain is on the wrong track under Keir Starmer. Even Labour supporters are split on the issue, with 30pc saying 'wrong track' compared with 25pc saying 'right track'. Predictably, Conservative and Reform supporters are particularly sceptical. Unclear Keir Q3. "Is it clear what Keir Starmer stands for and what his priorities are?" Nearly half of all voters (48pc) think that Keir Starmer does not have clear values and priorities. Over a quarter of Labour supporters (29pc) agree that his values are unclear, which is slightly larger than the number who think his values are clear (23pc). Values Q4. "How much do you think Keir Starmer shares your values?" A clear majority (63pc) of the public think that Keir Starmer doesn't share their values. Even among Labour supporters, there are nearly twice as many who don't think he shares their values (36pc) as do (20pc). Conservative and Reform supporters are unsurprisingly sceptical. U-Turns Q5. "Thinking about government U-turns, which of the following two statements do you most agree with?" The public don't have a very clear opinion on this, though about twice as many people agree that the government lacks the courage of its convictions than think it shows the government is listening. Labour supporters are more supportive, which is positive for the government. Out of Focus Q6. "Do you feel that Labour is focusing on the right or wrong things?" Nearly half the population think Labour is focusing on the wrong things, with only one voter in sixteen saying their focus is mostly right. Even among Labour supporters, the most common response is that things have been "a bit mixed", with more thinking it has gone wrong than right. Reform threat Q7. "Who do you think is the bigger threat to Keir Starmer at the next election?" The public are united in seeing Nigel Farage and Reform as a bigger threat to Keir Starmer than the Conservatives under Kemi Badenoch. A chunky 60pc of people said Reform, and only 6pc said the Conservatives. The remainder didn't know. Even among Conservative supporters, only 12pc thought their own party was the main challenger. This will be disappointing news to the Conservative leadership.
