Top ten #GE2015 issues for the third sector

Our 2015 General Election survey was modelled on the survey TFN ran back in 2010. In fact question 2 was just copied and pasted in. Not out of laziness I hasten to add but because it allows us to directly compare the 2010/2015 results and see what, if anything, has changed in the last five years. Looking then at the top issues what do we know? The economy, health and the voluntary sector remain the top three issues for people personally. However, this time health has leapt over the economy into first place. Not much change there then but as Jenny noted in her blog last week it’s interesting to see health considered such an important issue for a general election given it’s a devolved matter. Yet, I wonder if it’s the NHS that people consider important rather than health per se, it depends on how they interpret health as an issue. In regards to the top ten issues important to you personally, communities, education and civil liberties have also risen in standing from 2010. The latter probably as a result of the high profile stance the Conservatives have taken on repealing the Human Rights Act. Interestingly, two issues that were considered key in 2010 - pensions and transport - have dropped out of the top ten entirely, making way for local government and the constitution coming in at nine and ten respectively.  After last year, that the constitution is now a top ten issue doesn’t come as any surprise.

Interestingly, two issues that were considered key in 2010 - pensions and transport - have dropped out of the top ten entirely

Naturally, when it comes to what you considered important for your organisation the voluntary sector came out top again in 2015. Communities also held on to the number two spot, but again it’s health, making the jump from fifth in 2010 to third in 2015 that’s interesting given its devolved status. Housing (another devolved matter) also crept up two places from ninth to seventh. Although it’s notable that housing is seen as an important issue for people’s organisations but not for them personally. The only issue to fall out of the organisational top ten, making way for family, is rural affairs. This could be a reflection on those who completed the survey, i.e. more people who worked for organisations with a rural connection fill in survey in 2010 than did in 2015. However, it may be there was a particular rural issue which was big in 2010 but that I’ve forgotten. So what does all this tell us? Essentially that some issues – health, the economy - are always important to people no matter the election or what has occurred in the interim. However, there are some that have come into importance in recent years due to policy decisions and events, such as, civil liberties and the constitution. It’ll be interesting to see how these play out and if the politicians think them important as well. Hopefully when we’ve had a chance to compare manifesto’s we’ll be able to see what the parties make of these big issues. One final, fascinating point. As an issue important to you personally, immigration - seemingly one of if not the most important issue for the UK general public if the media is to be believed – came last in our 2015 survey, down from 15th in 2010 and definitely bucking the trend. What this suggests I leave up to you.