MORI Delivery Index

Most of the British public are pessimistic about the government's ability to improve public services, according to the baseline survey for the new MORI Delivery Index. More than half, 54%, say they disagree that 'in the long term, this government's policies will improve the state of Britain's public services', whereas only 36% agree.

Public expectations of the government's ability to improve public services, a central issue in both the last two general elections, have deteriorated sharply since last summer. In June, a fortnight after Labour was re-elected, 54% said they thought the government's policies would bring improvement; by October the figure had slipped to 45%, and the new figure of 36% represents one in three of last summer's optimists having since lost confidence.

So in terms of optimism about whether it will deliver, the Government finds itself in a very different position to the the post-election days of June 2001. Even among those who say they would vote Labour in a general election tomorrow, fewer than two in three, 64%, expect the government's policies to lead to improvements while a quarter think they will not.

Opinion is more evenly divided on the state of the economy, but those who think the government's policies will improve it (39%) are nevertheless outnumbered by those who disagree (42%), an index of -3. This is the first MORI survey since Labour took office in 1997 to find a net negative score on this question; a year ago, following last year's budget, the net score was +12 with almost half the country, 48%, thinking the government's policies would be beneficial to the economy. Of the four key public service areas, fears for the future of public transport are most widespread: 37% think it will get worse over the next few years, and only 27% that it will get better, a net index of -10.

The index is also, just, negative for the NHS (33% expect it to get better, 35% worse); but opinion is evenly divided on 'the way your area is policed', 22% thinking it will improve but another 22% expecting it to deteriorate, for a net score of 0.

The only bright news for the government is that more think the quality of education will get better over the next few years than think it will get worse, by a margin of 37% to 22%.

The MORI Social Research Institute will be regularly conducting and publishing the MORI Delivery Index up to the next General Election.

MORI Telephone Surveys interviewed a representative quota sample of 962 adults aged 18+ on 15-17 March 2002. Interviews were conducted by telephone. Data is weighted to reflect the profile of the population.

All articles 2006-22 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas unless otherwise stated.

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