Health ranked top area people want King’s Speech to focus on, Lib Dems say

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Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

People want to see health and social care put at the heart of the King’s Speech more than any other policy area, polling suggests.

Almost four in 10 UK adults name the NHS as their top priority, according to a survey by Savanta commissioned by the Liberal Democrats and shared with the PA news agency.

The polling asked 2,237 people which policy area they would most like to see the Government focus on as it sets out its agenda for Parliament at the State Opening on Wednesday.

Some 38% said health, social care and the NHS, followed by 19% naming immigration, 8% naming the environment and climate change, 7% for housing and 6% for crime.

Another 5% chose energy, 3% chose education, 1% chose transport, around 3% chose “other”, 5% said they did not know, and some 3% said none of the above.

Among older people, around one in two wanted the Government to focus on the NHS, with some 48% of those aged over 65 naming it their top priority.

Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey said “fixing the NHS” would put “rocket boosters under economic growth in our country”.

“Millions of people are stuck on NHS waiting lists and struggling to get the care they need to return to work,” he said.

Deputy leader Daisy Cooper said: “We heard time and again during the election campaign how concerned people are about the state of the NHS and care. The Conservative government shamefully pushed our local health services to breaking point.

“People are waiting hours for an ambulance, weeks to see a GP, or months to start cancer treatment.

“The public rightly wants to see the NHS and care put at the heart of the King’s Speech, and that is what Liberal Democrats will continue to campaign for.”