Report
Public attitudes
Brexit, general election and Indyref: the role of low-income voters in Scotland
This report analyses Brexit, the general election and the Scottish independence referendum, and looks at how low-income voters hold the key to Number 10.
The report shows:
- Low-income voters do not have cohesive preferences on the two big referendum issues. Attempts to win them over only on these constitutional issues will likely have limited success.
- Parties would do well to pitch to other issues and to discover more about the preferences and concerns of these voters.
The priorities for the main political parties are:
- The SNP need to expand their base and rejuvenate their message if, with no second independence referendum in sight, they are to remain dominant.
- Labour may be able to get through to voters by offering a programme based more on competence and delivery. The SNP and Conservatives have a track record of being in power, but the fact that so many people are dissatisfied is hardly a ringing endorsement for either of the two incumbent parties.
- The Conservative Party may find further growth somewhat limited. In a similar way to the SNP, there is a ceiling on how much support can be gained from an appeal based around Brexit and the Union.
This report is part of the public attitudes topic.
Find out more about our work in this area.