Fresh poll puts Channel 4 at bottom of Tory voters’ wish list

New polls show that Channel 4 privatisation has the least support out of ten Tory policies that the government want to deliver between now and the next election.

According to polling from WPI Strategy, privatisation of the broadcaster as the least support from those who voted Conservative back in 2019.
Just 16 per cent of voters back the move compared to 37 per cent who oppose it.

On top of this, just 17 per cent of the small number of voters who support it as a policy put it in their top three priorities – lower than any other policy polled.

Upgrading 20 hospitals and building 40 new ones by the next election, as well as bringing full fibre and gigabit-capable broadband to every home and business in the UK has the highest net support from all voters on the WPI poll.

In order of net support from all voters, the ten policies polled are as follows:

1. Upgrade 20 hospitals and build 40 new ones (+81% net support)
2. Bring full fibre and gigabit-capable broadband to every home and business (+69%)
3. Cut the basic rate of income tax by 1p (+48%)
4. Reduce government borrowing and debt (+47%)
5. Scrap some EU regulations to help the UK feel the benefits of Brexit (+34%)
6. Cut tax on business by reducing business rates (+24%)
7. Extend the right to buy to families in housing association homes (+22%)
8. Deal with illegal immigration by deporting some asylum seekers to Rwanda (+11%)
9. Allow temporary staff to take place of striking workers (+6%)
10. Privatise Channel 4 (-21%)

The figures will be a blow to Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries, who is reportedly planning to introduce legislation to privatise Channel 4 in the next month, despite ongoing criticism.

Nick Faith, Director of WPI Strategy, said:

“To win the next election, the Conservatives will need to be laser focused on delivering policies the public want to see delivered – and especially the priorities of those who voted Conservative last time.

“This poll shows that the Government does have broadly popular policies that can capture the public’s imagination, as well as policies with the ability to appeal to the Tory base and create dividing lines with Labour that can work in an election campaign. But it is also carrying dead weight: policies that voters don’t like, that its own supporters don’t care about and that won’t help them on the doorstep. 

“If the Conservatives are serious about getting the barnacles off the boat before the next election, they will need to ditch the policies that neither win them new supporters nor motivate their existing voters – like Channel 4 privatisation.”