The new Labour government’s pledges under its New Deal for Working People have garnered support from voters across the political spectrum, a survey for the TUC has found.
An Opinium poll of more than 3,000 UK adults conducted in the days following the general election found that 77% backed a potential increase to the national living wage to bring it into line with the real cost of living.
During its election campaign, the party said it would change the remit of the Low Pay Commission so it accounts for the cost of living when making its pay recommendations, and remove national living wage age bands such that all adults qualify.
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Lib Dem (86%), Green (86%) and Labour (85%) voters showed strong support for a living wage increase, but the proposal was also popular among Reform (77%) and Conservative (71%) voters.
Sixty-four per cent of voters supported a day-one right to protection from unfair dismissal, and 69% backed Labour’s proposal to make statutory sick pay available from the first day of sickness absence.
Two-thirds of people supported a ban on fire-and-rehire practices and 67% supported a ban on zero-hours contracts by introducing a requirement for all workers to be issued a contract that reflects their normal hours of work and compensation for cancelled shifts. The latter was most popular among Labour (76%) and Reform (72%) voters.
Adam Drummond, research director and partner at Opinium, said: “There’s strong support for pro-worker policies we tested including living wage, unfair dismissal, sick pay, banning zero-hours contracts and banning the practice of fire and rehire.
“Crucially this isn’t just among Labour voters but typically also among supporters of other parties including the Conservatives and Reform.
“While Labour is generally more trusted than distrusted when it comes to making working life better and being on the side of working people, voters will need to see them deliver.”
TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said: “British voters across the political spectrum want work to pay and to feel secure and respected in their jobs.
“Labour’s workers’ rights plans are hugely popular, and this poll should give ministers confidence to get on with delivering them in full.
“Working people want a government that is on their side and that will improve the quality of work in this country. After 14 years of stagnating living standards, the UK needs to turn the page on our low-rights, low-pay economy that has allowed good employers to be undercut by the bad.”
The survey also found that 46% were in favour of giving trade unions a right to access workplaces to inform workers about the benefits of joining a trade union.
Asked what they felt was the most important attribute or quality for a political party, being “on the side of ordinary working people” came out on top.
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