Title

BUSINESS

Poll reveals support for bringing public services in-house

The public wants to see services brought back in-house as well as an increase in central government spending on public services, a new survey has revealed.

The public wants to see services brought back in-house as well as an increase in central government spending on public services, a new survey has revealed.

The poll, commissioned by the union GMB, reveals a general anti-austerity mood in the country ahead of the chancellor's Spring Budget statement tomorrow.

Carried out by pollsters Survation, it found 50% of 1,000 respondents want all outsourced public services brought in-house. Only 12% said they were in favour of more outsourcing or privatisation.

The survey also revealed 62% of respondents would like the chancellor to announce a real terms increase in spending on public services, with 60% saying cuts had gone too far.

The survey results also showed a lack of support for austerity measures from government supporters. Nearly half (48%) of the respondents who voted Conservative in the last General Election also said they thought the cuts had gone too far.

Only 8% said the cuts to public services had not gone far enough.

Tim Roache, GMB general secretary, said the poll results demonstrated austerity has failed.

Mr Roache said: ‘This poll shows that voters of all stripes think the Government's cuts have gone too far.

‘No matter party allegiance, people can see what cut after cut means for them, their families, their friends and their communities, and they don't like it.'

BUSINESS

Government plans for rent convergence fall short of sector demands

By Paul Marinko | 30 January 2026

The Government has failed to meet sector demands on rent convergence, despite the financial pressures on housing costs facing councils.

BUSINESS

The new reality of visible leadership

By Sunita Patel | 29 January 2026

Sunita Patel outlines how the need for community cohesion has presented an important challenge for today’s local leaders, and is affecting the way we recruit...

BUSINESS

The NHS 10 Year Plan: Why listening at scale matters for local government

By Ruth Cousens | 28 January 2026

Ruth Cousens outlines what 250,000 voices reveal about prevention, place and the future role of councils.

BUSINESS

Rebuilding the scaffolding to repair communities

By Paul Marinko | 28 January 2026

Community tensions have been rising in the last year, a new survey by Starfish Search has found. Paul Marinko talks to councils about the scale of the challe...

Popular articles by William Eichler