AS 2012 draws to a close, the final poll of the year conducted by Ipsos-MORI on behalf of The Economist shows that the public are above all concerned about the economy, as they have been since September 2008; 55% mention it among the most important issues facing Britain. 30% of Britons worry about unemployment – fewer than at any point in the past year. This follows reports of the biggest quarterly fall in unemployment in over 10 years.
A possible knock on effect of the release of the latest batch of data from the 2011 census of England and Wales (examined in our piece here) is an increased disquiet about race relations and immigration, which rises from 19% to 22%. But the issue which peaks at its highest level of concern this century is poverty and inequality. Younger people are more concerned about this issue; 22% of those aged 18-24 mention it compared with 11% of those aged 65 or older.
Just 15% mention the NHS (National Health Service) as among the most important issues in Britain, the lowest level of concern since May 2009.
