UK voters choose spending cuts over tax rises

The UK has sent a clear message to the Treasury: when borrowing costs climb, the answer is to spend less, not tax more. Should taxes rise to ease pressure on rising borrowing costs at the Autumn budget? was rejected by three in four voters, with the chamber arguing that cuts should come first.

The verdicts

On immigration the country was equally decisive. Should all irregular arrivals claiming asylum be held in secure facilities prior to processing? passed overwhelmingly, with voters insisting secure reception is basic border control rather than cruelty, though a minority warned of the risk of degradation. The UK also narrowly backed Nigel Farage’s description of the masked anti-migrant protest at Dover as disgusting, finding unlikely allies among those who normally dislike his politics.

Would stricter single-sex space guidance better protect women's rights? won by a clear margin, the decisive factor being privacy and safety, though many wondered whether public bodies would simply obey existing law. On welfare the country agreed that benefits should be time-restricted and returned to a genuine safety net; Should UK benefits be time restricted, returning them to a safety net in times of job loss, rather than a way of life? carried the day, despite fears a timer would punish the ill.

Constitutional reform found support too. Should the UK replace the House of Lords with an elected House of Senators? passed, yet the sharpest voices wanted not more career politicians but expertise, regional balance and easier removal of the unfit. In education the UK split from the government line: Should state schools be allowed to ban skirts and impose a trousers-only uniform? was rejected by three in four, the defining argument being that girls are not a subset of boys.

Finally, the country turned down dedicated civil-defence shelters in every new public project, preferring practicality over bunker fantasies.

Voting continues today on fresh questions facing the country.

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