Redwood Consulting is often called on to provide clients with advice on the politics of a particular project or about the general political background. We regularly monitor the press, political magazines like the New Statesman and Spectator and assorted podcasts to keep ourselves in touch with political developments – this, alongside the knowledge that we accumulate from our involvement with projects across the country. One important, and often overlooked, source of information is our experience of canvassing. As one of Redwood’s resident politicos I canvass for the Conservative Party.

My experience over the past few general and local elections has generally been positive and exciting. It’s rather different this time round but it’s useful to have an insight into what people choose to talk about when a canvasser comes knocking – as this helps to develop our understanding of background political factors. I’ve set out below a summary of the issues that were raised with me on a recent weekend canvassing in a Home Counties constituency.

I’ve narrowed responses down to five key areas:

Cost of living / Tax

Nearly all voters I spoke to raised the issue of the cost of living. They complained that the general price of goods, services, and necessities such as rent and mortgages had increased significantly in recent years. Many people are struggling to make ends meet as wages have not kept pace with the rising costs, leading to a squeeze on household budgets. This sentiment was widespread and consistent across different demographics.

Additionally, voters expressed frustration with the high level of taxation in the UK. They argued that the tax burden is too heavy, further straining their finances. In the fiscal year 2022/23, the tax burden reached its highest level in over 70 years, with people feeling the impact on their disposable income. The combination of escalating living costs and high taxes has led to a sense of financial insecurity among many, who feel that their standard of living is being eroded. This has become a critical issue for voters, who are calling for measures to alleviate the financial pressures they are facing.

The NHS

The NHS was a subject on all constituents’ lips in my conversations. The NHS is currently receiving record funding but waiting lists have spiralled. Voters seem to have moved past the excuse of the pandemic being responsible to waiting lists, and simply want meaningful change.

General conduct 

Simply put, the length of time the Conservatives have held in office has become a disadvantage. Fourteen years is a considerable length of time in modern politics, and after being in power for such a considerable period, any new policies the Conservatives try to sell to the electorate are met with scepticism and the response, “Why hadn’t you done this before now?”

Voters are questioning why certain issues have not been addressed during the Conservatives’ time in office. This sentiment undermines the party’s credibility and makes it challenging to present fresh initiatives as credible solutions. The electorate perceives the lack of action on these issues over the years as either incompetence or neglect, further eroding trust in the party’s ability to deliver on its promises.

The Conservatives are also being criticised for some of the conduct of their own MPs, with many resigning for reasons varying from lobbying to inappropriate behaviour.

Crime / Security

Residents raised concerns over general levels of shoplifting and knife crime. They said that they want the Government to take a more active role in tackling crime head-on and keep communities safe.

The idea of safety and security was not only limited to a national outlook. Voters accepted that we’re living in a more volatile world compared to five years ago. We’ve seen the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the current conflict in Gaza having huge impacts on communities right across the world. People feel more unsafe on an international level and many voters question how politicians can help protect the UK from foreign threats and ensure our armed forces are suitably equipped to keep citizens safe.

Immigration

Some voters I spoke to felt concerned about the level of both illegal and legal migration. As of 18 June, 12,315 people had crossed the Channel in 2024 – above the numbers for the same period in the previous four years. The Government has battled long and hard to bring in the Rwanda Scheme, arguing that this will discourage dangerous and illegal journeys across the English Channel and alleviate the burden on the UK’s asylum system. However, the scheme has faced significant criticism from human rights organisations, legal experts and political opponents who argue that it fails to protect the rights of asylum seekers and may violate international law.

In 2023, net migration to the UK was 685,000, a far cry from the Conservative Party’s promise in its 2010 manifesto to get net migration down to “tens of thousands a year”. Some constituents I spoke to expressed a desire for a significant reduction in immigration levels, citing concerns about the strain on public services, housing, and the labour market.

From a real estate perspective, development at large remains low down the layperson’s priority list in this election, with demands for the traditional political footballs of the NHS, security and economics ever present. The reality for a new administration later this week is always more complex than these big-ticket issues and the detail of how property will fare in a new administration’s to-do list remains to be seen.