My last round of focus groups before the May elections took place in Leeds, where we heard from former Tories who had switched to Labour or Reform, and longer-standing Labour voters considering their options; and Bridgend, where those who had helped elect and re-elect Welsh Labour pondered the Senedd elections.
As in last month’s groups, most thought Keir Starmer had ended up in the right place on Britain’s involvement in the Iran crisis (“It’s quite nice to see Keir take a stand and not crumble to Trump”), though several said they wanted to see firmer opposition to the US action. People had also picked up on Lord Robertson’s warning that government complacency about defence had left Britain’s security in peril. “We’re not adequately prepared. I think with what’s going on now, we’re in a very, very weak position.” They tended to think this was more important than other apparent government priorities: “I’d rather spend more on defence than some of the stuff they are spending on. It’s too much money on benefits.”
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