Cost of living tops list
FOR many people going about their business on a pleasantly warm Woodfield Street, Morriston, politics and the General Election didn’t fire up enthusiasm.
Several said they didn’t vote, while others shrugged and said all politicians were the same.
Rosalind Willis, though, wasn’t buying that argument.
“I can’t understand when people say they’re all the same,” said the 70-year-old.
“Where have you been?”
But start mentioning cost-of-living pressures, the economy, health service, public transport, and the spark of interest was ignited.
The cost of living ranked as the most important General Election issue among a sample of voters who live or work in Morriston – an area once synonymous with industry – on Swansea’s northern fringe.
Reducing net migration was lower down the pecking order, while more NHS appointments and better outcomes for patients - a devolved matter in Wales - were very important for the majority.
Morriston used to be part of the Swansea East constituency but is now in an expanded Swansea West seat following a boundary review.
It stretches from Ynystawe in the Lower Swansea Valley to Derwen Fawr – a couple of miles from Mumbles – and includes Landore, Penlan, the city centre, Uplands and Sketty.
Voters in Swansea West, one of 32 constituencies in Wales, have seven candidates to choose from on polling day on July 4.
Ten people answered these two questions from the Local Democracy Reporting Service:
1) Rank the following issues in order of importance: building more homes, better public transport, reducing net migration, more NHS appointments and better outcomes for patients, reducing cost-of-living pressures, action to tackle and adapt to climate change, and growing the economy.
2) What motivates you the most and least when it comes to actually voting: voting for a particular party, voting for a particular candidate, what’s best for the constituency you live in, what’s best for the country, and what’s best for your own economic circumstances?
Rosalind Willis, 70, a former DVLA worker, from Morriston Ranking of issues in order of importance:
1. More NHS appointments and better outcomes for patients;
2. Growing the economy;
3. Reducing cost-of-living pressures;
4. Better public transport;
5. Action to tackle and adapt to climate change;
6. Building more homes;
7. Reducing net migration.
Ranking of motivations that drive you to vote the way you do:
1. A particular party;
2. A particular candidate;
3. What’s best for the constituency;
4. What’s best for the country;
5. My own economic circumstances.
Christian Higgins, 36, of Pontardawe
Ranking of issues in order of importance:
1. Better public transport;
2. Reducing cost-of-living pressures;
3. Growing the economy;
4. Action to tackle and adapt to climate change;
5. Building more homes;
6. More NHS appointments and better outcomes for patients;
7. Reducing net migration.
Ranking of motivations that drive you to vote the way you do:
1. What’s best for the country;
2. What’s best for the constituency;
3. My own economic circumstances;
4. A particular candidate;
5. A particular party.
Dean Williams and Louise Treasure, of Dean Williams U Hair Group, Woodfield Street
Ranking of issues in order of importance:
1. Reducing cost-of-living pressures;
2. More NHS appointments and better outcomes for patients;
3. Reducing net migration;
4. Growing the economy;
5. Building more homes;
6. Better public transport;
7. Action to tackle and adapt to climate change.
Ranking of motivations that drive you to vote the way you do:
1. My own economic circumstances;
2. What’s best for the constituency;
3. What’s best for the the country;
4. A particular party;
5. A particular candidate.
Zoe Holmes, 32, a Woodfield Street shopworker, who lives in Neath Ranking of issues in order of importance:
1. Growing the economy;
2. Reducing cost-of-living pressures;
3. More NHS appointments and better outcomes for patients;
4. Action to tackle and adapt to climate change;
5. Reducing net migration;
6. Building more homes;
7. Better public transport.
Ranking of motivations that drive you to vote the way you do:
1. What’s best for the country;
2. What’s best for the constituency;
3. What’s best for my economic circumstances;
4. Voting for a particular candidate;
5. Voting for a particular party.
David Brayley, 52, of Morriston Ranking of issues in order of importance:
1. Reducing cost-of-living pressures;
2. Better public transport;
3. Reducing net migration;
4. Action to tackle and adapt to climate change;
5. Building more homes;
6. More NHS appointments and better outcomes for patients;
7. Growing the economy.
Ranking of motivations that drive you to vote the way you do:
1. What’s best for the country;
2. My own economic circumstances;
3. What’s best for the constituency;
4. A particular party;
5. A particular candidate.
Brian Williams, 76, a former shop manager, from Morriston
Ranking of issues in order of importance:
1. Reducing cost-of-living pressures;
2. More NHS appointments and better outcomes for patients;
3. Building more homes;
4. Better public transport;
5. Growing the economy;
6. Action to tackle and adapt to climate change;
7. Reducing net migration.
Ranking of motivations that drive you to vote the way you do:
1. What’s best for the the country;
2. A particular candidate;
3. A particular party;
4. What’s best for the constituency;
5. My own economic circumstances.
Danielle Crannage, 33, owner of Just Jenny’s Flowers, Martin Street Ranking of issues in order of importance:
1. Reducing cost-of-living pressures;
2. More NHS appointments and better outcomes for patients;
3. Growing the economy;
4. Action to tackle and adapt to climate change;
5. Better public transport;
6. Building more homes;
7. Reducing net migration.
Ranking of motivations that drive you to vote the way you do:
1. What’s best for the country;
2. My own economic circumstances;
3. What’s best for the constituency;
4. A particular party;
5. A particular candidate.
Serban Voda, 33, a software company account director, from Ynystawe Ranking of issues in order of importance:
1. Reducing cost-of-living pressures;
2. Growing the economy;
3. Action to tackle and adapt to climate change;
4. Better public transport;
5. Building more homes;
6. More NHS appointments and better outcomes for patients.
7. Reducing net migration
Ranking of motivations that drive you to vote the way you do:
1. My own economic circumstances;
2. A particular party;
3. What’s best for the country;
2. My own economic circumstances;
4. What’s best for the constituency;
5. A particular candidate.
Stuart Sanders, 34, owner of Wax 2 Relax gift shop, Woodfield Street
Ranking of issues in order of importance:
1. More NHS appointments and better outcomes for patients;
2. Reducing cost-of-living pressures;
3. Growing the economy;
3. Better public transport;
4. Building more homes;
5. Better public transport;
6. Reducing net migration;
7. Action to tackle and adapt to climate change.
Ranking of motivations that drive you to vote the way you do:
1. My own economic circumstances;
2. What’s best for the constituency;
3. A particular party;
4. What’s best for the country;
5. A particular candidate.
Meg Hall, 81, of Penllergaer Ranking of issues in order of importance:
1. More NHS appointments and better outcomes for patients;
2. Better public transport;
3. Reducing cost-of-living pressures;
4. Growing the economy;
5. Action to tackle and adapt to climate change;
6. Building more homes;
7. Reducing net migration.
Ranking of motivations that drive you to vote the way you do:
1. What’s best for the country;
2. My own economic circumstances;
3. What’s best for the constituency;
4. A particular party;
5. A particular candidate.
The candidates running for the Swansea West parliamentary seat are Torsten Bell (Labour), Patrick Benhamcrosswell (Reform UK), Gareth William Bromhall (Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition), Peter Kenneth Jones (Green Party), Michael Ely O’carroll (Lib Dem), Tara-jane Sutcliffe (Conservatives), and Gwyn Samuel Williams (Plaid Cymru).