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The NHS is the single most important issue for Londoners going into the General Election, suggests a poll carried out for ´óÏó´«Ã½ London.

The 1,507 Londoners surveyed by ComRes also said immigration was the least most important major issue.  

The results of the poll will be broadcast on ´óÏó´«Ã½ London this evening, Tuesday 6 April 2010.  

NHS

Some 83% of respondents said the NHS was "very important" when deciding how to vote, ahead of education on 78%.

The NHS was also the service most people wanted to see protected from cuts (51%) with education in second place (20%) and then the police (6%).

Professor Tony Travers, director of the London School of Economics's London group, who will feature in the ´óÏó´«Ã½ London broadcast, said he was not surprised that the NHS was people's top priority going into the election.

He said: "It does tell you exactly why politicians say they will protect the NHS [from any cuts].

"On the basis of this poll, which will not be radically different from polling political parties have done, it's easy to see why politicians came to that conclusion."

Immigration

Just 47% of Londoners polled said immigration was "very important".

The poll suggests 45% agree that immigration is good for London and are happy for it to continue at current levels – 48% disagree.

Forty-four per cent of people agree that public services are suffering because there are too many immigrants in London, compared to 47% who disagree with this.

Professor Travers, said: "People would be right to be surprised by that. Immigration has a habit of featuring relatively high on people's lists of things they are concerned about.

"An informed guess would be that Londoners are more used to immigrants than the rest of the country so are more relaxed about immigration."

Only 28% of Londoners polled agree that the main political parties are doing enough to address the issue of immigration.

Labour Minister for London, Tessa Jowell MP, told ´óÏó´«Ã½ London: "The survey shows that our concerns as a party are closely aligned with the people of London.

"The election is a choice between securing the economic recovery and protecting frontline services, or a change that will put this at risk and make life tougher.

"That's why we will continue to support the economy and have pledged to protect frontline investment in schools, childcare and the NHS."

Conservative Justine Greening MP, shadow minister for London, said: "The government is planning far reaching changes to care in the capital, with hospitals facing being downgraded and even closed down and cuts to A&E services."

"We need to trust local healthcare providers to determine what their own priorities are.

"A Conservative government will empower them to make the decisions about how money should be spent locally."

She added: "We have pledged NHS funding will be maintained in real terms."

Tom Brake MP, Liberal Democrat spokesman for London, said: "With health being the number one priority for Londoners, the Liberal Democrats are committed to safeguarding frontline hospital services.

"As NHS budgets come under further pressure as a result of an ageing population, Liberal Democrats will cut back on top-heavy NHS management and health quango budgets."

Notes to Editors

Any use of information in this release must credit ´óÏó´«Ã½ London.

Methodology: ComRes interviewed 1507 adults in London (spread equally between inner London, outer London and the Home Counties) by telephone between 25 and 29 March 2010.  Data were weighted to be demographically representative of all adults in London by age and gender.  ComRes is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules.  Full tables available at www.comres.co.uk.

PH