A survey of 788 Labour Party members has found that health (43%), the economy (42%), the cost of living (39%), and climate change (29%) are the issues they care about most. Welfare benefits (7%) and immigration (6%) are far behind. The survey was carried out by a research group called ThinkLabour between late June and late July 2026, alongside a report titled "Who is Labour For?" (The Guardian).

The results come at a tense moment. Andy Burnham became prime minister in July 2026 after winning the support of 80% of Labour's lawmakers. He wants to cut welfare spending — the money the government gives to people who are unemployed, sick, or in financial need — and use the savings to increase defence spending. Opposition parties say he should hold a general election, where the whole country votes, before making such big changes. (Reuters; AP News)

The survey shows that Labour members are not fully on board with Burnham's plan. While 47% think the government spends too much on welfare, 21% think it does not spend enough. When asked how welfare should be paid for, 52% said taxes should go up, and among that group, 70% said only high earners should pay more. A separate poll by YouGov in July 2026 also found members split three ways on whether welfare spending should increase. (The Guardian; YouGov)

On social care — help for elderly and disabled people — members are much more united. Seventy-three per cent said the government should spend more on social care, even if it means higher taxes. This fits with a broader pattern: Labour members would rather pay more in taxes than move money around between different parts of the budget. (The Guardian)

Defence Spending and the Tax Question

Defence is one of the most striking findings. Sixty-eight per cent of Labour members want Britain to spend more on defence. Among that group, 61% would rather pay for it through higher taxes than by taking money from other areas. Another poll by Survation found 74% of Labour members supported more military spending, and nearly four in ten supported Britain staying in Nato, the military alliance of Western nations. A YouGov poll from June 2026 found that more defence spending is popular among Labour and Liberal Democrat voters (53–56%) but much less so among Green voters (30%). (The Guardian; LabourList/Survation; YouGov)

Here is where things get interesting. Labour's ordinary voters — people who vote for the party but are not signed-up members — see things differently. According to the Financial Times, a clear majority of Labour voters think welfare spending is more important than increasing the defence budget. That is a gap between what party members want and what the people who vote for the party want, on the exact question Burnham has put at the heart of his agenda. (Financial Times)

The background matters. Keir Starmer, who was prime minister before Burnham, won a vote on welfare reform in July 2025 but faced a rebellion from his own lawmakers, who weakened the changes. That made welfare a politically dangerous topic for Labour. Burnham is trying a different approach — saying welfare cuts can fund defence — but the survey suggests not all members are convinced. (Reuters)

ThinkLabour's Connections to Government

ThinkLabour used to be called Labour Together, and it has become closely tied to Burnham's government. Its former CEO, Alison Phillips, left to become the prime minister's deputy chief of staff. Another former staffer, JP Spencer, now works in No 10 North, the prime minister's office. Ed Owen, who advised Labour during Tony Blair's time in power, is now the group's interim CEO. Three-quarters of the Labour members surveyed had supported Keir Starmer in the 2020 leadership contest, so the group surveyed is mostly people who joined during Starmer's time — not supporters of his predecessor, the left-wing figure Jeremy Corbyn. (The Guardian)

The movement of ThinkLabour staff into government raises questions about how much the group is shaping Burnham's policy agenda. Before Burnham became PM, polls showed him with a favourability rating of 72% among Labour members. A Survation poll found 63% of members ranked Burnham in their top three choices for leader, while Angela Rayner appeared in the top three for 50%. A YouGov poll found 17% of members listed defence as a top-three priority for Burnham, and Ed Miliband was the most popular choice for chancellor — the government's top financial role — at 21%. (The Guardian; Survation; YouGov; YouGov)

The broader context here is that Burnham takes over a Labour Party that, according to a YouGov poll from May 2026, still had 80% of members rating the government's performance positively. But Reform UK, a rival party, overtook Labour in a national poll for the first time in July 2026, which adds pressure to every decision ahead. The survey shows that members would rather raise taxes to pay for defence and social care than cut welfare to free up the money. That is a different approach from what Burnham has proposed. Whether he changes course or sticks with his plan may decide whether his popularity with members turns into lasting support for his policies. (YouGov; Reuters)