These topics (except Brexit) are important in the UK election

"Get Brexit Done" is the title of the Tory election program. Next to her is a photo of Boris Johnson, her expression serious, her thumb up. That's the Brexit vote, is the message.

But that does not apply without restriction. Recent surveys by the opinion research institute IpsosMori show that Brexit is an essential topic for the electoral decision. But depending on the survey, voters also set other priorities.

What issues are British citizens particularly considering before the election? The overview.

health care

The National Health Service (NHS) is a kind of national sanctuary in the UK, with hardly any other institution so proud of the British. But the system is in crisis. Waiting times are longer than ever, and the trend continues to rise. Operation dates are canceled. Hospitals are overburdened, especially in winter.

The Johnson government fears that bad news from the health service could reduce their electoral chances. Therefore, the prime minister promises more money for the NHS, by 2023, it should be 20.5 billion additional pounds a year. Although the famous phrase on the red Brexit bus ("We send the EU 350 million pounds a week, let's finance our NHS instead") has been revealed as a lie, the Tories are linking Brexit with more money for the NHS.

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Brexit Bus: Where is the money?

Health policy is traditionally a strength of the Labor Party. When she ruled in 1948, the NHS was founded. Labor leader Jeremy Corbyn and his supporters promise even more money for the health system and warn voters that Tories wanted to privatize the NHS in a free trade agreement with the US and Trump. A daring claim that still gets caught up in the election campaign.

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Boris Johnson: Can his Tories unleash the potential of Britain?

Crime and prison

Shortly before the 2017 general election, Islamist terrorists killed several people near London Bridge. The attack was a turning point. Prime Minister Theresa May seemed to wobble. Corbyn cited British involvement in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan as the cause. Labor joined in the voter favor to the Tories.

A similar attack occurred on November 29, when a man killed two people on London Bridge. The authorities assume a terrorist act. The incident quickly became campaigning topic. It turns out that the attacker had recently been prematurely released from custody. Johnson blamed the lax anti-terror laws of previous Labor governments. Under him, no terrorist would be released prematurely, promised Johnson. The father of a victim, however, accused the prime minister of instrumentalizing the death of his son in order to score politically.

In video: The Brexit election - How the British electoral system works

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The fear of crime could also influence the voting decision of some citizens. Since 2010, the number of police officers has fallen sharply. Tories and Labor outdo each other with proposals to hire new ones.

climate policy

Since the 2017 election, climate change has become a major issue. All parties see need for action. But they do not agree on what to do. The Tories announced a fracking ban. They have set the goal of making Britain carbon neutral by 2050.

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Opposition leader Corbyn: Green plans, bad popularity scores

Labor wants to achieve climate neutrality as early as 2030. The election program is talking about a "Green New Deal" that will create one million new jobs in green industries. Labor also promises 9000 new wind turbines and three Tesla-based Gigafactorys, in which, among other things, batteries are to be produced. The Tories are only planning such a factory.

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For many voters, the question is crucial: who will become prime minister in the future? Johnson's problem is lack of credibility. He has broken his word several times. So he promised the Brexit for the 31st of October, come what may. Then he agreed to extend the deadline. In addition, there was criticism of him because he should have had a relationship with the American entrepreneur Jennifer Arcuri during his time as London Mayor. The allegation: It should have benefited during this time of public contracts, which Johnson had influence.

But compared to Corbyn Johnson is still pretty good. The Labor leader is considered the most unpopular politician in the UK. One reason: Corbyn is said to have looked away from anti-Semitism within his party.