Voters are calling on the UK government to provide ‘global moral leadership’ in the overwhelming belief that COVID, poverty and climate change require countries to work together on solutions, according to a new survey.
In support of the findings, organisations representing more than 10 million people across the UK have united as a coalition to demand concerted action on COVID, climate change and help for struggling communities at home and abroad.
Fifty seven percent of people think governments should keep their promises even if it’s hard to do, or circumstances change. Only 27% oppose this.
The YouGov research suggests Boris Johnson, the UK Prime Minister, trails behind not just US President Joe Biden & Chancellor Angela Merkel, of Germany, but Justin Trudeau, the Canadian prime minister, when people are asked who is likely to provide moral leadership.
Crack the Crisis.
A new coalition, ‘Crack the Crises’, is calling on the UK government to demonstrate leadership on the global stage in tackling the triple emergency of COVID, injustice and climate change.
With the UK hosting the G7 in Cornwall in June followed by the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow in November, the coalition unites nature, development, climate change and UK social justice groups with a shared strategy urging a just and green recovery. Coalition members range from 100-year-old global organisations to start-ups.
Get involved.
To demonstrate the coalition’s aims, a campaign film has been produced. It showcases what has been achieved in the past by British people coming together at critical moments in our history.
People can show their support by sharing the video and to join this effort for people and planet by using the hashtag #CrackTheCrises.
Restless Development has joined the coalition, which includes: ActionAid, Cafod, CARE International UK, The Centre for Education & Youth, Choose Love, Christian Aid, The Circle, Concern Worldwide, Crisis Action, The Fairtrade Foundation, Glitch, Global Citizen, Green New Deal UK, Larger Us, Make My Money Matter, Marine Conservation Society, National Union of Students, ONE, Oxfam, Project Everyone, RECLAIM, Restless Development, Save the Children UK, SOS-UK, Tearfund, 38 Degrees, VSO, WaterAid, The Wildlife Trusts and World Wide Web Foundation.
Priorities the coalition have identified for government policy include:
- CRACK THE COVID CRISIS – the UK government should work with others to ensure everyone who needs the vaccine can get it without a global ‘jabs race’ that leaves the poor behind. In the UK, they should make sure nobody has to choose between their life and their livelihood, with proper support for everyone who needs help with finances during the pandemic.
- CRACK THE INJUSTICE CRISIS – the inequality that COVID has both illuminated and accelerated is leaving countries and communities without the resources to protect their people. The UK government should reverse its planned cut to life-saving aid and work with others to drop the debt paid by the poorest countries and get every child into school. Here at home they should make sure no child is hungry or locked out of learning because they don’t have data or devices.
- CRACK THE CLIMATE CRISIS – the UK Government must show leadership as host of this year’s crucial climate talks to bring communities at home and abroad together behind a credible plan to limit global temperature rises to 1.5°C and to protect ecosystems here and abroad. At home they must show their commitment to a green recovery by mounting a green jobs revolution and immediately stopping the opening of the first deep coal mine in the UK in 30 years.
The YouGov survey
The total sample size was 1,671 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between January 22nd – 25th, 2021.
