With less than two weeks to go until Britain's general election, politicians are hoping their promises will grab the public.

They face an uphill battle. YouGovA British public opinion and polling company. It was co-founded by Nadhim Zahawi, a Conservative Party politician. finds that 78% of people think MPsMembers of Parliament. MPs are elected to represent people in 650 different geographical areas.  are out of touch. 

What voters care about and what politicians think they care about do not always match up. 

Saving the NHS The NHSThe National Health Service, the publicly funded healthcare system in the UK. The NHS was founded in 1948. is looking sickly, with record waiting lists¹ and exhausted staff². Britain spends £180bn a year on the NHS.  But an ageing population³ with growing medical needs is taking its toll. According to YouGov 44% of voters see this as a major problem. 

Border policing PM Rishi Sunak has spent months promoting to "stop the boats" and deport migrants to RwandaA country in the centre of Africa. At least 500,000 people were killed in the appalling genocide of 1994.. Opposition leader Keir Starmer has said he will "smash" people smuggling gangs. The anti-immigration Reform party is polling at 19%.

This reflects a big minority. YouGov finds 41% of the public think migration is a key issue. A high number - but perhaps lower than one might expect given how much time Sunak has devoted to it.

Going green The two biggest parties are very divided on climate. Sunak has pushed back on some climate policies.⁴ Labour has argued that green energy is key to a successful economy.⁵

A poll found that 69% are concerned about climate change and 61 per cent support net zeroWhen the gases going into the atmosphere are balanced by those being taken out of it. targets. But just 21% of people rank it as one of their top three concerns.

Creature comfort Politicians rarely think about animal welfare. But for many voters it matters. A poll last year found that 71% of people feel stronger animal rights laws reflect their views.⁶

Before the 2017 election, prime minister Theresa May offered a vote to bring back fox hunting.⁷ Labour filled social media with adverts attacking this. May lost her majority.

Are politicians out of touch?

No: Parties might seem out of touch. But MPs actually deal with numerous local concerns. They can see when an issue affects their constituents. And they try to translate this to a national level.

Yes: Politicians sit in their bubble reading newspapers that exaggerate headline issues over real concerns. If the two major parties lose out on votes, it will show that they have not listened to the public.

Or... The true picture is too complex for any politicians or parties to grasp. The electorate includes many people with many different and shifting opinions. The key is offering a bit of everything.