Evidence suggests the voter landscape has fragmented since the 2024 General Election, with five parties currently polling at greater than 10%, and the Green Party and Reform UK notably expanding their voter bases. Significant changes are anticipated at the ballot box in the devolved and mayoral elections in May 2026.
Why understanding the voter landscape matters
CaSE’s recent public opinion research indicates that prospective Reform voters are less supportive of R&D investment, while those intending to vote Reform or Green are more likely to feel R&D’s benefits aren’t felt equally across society. If our sector doesn’t take time to understand the views of those who are feel more distant from R&D, we risk being caught off guard in a similar way to the Brexit referendum.
Robust evidence is needed to help R&D organisations to prepare for, and navigate, a fragmenting political landscape. To help fill this gap, CaSE is producing an evidence-led review on how the shifting voter landscape will affect R&D advocacy, with practical insights that can guide R&D organisations towards landing the right messages at the right moments.
Project timeline
February
Call for evidence to CaSE members and other R&D organisations to identify knowledge gaps and collate a library of relevant data sources.
March
Evidence analysis to extract relevant insights for R&D advocacy and identify factors, themes and issues shaping voting patterns.
April
Co-creation workshop to digest the analysis and collaboratively identify the factors, themes and issues we want to prioritise for fieldwork.
May
Core fieldwork to qualitatively explore voter concerns and motivations
June
Deep dive workshop – convening sponsors to digest relevant findings so far, and shape the message testing.
Sponsor Opportunity
July
Deep dive message testing – using large-scale nationally representative polling to test and refine messages and anticipate counterarguments.
Sponsor Opportunity
September
Launching a report on the key drivers for R&D among voters, anticipated positioning of political parties, and practical messaging guidance.
The core element of the project is funded via CaSE’s grant from the Wellcome Trust, but we are seeking partners to sponsor and shape ‘deep dives’ into polarising issues or risks which might undermine the sector’s messaging and political advocacy – these might range from immigration to NIMBY-ism or national security. Each deep dive will use large-scale polling to test messaging, explore counterarguments and yield practical advocacy insights.”
February 2026
A call for evidence
To help R&D organisations prepare for, and navigate, the fragmenting political environment, CaSE is producing an evidence-led review on how the shifting voter landscape will affect R&D advocacy, with practical insights to guide R&D organisations towards the right messages at the right moments.
February 2026
Preparing the R&D sector to navigate a shifting voter landscape
Is the R&D sector ready to navigate a fragmented political future? CaSE is launching a new project – R&D in a shifting voter landscape – to help the sector evolve its advocacy tactics and messaging.
