MOST Makerfield voters want a wealth tax and back public ownership of the troubled water industry, a survey ahead of the crucial June 18 parliamentary by-election shows.

The Survation poll, undertaken for campaign group 38 Degrees, revealed 54 per cent of voters in the Lancashire constituency supported a wealth tax, while three-quarters wanted water renationalised, which only 13 per cent opposed.

A majority also backed a higher minimum wage and a cap on political donations. In bad news for controversial Reform UK candidate Robert Kenyon, 55 per cent of Makerfield voters also said they would be less likely to vote for a candidate who had made offensive comments on social media.

Mr Kenyon has come under fire for highly sexualised comments regarding TV presenter Carol Vorderman as well as misogynistic social media remarks about abortion.

Damian Lyons Lowe, Survation’s chief executive, said: “Voters in Makerfield hold strong views on economic fairness and accountability, and those views cut across traditional party lines.

“The breadth of support for water renationalisation, a wealth tax and donation caps indicates that these are not fringe positions but mainstream concerns.”