Poll List: Populus poll points to hung parliament

February 8, 2010 11:43 pm

Poll ListBy Alex Smith / @alexsmith1982

A new Populus poll for Tuesday’s Times shows “the race between the Conservatives and Labour has tightened this year and voters increasingly [33%] expect a hung parliament after the general election”.

The poll shows Labour up two points to 30%, with the Tories slipping a point to 40%. The Lib Dems are up one point to 20%. These numbers would deliver a hung parliament, with the Tories 3 seats short of a working majority on 323 seats and Labour on 248.

But the Times says the poll suggests 70% believe that:

“society is broken, echoing a Conservative campaign theme of the past two years, while 68% say people who play by the rules get a raw deal and 82% think it is time for a change.”

The Times also says:

“Backing for the Tories has been stable since last summer at around 40%…If the Tories were one point higher, and Labour one point lower, David Cameron would have an overall majority of 36. These estimates assume a uniform national swing, or switch, of votes, but, in practice, there are likely to be regional and local variations. Moreover, there is evidence that the Tories may be doing better in their key target seats which would mean an overall majority at this level of national support.”

The poll was conducted over the weekend, after the publication of the Legg Report. Revealingly, 32% of voters said that if their local MP was among those required to repay money, they would vote against him or her purely on those grounds, and regardless of the party they support.

More positively, 52% of people now expect themselves and their families to do well over the next year and 60% of those polled say they look to the future with optimism.




Related posts:

  1. Poll List: ComRes points to a hung parliament
  2. Poll List: Populus puts the gap at 8 points
  3. Poll List: Labour gains 9 points on the Tories; gap down to 7 in second poll
  4. Poll List: ICM puts Labour within 9 points of Tories
  5. Poll List: Tories rise four points in new ComRes poll

Comments are closed

Latest

  • Comment Local Government Why we’re raising council tax

    Why we’re raising council tax

    Nobody wants to pay more tax and I am not a high tax and spend politician, so my administration’s proposed rejection of the government’s council tax funding has not been based on ideological dogma, but a reasoned decision based on financial prudence. I led my group to win control of City of York Council in May 2011. We inherited from the previous Liberal Democrat administration a budget with £21m of in year cuts to make, a number of previously unexposed [...]

    Read more →
  • Local Government News Boris and the 2 billion pound “clerical error”

    Boris and the 2 billion pound “clerical error”

    Earlier today on BBC’s London Politics Show, it was revealed that billions of pounds were inaccurately added to Boris Johnson’s official budget document – a mistake that a spokesperson for the Tory Mayor attempted to dismiss as a “clerical error”. At over £2 billion – that’s some clerical error… A spokesperson for Ken Livingstone said: “Boris Johnson claims anyone arguing for lower fares for Londoners doesn’t understand the transport finances, but now it turns out it’s Boris Johnson’s transport figures [...]

    Read more →
  • Featured The sad truth behind Andrew Lansley’s eyes

    The sad truth behind Andrew Lansley’s eyes

    “Michael,” said the Prime Minister, without looking up from his desk, “I thought you said this would be easy?” “Easy? That what would be easy?” replied the Education Secretary, whose face had occupied a near-permanent state of mild bafflement, which was slowly becoming the kind of ever-present British institution that decades from now will be ruined by ill-thought out reforms, or having a roof built over it in case it rains. “This NHS business. You said it would be easy.” [...]

    Read more →
  • Comment Westminster On prayer in Parliament

    On prayer in Parliament

    The court ruling that prayers should not be on the formal council agenda at Bideford Town Council has been met with predictable outrage. The Mail says it could be extended to Parliament – I’m not sure it’s quite the same scenario, as in Parliament prayers are said when the session begins, at say. 2.30pm, and then another bell goes a few minutes later and those who didn’t want to be in there for prayers enter the Chamber. So you can [...]

    Read more →
  • Video Burnham: ‘Pride’ put before NHS

    Burnham: ‘Pride’ put before NHS

    Read more →