General Election 2001 - Election Digest

Election Commentary - The Gender Gap

Dr Roger Mortimore looks at voting intentions among women to see if the idea of a "gender gap" in politics has any substance.

Labour Support Above Average In London Scottish Tory Support Lowers Disabled People Face Voting Obstacles

Labour Support Above Average In London

The latest ICM/Evening Standard opinion poll of voters gives the Labour party a nationwide lead of 16 per cent over the Tories, rising to a 20 per cent lead among London voters.

The survey, with fieldwork ending yesterday evening, puts Labour support nationally at 48 per cent, the Tories on 32 per cent, and the Liberal Democrats at 14 per cent.

Among London voters Labour's support stands at 52 per cent, the Tories at 32 per cent, and the Liberal Democrats at 13 per cent. Findings show that Labour's share of support in London has increased three per cent on the 1997 election result; the Tories are up one per cent, and the Liberal Democrats down two per cent.

Source: The Evening Standard 14 May 2001. Technical details: An ICM survey. Almost 1,500 voters interviewed, presumably by telephone, across Great Britain. Fieldwork ended on 13 May 2001.

Scottish Tory Support Lowers

A Scottish Opinion/Daily Record survey carried out around the time of the Election being called shows the Scottish Electorate's support for the Tories at 12 per cent. Labour support stands at 58 per cent; the SNP at 20 per cent, and the Liberal Democrats just behind the Tories on nine per cent.

The Daily Record reports that findings show a four per cent drop in Tory support compared to surveys carried out during the second half of April, and that support is down five and a half per cent on the 17.5 per cent achieved in Scotland in the 1997 Election.

Labour support has reportedly risen one per cent, and the SNP are up two per cent, on survey findings from the beginning of May. The Liberal Democrats showing is unchanged.

Source: The Daily Record 14 May 2001. Technical details: A Scottish Opinion/Daily Record survey, carried out between 4-10 May 2001. Interview mode and sample size: not stated.

Disabled People Face Voting Obstacles

Ninety per cent of disabled people are said to have faced obstacles in exercising their right to vote in the 1997 election, including unreachable ballot boxes and lack of ramp access to polling stations, according to The Western Mail.

The findings are presented in a news feature reporting cross-party appeals to voters to support Polls Apart 3, a survey of disabled access at Polling Stations.

Source: The Western Mail 14 May 2001. Technical details: not stated.