Ipsos Scottish Public Opinion Monitor - August 2010

Ipsos's Scottish Public Opinion Monitor for August shows that the economy is still seen as the most important issue facing people in Scotland.

Satisfaction with national party leaders Nick Clegg's net satisfaction rating (the percentage satisfied minus the percentage dissatisfied) among the Scottish public has fallen by 64 percentage points since our pre-general election poll in April, from +44% to -20%. Our latest Scottish Public Opinion Monitor also shows that the Deputy Prime Minister's net satisfaction rating among Scottish Liberal Democrat supporters has dropped 44 percentage points, from +74% in April to +30%, and he is now more popular among Scottish Conservative supporters than among Scottish Liberal Democrat supporters (+61% compared to +30%). Net satisfaction with David Cameron in Scotland has also decreased since he became Prime Minister. His net satisfaction rating as leader of the Opposition in April was -9%. Now satisfaction with the way he is doing is job as Prime Minister is at -15%. Conversely, among Scottish Conservative supporters, his net satisfaction rating is +75%, an increase of 21 percentage points since April. Alex Salmond recorded a net satisfaction rating of +16%, his highest on the Monitor since August last year, when the Monitor began. Just over half (53%) of Scots are satisfied with the way he is doing his job as First Minister compared, while 37% are dissatisfied. Most important issues facing Scotland The economy is still seen as the most important issue facing people in Scotland (mentioned by 36%). Concerns about education (mentioned by 28%; down 6% from April), unemployment (mentioned by 27%; down 11%) and the NHS (mentioned by 22%; down 13%) have eased since April, but are still considered among the most important issues facing the country. The poll also found that public sector cuts are an increasingly prominent concern for Scots - 21% mentioned this issue whereas in previous waves of the Monitor it has barely registered.

Technical Note

  • Results are based on a survey of 1,013 respondents160conducted by telephone between 16th August and 19th August160
  • Data are weighted by age, sex and working status using census data, and tenure using SHS 2007-2008 data.160
  • An asterisk (*) indicates a percentage of less than 0.5% but greater than 0.160
  • Where results do not sum to 100, this may be due to multiple responses or computer rounding.160
  • Where the base size is less than 30 the number (N) rather than the percentage of respondents is given.160
  • Results are based on all respondents (1,013) unless otherwise stated.

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