Overwhelming public support for the `Gordon's Fightback' Campaign
An Ipsos Scotland poll for the Gordon’s Fightback campaign shows overwhelming support for their key objectives. Almost all of those polled (97%) would support the UK government introducing a new system of fast tracking benefits for those with a terminal illness, such as motor neurone disease. Support for such a measure is overwhelming across all groups in the population.
Similarly, there is a very high level of support for the UK government increasing the amount of public money spent on research into motor neurone disease. Over three quarters of those interviewed (78%) would support doubling the funding from around £5 million a year to £10 million.
The poll also highlights low public awareness of Motor Neurone Disease compared to other illnesses. A third (32%) of participants know a great deal or a fair amount about Motor Neurone Disease, significantly lower than cancer (79%), diabetes (73%), heart disease (69%) and Alzheimer’s disease (61%).
Mark Diffley, Research director at Ipsos Scotland said:
“In recent months many of us have been moved by ‘Gordon’s Fightback’, the campaign dedicated to changing the lives of those with Motor Neurone Disease. This poll shoes overwhelming public support for the campaign’s objectives of increasing funding to find a cure for MND and fast-tracking state benefits to those with a terminal illness. The campaign will now be focussed on ensuring that progress can be made to achieving these objectives.’
Technical details:
- Results are based on a survey of 1,001 respondents (adults aged 18+) conducted by telephone
- Fieldwork dates: 12th January to 19th January 2015
- Data are weighted by: age, sex and working status using census data; tenure using Scottish Household Survey data; and public-private sector employment using Scottish Government Quarterly Public Sector Employment series data
- Where results do not sum to 100%, this may be due to computer rounding, multiple responses, or the exclusion of “don’t know” categories
- Results are based on all respondents (1,001) unless otherwise stated
