Petrol Crisis Poll

QV1 How would you vote if there were a General Election tomorrow? [If undecided or refused at Q1] QV2 Which party are you most inclined to support?

  • MORI interviewed 1,002 British adults aged 18+
  • Interviews were conducted by telephone on 2-3 November 2000
  • Results are based on all respondents unless stated
  • Data are weighted to the known population profile
  • An '*' indicates a finding of less than 0.5%, but greater than zero
  • Poll conducted by MORI on behalf of The Mail on Sunday

QV1 How would you vote if there were a General Election tomorrow?[If undecided or refused at Q1]QV2 Which party are you most inclined to support?

Conservative 34%
Labour 42%
Liberal Democrats 17%
Scottish/Welsh Nationalist 3%
Green Party 2%
Democratic/UKIP/Referendum Party 0%
Other 2%

Would not vote 11%
Undecided 8%
Refused 3%

Voting Intention over the last 12 months & Long Term Trends

Q1 Since the Labour Government was elected in 1997, do you think you are personally paying more tax, less tax, or about the same amount?

More tax 44%
Same amount of tax 35%
Less tax 6%
Don't know 15%

Q2 I am going to read out a number of different public services. For each, please tell me whether you think the public service has got better or worse under this Government, or has it stayed the same?

  Education Health Transport Law & Order
  % % % %
Better 35 23 10 17
Worse 23 40 55 33
Stayed the same 28 32 27 45
Don't know 14 5 8 5

Q3 People have different views about whether it is more important to reduce taxes or keep up government spending. How about you? Which of these statements comes closest to your own view?

  25-28 Apr 1997 2-3 Nov 2000
  % %
Taxes being cut, even if it means some reduction in government services, such as health, education and welfare. 7 12
Things should be left as they are. 14 20
Government services such as health, education and welfare should be extended, even if it means some increases in taxes 76 61
Don't know 3 7

Q4 Overall, are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the way Mr Blair, the Prime Minister, has handled the issue of fuel prices and petrol shortages?

  14-15 Sep 2000 2-3 Nov 2000
  % %
Satisfied 19 21
Dissatisfied 79 72
Don't know 2 7

Q5 Overall, are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the way Mr Hague, the Conservative Leader, has handled the issue of fuel prices and petrol shortages?

Satisfied 24%
Dissatisfied 58%
Don't know 18%

Q6 Do you think that the farmers and others who blockaded oil refineries in September to protest against the high price of petrol were right or wrong to take direct action in this way?

  14-15 Sep 2000 2-3 Nov 2000
  % %
Right 82 70
Wrong 15 26
Neither 2 2
Don't know 1 2

Q7 As you may be aware, when the blockade ended the farmers and other protestors set a 60 day deadline for the Government to meet the protestors demands for reduced petrol taxes. If the Government does not reduce petrol taxes within 60 days, would you support or oppose the protestors blockading oil refineries again?

Support 56%
Oppose 37%
Don't know 7%

Q8 Do you think the government should or should not reduce the current level of taxes on petrol?

  14-15 Sep 2000 2-3 Nov 2000
  % %
Should 85 82
Should not 11 13
Don't know 4 5

Q9 Economists estimate that for every 2p reduction in petrol tax, revenue for the Treasury will be reduced by roughly 1631billion. Bearing this information in mind by how many pence in the pound do you think petrol tax should be reduced, if at all?

1p-4p 20%
5p-10p 24%
11p-20p 5%
21p-30p 3%
31p+ 3%
Do not reduce petrol taxes 16%
Don't know 29%
Mean average 7p

I am now going to read out two statements. Please tell me which comes closest to your personal opinion.

  %
The government cannot afford to cut petrol taxes as this would mean reducing the amount of money that goes into public services, such as schools and hospitals. 19
The Government can afford to cut petrol taxes as it has enough money in reserve to maintain spending on public services, such as schools and hospitals. 73
Neither 5
Don't know 3

If the Government did have to raise money from other sources, would you support or oppose the following measures.

Q11Tax foreign lorry drivers who use Britain's roads

Q12 Introduce road levies or tolls to enter city centres

  Q11 Q12
  % %
Support 68 48
Oppose 26 46
Don't know 6 6

Q13 If the fuel shortages were to continue so long as to be a real threat to the delivery of food to the shops, do you think the government would be right or wrong to use the armed forces to force through fuel deliveries?

  14-15 Sep 2000 2-3 Nov 2000
  % %
Should 55 59
Should not 38 35
Don't know 7 6

Q14 On a different subject. It has been suggested that the Royal Crest on current British passports be replaced by a design common to all European Union countries. Would you support or oppose this change?

Support 22%
Oppose 64%
Don't know 14%

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