Political Attitudes in Great Britain, September 1996

Public Sector

MORI Political Monitor survey for The Times, with extra questions on party image

 

MORI interviewed a representative quota sample of 1,800 adults aged 18+ at 162 sampling points across Great Britain. Fieldwork was conducted face-to-face on 20-23 September 1996, as part of MORI's regular Omnibus survey. Data are weighted to match the profile of the population.

Q1 How would you vote if there were a General Election tomorrow? IF UNDECIDED OR REFUSED AT Q1 Q2 Which party are you most inclined to support?

  %
Conservative 29
Labour 52
Liberal Democrats (Lib Dem) 14
Scottish/Welsh Nationalist 2
Green Party 1
Referendum Party 1
Other 1
Voting intention percentages exclude 9% undecided, 3% refused  and 10% would not vote

Q3 Are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the way the Government is running the country? Q4 Are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the way Mr Major is doing his job as Prime Minister? Q5 Are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the way Mr Blair is doing his job as Leader of the Labour Party? Q6 Are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the way Mr Ashdown is doing his job as Leader of the Liberal Democrats?

    Satisfied Dissatisfied Don't know
Government % 17 75 9
Major % 29 61 10
Blair % 42 35 23
Ashdown % 39 29 32

Q7 What would you say is the most important issue facing Britain today? Q8 What do you see as other important issues facing Britain today? UNPROMPTED ANSWERS

  Q7 Q7/8
  % %
AIDS * 1
Animal welfare * 1
Beef/BSE/Mad Cow Disease 3 8
Common Market/EU/Europe/Single European Currency 13 23
Crime/law & order/violence/vandalism 11 27
Defence/foreign affairs * 3
Drug abuse 1 6
Economy/economic situation 7 14
Education/schools 8 32
Housing 2 9
Inflation/prices 1 3
Local government/council tax * 1
Morality/individual behaviour 1 4
National Health Service/Hospitals 9 35
Northern Ireland * 2
Nuclear power/fuels * *
Nuclear weapons/nuclear war/disarmament * 1
Pensions/social security 2 11
Pollution/environment 1 5
Pound/exchange rate/value of pound 0 *
Privatisation * 2
Race relations/immigration/immigrants 1 3
Scottish Assembly * *
Taxation 1 4
Trade unions/strikes * *
Unemployment/factory closure/lack of industry 23 43
Other 8 23
Don't know 7 5

Q9 Do you think that the general economic condition of the country will improve, stay the same, or get worse over the next 12 months?

  %
Improve 26
Stay the same 39
Get worse 27
Don't know 8

Q10 Here is a list of things both favourable and unfavourable that have been said about various political parties. I would like you to pick the statements you feel fit your ideas or impressions of the Conservative / Labour / Liberal Democrats party?

  Con Lab LD
  % % %
Keeps its promises 4 5 5
Understands the problems facing Britain 15 29 18
Represents all classes 7 22 23
Looks after the interests of people like us 7 21 10
Moderate 12 16 26
Extreme 10 7 2
Concerned about the people in real need in Britain 7 34 21
Has a good team of leaders 7 17 9
Will promise anything to win votes 49 35 16
Out of touch with ordinary people 56 11 8
Has sensible policies 11 20 21
Too dominated by its leader 9 21 10
Professional in its approach 12 12 11
Divided 43 25 6
No opinion 11 15 34

The 'perceptual map' uses the statistical technique of correspondence analysis to represent the relative image of the parties graphically in two dimensions.

 

Q11 Generally speaking, do you think of yourself as Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrat, or what?

  %
Conservative 28
Labour 36
Liberal Democrat 11
Scottish/Welsh Nationalist 2
Green 1
Other *
Don't know 5
None of these 15
Refused 2

Q12 Which party did you vote for at the last general election, in April 1992? If you are not sure, or did not vote, please say so.

  %
Conservative 29
Labour 33
Liberal Democrat 10
Scottish/Welsh Nationalist 2
Green 1
Other *
Did not vote 16
Too young 5
Can't remember 2
Refused 2

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