Scottish Devolution Survey, April 1978

Public Sector

MORI poll in Scotland for the LWT programme Weekend World

 

MORI interviewed a representative quota sample of 1,002 adults aged 18+ in 40 sampling points across Scotland on 5 April 1978. Interviews were conducted face to face. The survey was conducted for the LWT current affairs programme Weekend World.

Q1 If there were a General Election tomorrow, which party would you support? Q2 (If undecided/refused) Which party do you think you would be most inclined to support? Base: All naming a party

  %
Conservative 30
Labour 41
Scottish Labour Party  1
Liberal  3
SNP 27
Other 0

Q3 If you did not vote for [party named at Q1/Q2], which party would you vote for instead?

  All Con Lab SNP
  %  % % %
Conservative 7 2 9 14
Labour 11 9 2 27
SNP 16 19 28 5
Liberal 7 12 6 4
Scottish Labour Party 3 1 6 2
Other 1 1 1 1
Undecided 18 18 16 19
Would not vote 8 6 8 8
Refused 7 1 3 1
No other party 24 35 25 24

Q4 What would you say is the single most important problem facing Scotland today? Q5 Now looking at this card which other problems, if any, do you think are particularly important to people in Scotland these days? What others?

  Q4/5 Combined answers
  %
Unemployment 83
Prices/cost-of-living 43
Vandalism 41
Housing/rents/rates 37
Education/schools 30
Taxes 27
Wages/salaries 24
Scottish Assembly/devolution/independence 24
Pensions 22
North Sea Oil 21
Immigration 9
Abortion 6
Other 3
None 1
Don't know 0

Q6 I am going to read out a list of problems facing people in Scotland today. I would like you to tell me from this card which party you think would be best at handling each problem.

    Conservative Labour Liberal SNP Don't know
Unemployment  % 25 36 2 18 20
Prices  % 26 34 2 18 21
Housing  % 26 35 2 19 19
Vandalism % 26 23 1 17 34
Scottish Assembly/ devolution/ independence % 15 23 3 38 22
North Sea Oil % 19 25 1 37 19
Education and schools % 30 33 2 18 18
Scottish problems generally % 16 27 2 39 17

Q7 For running Scotland as a whole, which of these three alternatives would you prefer, overall?

  %
A completely independent Scottish Parliament separate from England 20
A Scottish Assembly as part of Britain but with substantial powers 52
No change from the present system 25
Don't know 4

Q8 If there were a referendum tomorrow on whether or not there should be a Scottish Assembly with the powers proposed in the Government Bill, would you vote yes or no?

  %
Yes, for Scottish Assembly 63
No, opposed to Scottish Assembly 27
Don't know 10

Q9 I am going to read out some things which some people have said. For each one I would like you to tell me whether, on balance, you agree or disagree.

    Agree Disagree Don't know
A vote for the SNP is mainly a protest vote  % 42 48 10
The government's proposals for a Scottish assembly have undermined the SNP's support  % 38 42 21
The SNP will promise anything to get votes  % 42 46 12
The SNP will be a major influence on Scottish policy in the future % 58 29 13

Q10 Do you feel more favourable or less favourable towards the SNP than you did at this time last year?

  %
More 22
Less 12
Same 62
Don't know 5

Q11 (If "more favourable" at Q10) Why do you say that? Base: 218

  %
SNP is Scottish party/for Scotland/has Scotland at heart 29
Like SNP policies on power for Scotland/Scottish independence/Assembly/devolution 16
Just like the SNP better 14
Something new/different/change 10
Like other SNP policy/policies 8
Dislike Labour Party more 5
Like SNP candidates/leaders 3
Dislike Conservative Party more 2
Dislike unspecified other party/parties more 2
Other reasons 19
Don't know 3

Q12 (If "less favourable" at Q10) Why do you say that? Base: 123

  %
Lack of/dissatisfied with SNP policies 38
Just like SNP less 21
Satisfaction with Government/Labour Party's policy on Scottish Assembly/devolution 6
More satisfaction with other parties 5
Satisfaction with Government/Labour Party's policy on prices 2
Satisfaction with other Government/Labour Party's policies 2
Satisfaction with Government/Labour Party's policy on unemployment 0
Other 18
Don't know 14

Q13 Which party did you vote for in the last General Election in October 1974? If you did not vote at the last election or you can't remember which party you voted for please say so.

  %
Conservative 22
Labour 38
Scottish Labour Party *
Liberal 2
SNP 18
Other party *
Did not vote 16
Refused 2
Don't know/can't remember 3

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