Scottish Public Opinion Monitor August 2009
Scottish Public Opinion Monitor August 2009
- People in Scotland divided on decision to release the man convicted of the Lockerbie bombing
- Voting intentions in Scotland - August 2009
- Perception of Party Leaders
- Economic optimism
- Unemployment is the biggest concern for people in Scotland
People in Scotland divided on decision to release the man convicted of the Lockerbie bombing
As reported by Thomson Reuters, Ipsos's August Scottish Public Opinion Monitor Shows that opinion is divided over Kenny Macaskill's decision to release Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi, the man convicted of the Lockerbie bombing. Overall, 42% of people in Scotland agreed with decision, while 46% disagreed.
However, support for the decision appears split along party lines. SNP supporters were much more likely to agree with the decision than supporters of the other three main parties in Scotland - Scottish Labour, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party and Scottish Liberal Democrats (58% compared to 32%, 34% and 45% respectively).160
Voting intentions in Scotland - August 2009
As reported by Holyrood Magazine, our latest Scottish Public Opinion Monitor shows that among those absolutely certain to vote, support for the SNP is strong in both the Westminster and Holyrood elections. Asked how they would vote if the elections to the Scottish Parliament took place tomorrow, two fifths (38%) of people who would be absolutely certain to vote would use their first vote to support the SNP - a lead of 13 percentage points over Scottish Labour.
In an immediate Westminster election, among those absolutely certain to vote, a third (33%) would vote for the SNP - a 6-point lead over Scottish Labour, a 15-point lead over the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party and a 19-point lead over the Scottish Liberal democrats.
Read the Holyrood Magazine article here
Perception of Party Leaders
Our latest Scottish Public Opinion Monitor shows that people in Scotland are more satisfied with the job Alex Salmond is doing as First Minister of Scotland than with the job Gordon Brown is doing as Prime Minister, or David Cameron as leader of the opposition. Over half (55%) of people are satisfied with the way Alex Salmond is doing his job as First Minister and 37% are dissatisfied. The majority (52%) of people in Scotland are dissatisfied with the way Gordon Brown is doing his job as Prime Minister and 38% are satisfied. By comparison, two-fifths (42%) are dissatisfied with the job David Cameron is doing his job as leader of the opposition, while a similar proportion are satisfied (40%).
Economic optimism
As reported by the BBC, Ipsos Scotland's most recent Scottish Public Opinion Monitor shows that people in Scotland are more optimistic about the future of the UK economy than they are about the Scottish economy. Two in five (44%) think the current economic condition in the UK will improve over the next 12 months. A quarter (28%) feel it will get worse. By comparison, while a third (34%) feel the economic condition of Scotland will improve over the next 12 months, a similar proportion (36%) feel it will get worse.
Over half (53%) of people in Scotland say that they now find it more difficult to afford their household bills than they did this time last year, while 40% say that there has been no change. Only 5% of people in Scotland say they now have less difficulty affording household bills.
Unemployment is the biggest concern for people in Scotland
Ipsos Scotland's most recent Scottish Public Opinion Monitor shows that people in Scotland are more concerned about unemployment than people in the UK generally. Two in five (44%) mention unemployment as an important issue facing Scotland. Comparable results from Ipsos's UK-wide Issues Index shows that while unemployment is of concern to people in Britain - 30%, the highest level of concern measured since December 1998 - the economy remains the biggest concern, with over half (54%) of people in Britain placing it among the most important issues. Other issues identified as being important by people in Scotland are the economy (36%), followed by education and schools (26%), the NHS (23%) and crime, law and order (17%).
Technical note
For the Scottish Public Opinion Monitor, Ipsos interviewed a representative sample of 1,000 adults aged 18+ across Scotland by telephone 20 - 31 August. Data are weighted to match the profile of the population of Scotland. The question on most important issues was open-ended. Ipsos's160 Issues Index is conducted monthly and provides an overview of the key issues concerning Great Britain. The questions are open ended. Ipsos interviewed a representative quota sample of 978 adults aged 18+ across Great Britain. Interviews were conducted face-to-face between 13 -18 August 2009. Data are weighted to match the profile of the population.
