South Molton Declaration Poll

This report presents the findings of a survey conducted by MORI on behalf of The South Molton Declaration.

The questions were placed on MORI's Omnibus, and a nationally representative quota sample of 1,945 adults were interviewed throughout Great Britain by MORI/Field & Tab across constituency-based sampling points. Interviews were carried out using CAPI (Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing) face-to-face in respondents' homes between . Data have been weighted to reflect the national population profile.

As a guide, please note that results for different sub-groups generally need to be more than five percentage points apart for the difference to be statistically significant, although this will depend on the size of the sub-group and the finding itself.

Our Standard Terms and Conditions apply to this, as to all studies we carry out. No press release or publication of the findings of this survey shall be made without the advance approval of MORI. Such approval will only be refused on the grounds of inaccuracy or misrepresentation.

Summary of Findings

• Respondents were informed that all candidates at the next General Election will be asked to sign the South Molton Declaration. The Declaration says that, if elected, candidates would put a bill before Parliament stating that only the British Parliament at Westminster should pass and repeal laws that affect British people, and that this would in particular restrict the powers of the European Union over Britain. They were then asked whether the refusal by their chosen candidate to sign the Declaration would alter how they would vote.
• Overall three in ten voters say they would vote for a different candidate, if their original choice of candidate refused to sign the South Molton Declaration. Almost half say that they would continue to support their original choice of candidate, irrespective of their stance on the Declaration. One in eight would not vote in this situation, and one in nine do not know what they would be likely to do.
• Among those currently intending to vote Conservative, 40% say they would vote for a different candidate who had signed the Declaration, if the Conservative candidate refused to sign it. Almost a third (31%) of Lib Dem voters would similarly change to a candidate who backed the Declaration, as would a quarter (24%) of those currently intending to vote for the Labour Party.
• In this circumstance, younger voters (aged under 25) tend to be more likely to say they would not vote, or they do not know what they would do. In contrast, Scottish voters are more likely than those living elsewhere to say they would continue to vote for the same candidate, as are broadsheet newspaper readers.

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