Support for Proportional Representation 1979 - 2001
See also trends on support for a referendum on the electoral system
Q I am going to read out to you a number of policies that some people would like the next government to adopt. For each one I would like you to tell me whether you support or oppose this policy.
Introduce proportional representation for elections to Parliament
| 16-17 April 1979 | 23 May 1983 | |
|---|---|---|
| % | % | |
| Support | 41 | 41 |
| Oppose | 23 | 18 |
| Net support | 36 | 41 |
Q Now I am going to read out a number of policies, and I would like you to tell me, from this card, whether you support or oppose each*.
Change Britain's electoral system to a system of proportional representation
| 7-25 March 1991 | 10 April 1992* | 21 April- 8 May 1995 | 23-24 April 1997† | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % | % | % | % | |
| Strongly support | 23 | n/a | 18 | n/a |
| Tend to support | 27 | n/a | 28 | n/a |
| Neither agree nor disagree | 16 | n/a | 22 | n/a |
| Tend to support | 16 | n/a | 13 | n/a |
| Strongly support | 7 | n/a | 8 | n/a |
| Don't know | 11 | 15 | 11 | 27 |
| Support | 50 | 45 | 46 | 45 |
| Oppose | 23 | 40 | 21 | 28 |
| Net support | +27 | +5 | +25 | +17 |
*Q wording in 1992: "On balance, do you support or oppose changing..."
†Q wording in 1997: "On balance, do you support or oppose each of the following? Changing..."
Q To what extent would you support or oppose the introduction of proportional representation for Westminster Parliamentary elections?
| 23-27 August 1991 | |
|---|---|
| % | |
| Strongly support | 20 |
| Tend to support | 29 |
| Neither agree nor disagree | 20 |
| Tend to support | 9 |
| Strongly support | 4 |
| Don't know | 18 |
| Support | 49 |
| Oppose | 13 |
| Net support | +36 |
Q I am going to read a number of statements, and I would like you to tell me, from this card, whether you agree or disagree with each one.*
"This country should adopt a new voting system that would give parties seats in Parliament in proportion to their share of votes"
| 21 April - 8 May 1995 | 25-28 April 1997 | 4-5 June 2001 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| % | % | % | |
| Strongly agree | 23 | 27 | 28 |
| Tend to agree | 38 | 38 | 35 |
| Neither agree nor disagree | 14 | 11 | 10 |
| Tend to disagree | 13 | 11 | 9 |
| Strongly disagree | 6 | 6 | 11 |
| Don't know | 6 | 6 | 8 |
| Agree | 61 | 65 | 62 |
| Disagree | 19 | 17 | 19 |
| Net agree | +42 | +48 | +43 |
*Question wording in 1997: "To what extent do you agree or disagree with these statements?"; in 2001 "To what extent do you agree or disagree with the statement?"
Q I am going to read a number of statements, and I would like you to tell me, from this card, whether you agree or disagree with each one.
"We should retain the current voting system as it is more likely to produce single party government"
| 21 April - 8 May 1995 | |
|---|---|
| % | |
| Strongly agree | 14 |
| Tend to agree | 33 |
| Neither agree nor disagree | 16 |
| Tend to disagree | 24 |
| Strongly disagree | 8 |
| Don't know | 5 |
| Agree | 47 |
| Disagree | 32 |
| Net agree | +15 |
