There is little in this week's MORI poll for The Times [Political Attitudes in Great Britain for March 2001] which should discourage Tony Blair from calling the general election next week, should he wish to do so, for fear of the political effects. It is true that the public seems profoundly unimpressed with the government's handling of the Foot and Mouth crisis, and that opinion on this issue has deteriorated over the last week (69% were dissatisfied with the way the Government is handling the Foot and Mouth outbreak in the Times poll, conducted on 22-27 March, compared with 52% dissatisfied on 15-17 March when we polled for the Mail on Sunday [FOOT AND MOUTH POLL]). But this dissatisfaction has not fed through into any adverse change in voting intentions: Labour's share is 50%, as it was in January and February.
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.
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.
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?
Base: 1,945
Survey exploring ISA investment ahead of ISA deadline.
Pulse Check
Pulse Check delivers key insights from Ipsos' Political Monitor, Political Pulse, and Public Services data, along with reactive polling, to help you navigate the evolving political landscape.
Nearly half a million (485,000) schoolchildren are working illegally, according to a new TUC/MORI survey out today (Wednesday). And over 100,000 schoolchildren admit to playing truant in order to do paid work.
An alarming finding of a MORI poll published today is that six out of every ten men can't correctly identify the possible early warning signs of prostate cancer, or have some degree of misunderstanding about them. Fifty nine per cent of men lack this knowledge, which equates to approximately 12.3 million men in Great Britain. The poll was commissioned by The Prostate Cancer Charity for Prostate Cancer Awareness Week (24 March - 1 April 2001).
Should he or shouldn't he? Tony Blair still seems determined to call the election for 3 May, though he has yet to make any announcement; the public seem decidedly less enthusiastic. Nevertheless, MORI's poll for the Mail on Sunday [FOOT AND MOUTH POLL] suggested that few of those opposed to holding the election on 3 May feel that if the government were to do so it would make them less likely to vote Labour.
New opinion poll for BMA shows the public continues to trust the medical profession. Eighty nine per cent of the public trust their doctors to tell the truth, up a significant two percentage points on last year. The same proportion, 89 per cent , are fairly satisfied or very satisfied with the way doctors do their jobs,
