30% of UK MPs Support Election Opinion Poll Ban

Nearly a third (30%) of UK MPs would support a ban on the publication of opinion polls in the run-up to general elections, according to a recent survey carried out by ComRes.

A total of 159 MPs were surveyed. Of those who supported the ban, 35% were Labour MPs, 25% were Tories and 32% were Liberal Democrats. A majority (94%) of MPs also said that they most trust face-to-face interviewing; a methodology which ComRes describes as 'almost entirely abandoned'. According to ComRes Chairman Andrew Hawkins, just four of the UK polls carried out during the 2010 election campaign were face-to-face, while 33 were by telephone and 51 were online.

Hawkins comments: 'The Internet has had two profound effects on political polling. Firstly it has made it quicker and cheaper, but it is too soon to tell yet whether it is as accurate as the telephone polling. Secondly the Internet, and especially the advance of social and other online media, renders entirely nugatory any attempt to ban the publication of opinion polls in the run-up to elections.'

ComRes conducted the survey following the recent news that the Indian Election Commission has banned exit polls in the five states holding elections this month, while introducing a ban on any opinion polls in the final 48 hours of campaigning.

Web site: www.comres.co.uk .