Poll Archive

Pre-Conservative conference poll questions 2009

Fieldwork: October 2nd 2009 - October 4th 2009

published by The Times

Click here to download detailed results 102k

All the main political parties now agree that there will have to be significant cuts in public spending in the years ahead to bring Britain's budget deficit down to a manageable levels.

We're interested in how you think the Conservative Party and the Labour Party (SPLIT SAMPLE) David Cameron and Gordon Brown would each approach this task of cutting public spending if they are in power after the next election. Please say whether you think a Conservative government or a Labour government would be more likely to make these spending cuts...

	Labour	Conservative	Net Labour
With the best interests of ordinary people at heart	38%	41%	-3%
In ways that protect frontline public services	42%	37%	5%
Minimising the numbers of public sector job losses	47%	31%	16%
Ensuring that the most vulnerable in society don't suffer	49%	30%	19%
Spreading the burden of cuts fairly, so that the best off bear their share too	46%	36%	10%
Cutting obvious waste and unnecessary red tape first	29%	52%	-23%

	Brown	Cameron	Net Brown
With the best interests of ordinary people at heart	37%	47%	-10%
In ways that protect frontline public services	42%	45%	-3%
Minimising the numbers of public sector job losses	48%	37%	11%
Ensuring that the most vulnerable in society don't suffer	47%	39%	8%
Spreading the burden of cuts fairly, so that the best off bear their share too	42%	43%	-1%
Cutting obvious waste and unnecessary red tape first	29%	56%	-27%

Difference between leader and party rating (negative figure means party is viewed more positively, positive figure means leader is viewed more positively)	Brown minus Labour	Cameron minus Conservative
With the best interests of ordinary people at heart	-1%	6%
In ways that protect frontline public services	0%	8%
Minimising the numbers of public sector job losses	1%	6%
Ensuring that the most vulnerable in society don't suffer	-1%	11%
Spreading the burden of cuts fairly, so that the best off bear their share too	-4%	7%
Cutting obvious waste and unnecessary red tape first	0%	4%

Please say which of the following statements is closest to your view, even if neither statement represents exactly what you think.

(Change since September 2008 shown in brackets)

	All	Men	Women	AB	C1	C2	DE	Lab	Con	Lib Dem
The Conservative Party really seems to have changed under David Cameron and that is why they are doing so much better'	28% (-)	29% (-1%)	27% (+1%)	27% (+1%)	26% (-5%)	24% (-7%)	34% (+10%)	19% (-4%)	50% (-)	21% (+7%)
'The Conservative Party doesn't seem to have changed much under David Cameron and they're doing better mainly just because the Labour government has become so unpopular	68% (-2%)	69% (+1%)	67% (-5%)	71% (-1%))	71% (+7%)	71% (+2%)	58% (-18%)	77% (-)	49% (-)	77% (-8%)
Net 'Conservatives are doing well mainly because Labour are unpopular'	40% (-2%)	40% (+2%)	40% (-6%)	44% (-2%)	45% (+12%)	47% (+9%)	24% (-28%)	58% (+4%)	-1% (-)	56% (-15%)

Please say which one of the following statements you most agree with.

	Feb 04	May 04	Sep 04	Jan 05	Mar 05	Apr 05	Jan 06	May 06	Sep 06	Jan 07	July 07	Dec 07	Mar 08	Jun 08	Dec 08	Oct 09
I am satisfied with the Labour Government overall	19%	19%	19%	25%	20%	22%	26%	16%	16%	15%	20%	20%	19%	15%	25%	19%
I am dissatisfied with the Labour Govt. overall, but I still prefer them to a Conservative Govt.	41%	39%	41%	32%	34%	33%	33%	34%	35%	32%	33%	27%	26%	29%	25%	31%
I am dissatisfied with the Labour Govt. overall & I would rather have a Conservative Govt.	36%	35%	34%	32%	32%	32%	28%	37%	43%	40%	32%	36%	39%	42%	35%	42%

	Feb-04	May-04	Sep-04	Jan-05	Mar-05	Apr-05	Jan-06	May-06	Sep-06	Jan-07	Jul-07	Dec-07	Mar-08	Jun-08	Dec-08	Oct-09
Dissatisfied with Labour	77%	74%	75%	64%	66%	65%	61%	71%	78%	72%	65%	63%	65%	71%	60%	73%
Prefer a Labour govt. to a Tory govt.	60%	58%	60%	57%	54%	55%	59%	50%	51%	47%	53%	47%	45%	44%	50%	50%

	Feb-04	May-04	Sep-04	Jan-05	Mar-05	Apr-05	Jan-06	May-06	Sep-06	Jan-07	Jul-07	Dec-07	Mar-08	Jun-08	Dec-08	Oct-09
Prefer Tory govt	36%	35%	34%	32%	32%	32%	28%	37%	43%	40%	32%	36%	39%	42%	35%	42%
Prefer Labour govt	60%	58%	60%	57%	54%	55%	59%	50%	51%	47%	53%	47%	45%	44%	50%	50%

Tony Blair is currently the front-runner to be appointed to the new post of EU President that will be created if the Lisbon Treaty on the future of the European Union comes into force.

Would like to see Tony Blair become EU President?

	All	Men	Women	AB	C1	C2	DE	Lab	Con	LD
Yes	43%	41%	44%	45%	45%	41%	39%	66%	32%	43%
No	53%	55%	51%	50%	50%	56%	56%	31%	67%	55%
Net YES	-10%	-14%	-7%	-5%	-5%	-15%	-17%	35%	-35%	-12%

If Tony Blair does become EU President, you think this would be good for British interests in Europe, or bad for British interests in Europe or make no real difference?

	All	Men	Women	AB	C1	C2	DE	Lab	Con	LD
Good for British interests	30%	33%	28%	35%	31%	32%	24%	53%	22%	34%
Bad for British interests	20%	21%	20%	16%	19%	18%	29%	7%	27%	20%
Make no difference	47%	45%	50%	47%	49%	48%	45%	37%	50%	45%

Populus interviewed a random sample of 1,010 adults aged 18+ by telephone between October 2nd - 4th 2009. Interviews were conducted across the country and the results have been weighted to be representative of all adults. Populus is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules. For a full description of the methods we use, please click here.

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