MOST SNP and Labour supporters would be happy for their parties to go into coalition with each other after May’s Scottish Parliament election – says a new poll. Plus, the poll results add, a coalition involving the Liberal Democrats would not be acceptable to voters from either party.
These are amongst findings of an Ipsos MORI poll of over 1,000 Scots commissioned by Edinburgh-based consultants, Pagoda Public Relations.
On the basis of how they would cast their constituency vote, respondents were asked which other parties they would find it acceptable or unacceptable for their preferred party to go into coalition with.
The majority of Liberal Democrat voters would be happy to see their MSPs go into coalition with other parties – as long as it isn’t their Westminster partners, the Conservatives. This antipathy was not mutual as most Conservative voters were happy to see their party go into coalition with the Liberal Democrats. And almost two in three Conservative voters said that they would be happy to see their party go into coalition with the SNP.
“It seems that Labour and SNP voters don’t see the big ideological divide that their parties do,” said Ian Coldwell, of Pagoda PR.
“While their leaders shy away from talk of a Labour/SNP deal, the voters seem to think differently.”
“And Conservative voters seem to be persuaded that their party can deliver through its influence over an SNP-led government. The Liberal Democrats are clearly tainted in the eyes of Labour and SNP voters, while the Greens are acceptable partners for everyone other than the Conservatives.”
Of those intending to cast their constituency vote for the SNP, 60 per cent said it would be acceptable for their party to go into coalition with the Greens while 54 per cent said Labour would be an acceptable partner. However, 52 per cent said the Liberal Democrats would be unacceptable – rising to 72 per cent for the Conservatives.
Amongst Labour voters, Greens were the most acceptable partners on 63 per cent, just ahead of the SNP on 60 per cent. A coalition with the Liberal Democrats was unacceptable to 56 per cent, while the prospect of a partnership with the Conservatives was opposed by 86 per cent.
For Liberal Democrat voters, the SNP were the most acceptable partners on 68 per cent followed by the Greens on 65 per cent and Labour on 58 per cent. However, 52 per cent said that a coalition with the Conservatives would not be acceptable.
Conservative voters were comfortable with the idea of a coalition with the Liberal Democrats (69 per cent) or the SNP (64 per cent). However, 66 per cent said a coalition with Labour was unacceptable, with 55 per cent saying the same for the Greens.
ENDS
For more information contact: Lynne Veitch or 0131 556 0770 or Ian Coldwell 07703 258834
Notes to editors
Details of survey results – Ipsos MORI
Overall Base: All in the sample of 1,002 respondents who expressed a party preference on a question on how they would cast their constituency vote
- Base: People casting their constituency vote for the SNP (335)
| Would you find it acceptable or unacceptable for the Scottish National Party to form a coalition with each of the following parties after the election?
|
|||||
| Acceptable | Unacceptable | ||||
| Scottish Labour Party | % | 54 | 46 | ||
| Scottish Liberal Democrat | % | 48 | 52 | ||
| Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party | % | 28 | 72 | ||
| Scottish Green Party | % | 60 | 40 | ||
Would you find it acceptable or unacceptable for the Scottish Labour Party to form a coalition with each of the following parties after the election?
|
|||||
| Acceptable | Unacceptable | ||||
| Scottish National Party | % | 60 | 40 | ||
| Scottish Liberal Democrat | % | 44 | 56 | ||
| Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party | % | 14 | 86 | ||
| Scottish Green Party | % | 63 | 37 | ||
Would you find it acceptable or unacceptable for the Scottish Liberal Democrat party to form a coalition with each of the following parties after the election?
|
|||||
| Acceptable | Unacceptable | ||||
| Scottish National Party | % | 68 | 32 | ||
| Scottish Labour Party | % | 58 | 42 | ||
| Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party | % | 48 | 52 | ||
| Scottish Green Party | % | 65 | 35 | ||
Would you find it acceptable or unacceptable for the Scottish Conservative and Unionist party to form a coalition with each of the following parties after the election?
|
|||||
| Acceptable | Unacceptable | ||||
| Scottish National Party | % | 64 | 36 | ||
| Scottish Labour Party | % | 34 | 66 | ||
| Scottish Liberal Democrat | % | 69 | 31 | ||
| Scottish Green Party | % | 45 | 55 | ||
- Results are based on a survey of 1,002 respondents conducted by telephone between 14th April and 17th April 2011.
- Data are weighted by age, sex and working status using census data, tenure using SHS 2007-2008 data, and public-private sector employment by Scottish Government Quarterly Public Sector Employment series data.
- Where results do not sum to 100, this may be due to multiple responses or computer rounding
- Results are based on all respondents (1,002) unless otherwise stated.
MEDIA RELEASE posted by Pagoda PR. You too can post a media release (aka press release) on allmediascotland.com. For more information, email here.
Contact: Lynne Veitch
Phone: 0131 556 0770
Email: lynne.veitch@pagodapr.com
Website: http://www.pagodapr.com
