Independent Political Poll

Political poll on behalf of the Independent.

Date Published: 02 Sep 2012

Categories: Energy | Media | Politics | Public and communities | Technology & Telecoms | UK

Description

EMBARGO  22.00 HOURS MONDAY SEPTEMBER 3

The Liberal Democrats would significantly improve their prospects at the next general election if Vince Cable replaced Nick Clegg as leader, according to a ComRes survey for The Independent.

When people were asked who they would vote for if Mr Clegg remained the Lib Dems’ leader, the party would achieve a 14 per cent share of the vote. Asked how they would vote if  the Business Secretary Mr Cable were party leader, the Lib Dems would achieve an 18 per cent share of the vote.

On current constituency boundaries, that would see the Lib Dems, who currently have 57 MPs, win 39 seats at the next election under Mr Cable and 23 under Mr Clegg.
 

Labour’s 11-point lead over the Conservatives in the last ComRes poll for The Independent in July has dropped to seven points.  Labour is on 42 per cent (down two points), the Tories on 35 per cent (up two points), the Lib Dems on 12 per cent (up two points) and others on 11 per cent (down two points).

The poll indicates that Ed Miliband may be a slight drag on his party. When he is named in the question as the party leader, Labour’s rating falls from 42 per cent to 39 per cent.
 

ComRes interviewed 1,002 GB adults by telephone between 31st August and 2nd September 2012. Data were weighted to be demographically representative of all GB adults. Data were also weighted by past vote recall. ComRes is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules.