ICM – Tories heading for solid victory in Norwich North
CON 34 (+1) LAB 30 (-15) LD 15 (-1) GRN 14 (+11)
Is the first poll just in line with expectations?
The above ICM poll with variations on what happened at the last election was commissioned by Norwich’s University & College Union and has just been published. The sample was just 500 which means a much higher margin of error must be applied.
As can be seen the figures are broadly in line with current national polling and, indeed, it would be a huge surprise if the Tories failed to take the seat from Labour with a thumping majority.
The Tory margin in the survey would have been double the 4% but for ICM’s standard practice of realloctating half of those who say they will vote but don’t know which way in accordance with what they did at the last general election.
Clearly the campaign has not started and there is not that much awareness in the seat that a by election will soon by happening. A total of 18% of local voters had no idea that there was an election coming up.
No doubt the main contenders are working on the postal votes right now. Let us hope that afterwards the marked register for this election is not “lost” – something that happened after the last by election at Glenrothes last November.