Is this result down to the question wording?

A ComRes poll of Lib Dem councillors for BBC2’s Daily Politics has produced rather predictable results about attitudes of what they would like to see the party doing if there was, indeed, a hung parliament.

It found that 31% would like the party to support Labour against 16% who said the Tories. rather than the Tories (16%) in the event of a hung Parliament.

The question, however, left a lot to be desired for it read “In the event of a hung parliament at the next election, and if the Liberal Democrats held the balance of power, which party would you prefer the Liberal Democrats to support in Government?”.

I guess that the large number saying don’t know would have liked other options.

The view that they would rather go with Labour rather than the Tories flies in the face of current polling. Both ICM and YouGov in recent weeks have found that Lib Dem voters would, if pushed, prefer Cameron’s Tories to Brown’s Labour.

There’s a similar survey from the Lib Dem voice members’ panel which has produced a different outcome.; This asked ” If the result of the next general election is that the Lib Dems hold the balance of power in a ‘hung parliament’, what do you think should be the party’s response if Labour/Conservatives offer some form of deal which includes the promise of a referendum on electoral reform?”

This found 61% saying they would be equally ready to negotiate with either Labour or the Conservatives on that basis with just 5% restricting it to Labour and 6% to the Tories.

All of this, of course, is irrelevant if the election when it happens produces an outcome in line with current national opinion polls.

Mike Smithson