Opinium’s “new methodology” has the LAB lead down to just 3%

Opinium’s “new methodology” has the LAB lead down to just 3%

I have been in the hospital all day and only just returned home and my plan is to do something more on tonight’s Opinium poll when I have had time to study it more closely. It seems that a proportion of the GE2019 CON voters now saying don’t know have been re-allocated as Tory votes. It should be recalled that Opinium’s old way of doing it made them top pollster at GE2019

The Right has the edge in South Korea

The Right has the edge in South Korea

British politics has never been more febrile but, as has been pointed out on this site, a general election probably isn’t imminent. But no matter, there are plenty of other countries to provide. South Korea goes to the polls on 9 March to elect a new President. It must be a new one, since South Korea doesn’t allow multiple terms in office. And they operate a simple system, on the surface: First past the post, two main parties and some…

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Johnson has 15% lead over Sunak amongst CON voters as “best PM”

Johnson has 15% lead over Sunak amongst CON voters as “best PM”

Johnson v Sunak polling The above chart is from pollster Redfield & Wilton and is a question I don’t think any other mainstream pollsters ask. In addition to its standard “best PM” comparison between Johnson and Starmer the firm include two other questions which to me seem highly relevant. How would Sunak as PM rate against Starmer and separately how the Chancellor and long time betting favourite for the leadership rates against Johnson. In the latest poll as can be…

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What should the Met do now?

What should the Met do now?

When an organisation in trouble loses its leadership, there is a tendency for the new management to embark on a reorganisation. This is usually a mistake. It’s not that reorganisation isn’t needed. It’s rather that it should not be the priority. It destabilises and distracts from the work which is needed. So it is with the Met. There are big questions to be asked about its responsibilities, about whether counter-terrorism should be hived off, about how fraud is tackled and…

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The polling evidence against Johnson mounts

The polling evidence against Johnson mounts

New Savanta-ComRes polling issued this evening has more bad news for Johnson who is still the occupant at Number 10. Almost half, 45% that Rishi Sunak would be better at managing the economy as PM than Johnson is, according to the new polling. The figure rises to half of GE2019 CON voters 49% who say the same of Sunak, with just 21%saying that Johnson is better at it. And, almost half of Labour voters from 2019 -47% also say that…

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2023 looks a value bet for year of next general election

2023 looks a value bet for year of next general election

One of the things that surprisingly we do not see much speculation about is when the next general election will be held. Whenever people talk about the date they tend to assume that it will be in 2024 but looking at what previous Prime Ministers with big majorities have done the timing tends to be no more than 4 years after the previous one. Boris Johnson or whoever is Tory leader effectively has it in their gift to choose a…

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The PB 18th Birthday Celebration – March 2nd

The PB 18th Birthday Celebration – March 2nd

The event will be held at the offices of Smarkets at Katherine Docks close to the Tower of London, from 6 30pm to 9.pm. The address is 1 Commodity Quay, St Katharine Docks, London E1W 1AZ. Phone 020 7617 7413. These are nice offices overlooking the Dock. The guestlist includes pollsters and some other faces from the world of politics and forecasting as well as PBers. Smarkets will be providing drinks and some nibbles. We are grateful to Matthew Shaddick, Head…

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