BBC Today / Populus Survey December 2005


The BBC Today Programme Opinion Survey, conducted in early December 2005, contained two questions on immigration which were not mentioned on the programme. The following is an extract together with our comment. The full report can be found at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/pdf/polling_december_05_fulltables.pdf

Q1 How much do you trust the Conservative Party to deal with immigration?
  All AB C1 South East Swing Voters
Trust completely 19 23 18 22 16
Trust somewhat 31 34 29 30 34
           
  50 57 47 52 50
           
Distrust somewhat 15 15 19 15 18
Distrust completely 28 24 29 26 24
           
  43 39 48 42 42
           
Don’t know 7 4 5 7 8

MW Comment


Those inclined to trust the Conservatives on immigration outnumbered those who tended to distrust them by 50:43.

Trust was strong among ABs at 57:39, weaker among C1 at 47:48 but swing voters were similar to the total sample at 50:42.

Q2 Would you be more or less likely to vote Conservative at the next general election, or would it make no real difference, if they pledged to introduce an annual limit on the number of immigrants coming to Britain?

  All 18-24 45-54 AB Swing Voters
Much more likely 33 35 25 29 35
A little more likely 15 12 13 14 17
           
  48 47 38 43 52
           
No real difference 36 33 46 37 34
A little less likely 4 1 6 4 4
Less likely 9 13 9 14 7
           
  13 14 15 19 11
           
Don't know/refused 5 6 1 1 3

MW Comment

There was strong support in the sample as a whole for an annual limit to immigration 48:13 (nearly four to one). The younger vote (18-24) split almost exactly the same at 47:14. The middle aged were much more neutral with 46% saying that such a pledge would make no difference to their vote. The AB vote showed less support than the overall sample at 43:19 but swing voters were slightly more in favour than the group as a whole at 52:11.

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