Opinion_polling_for_the_1992_United_Kingdom_general_election

Opinion polling for the 1992 United Kingdom general election

Opinion polling for the 1992 United Kingdom general election

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In the run up to the 1992 general election, various organisations carried out opinion polling to gauge voting intention in the United Kingdom. Results of such polls are displayed in this article. The date range for these opinion polls are from the election to 8 April.

Almost every poll leading up to polling day predicted either a hung parliament with Labour the largest party, or a small Labour majority of around 19 to 23. Polls on the last few days before the country voted predicted a very slim Labour majority.[1] After the polls closed, the BBC and ITV exit polls still predicted that there would be a hung parliament and "that the Conservatives would only just get more seats than Labour".[2]

With opinion polls at the end of the campaign showing Labour and the Conservatives neck and neck, the actual election result, a small Conservative majority, was a surprise to many in the media and in polling organisations. The apparent failure of the opinion polls to come close to predicting the actual result led to an inquiry by the Market Research Society. Following the election, most opinion polling companies changed their methodology in the belief that a 'Shy Tory factor' affected the polling.

Graphical summary

UK opinion polling for the election (trendline is local regression)
  Conservative
  Labour
  Liberal-SDP Alliance
  Liberal Democrats
  SDP

Results

All data is from UK Polling Report.[3]

1992

More information Survey end date, Pollster ...

1991

More information Survey end date, Pollster ...

1990

More information Survey end date, Pollster ...

1989

More information Survey end date, Pollster ...

1988

More information Survey end date, Pollster ...

1987

More information Survey end date, Pollster ...

References

  1. Heath, Anthony; Jowell, Roger; Curtice, John (29 May 1994). "How did Labour lose in '92?: The most authoritative study of the last general election is published tomorrow. Here, its authors present their conclusions and explode the myths about the greatest upset since 1945". The Independent. Archived from the original on 24 May 2022. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
  2. Firth, David. "Exit polling explained". University of Warwick, Statistics Department.
  3. "UK Polling Report". ukpollingreport.co.uk. Retrieved 26 November 2017.
  4. Timmins, Nicholas; Wolmar, Christian (3 May 1991). "Tory council losses rule out June election". The Independent. p. 1.
  5. White, Michael (28 November 1990). "Major: we unite to win". The Guardian. p. 1.
  6. Timmins, Nicholas; Wolmar, Christian (4 May 1990). "Labour Sweeps to local poll gains". The Independent. p. 1.
  7. Bevins, Anthony; Hughes, Colin (19 June 1989). "Labour triumphs in European poll". The Independent. p. 1.
  8. Brown, Colin; Hughes, Colin (6 May 1989). "Labour Victory sends warning to Thatcher". The Independent. p. 1.
  9. Travis, Alan (5 May 1989). "Polls boost Labour's prospects". The Guardian. p. 1.
  10. Bevins, Anthony (29 July 1988). "Victorious Ashdown seeks to replace Labour". The Independent. p. 1.
  11. Hughes, Colin (6 May 1988). "Labour makes strong gains in local elections". The Independent. p. 1.
  12. Bevins, Anthony (3 March 1988). "Steel dismisses Owen 'splinter'". The Guardian. p. 6.

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