Win some, lose less

Whilst the press are reporting a downward shift in popularity for the tories, their coalition partners are left to gloomily consider other figures which indicate only 32% support for adopting AV at next year’s planned referendum – compared to 43% who would prefer FPTP as the method of electing parliament.

Stats website UK Polling Report states that it is the first time that the NO campaign has been ahead by this kind of margin since YouGov started their tracker poll back in June. The trend then was AV ahead by 10 points.

There are no suggestion as to why opinion should have steadily drifted away from reform although one school of thought is that persistent disillusionment with the Lib Dems has reflected on their flagship reform. This theory is not borne out however by overall party standings which has the Lib Dems stuck at the same 12-14% mark they have held for the last six months.

Footnote: We’re not at all sure if the  YouGov poll (31^st Oct - 1st Nov) is the same one as the Western Mail has used to claim that Wales is being picked on regarding spending cuts.