YouGov / Sunday Times Survey Results
Sample Size: 2077
Fieldwork: 15th - 16th January 2009
  Voting Intention Gender Age Social Grade Region Flying plans next few yrs
Sunday Times Total Con Lab Lib Dem M F 18-34 35-54 55 + ABC1 C2DE Lon-don Rest of South Midlands / Wales North Scot-land More Fewer Same NA
All GB Adults 2077 722 507 227 995 1082 636 704 737 1120 955 260 670 446 514 186 263 529 865 321
Unweighted Sample 2077 757 506 214 992 1085 537 712 828 1245 830 332 692 364 480 209 256 540 893 299
% % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % %
Headline Voting Intention
[Excluding Don't Knows and Wouldn't Vote]
Con 45 100 0 0 44 46 42 41 51 50 39 46 53 48 37 28 49 46 46 37
Lab 32 0 100 0 34 30 30 39 25 29 35 35 26 30 41 28 30 29 31 38
Lib Dem 14 0 0 100 14 15 20 11 13 14 15 14 16 13 13 14 14 16 14 15
Other 9 0 0 0 9 10 8 9 11 8 12 6 6 9 9 30 8 10 10 10
Other Parties Voting Intention
SNP / PCY 3 0 0 0 3 3 3 3 4 2 4 0 0 2 0 27 2 4 3 3
BNP 3 0 0 0 3 2 1 4 3 2 4 1 2 2 6 1 2 3 3 3
Green 2 0 0 0 1 3 3 1 1 1 2 3 2 3 1 2 2 1 2 2
UKIP 1 0 0 0 1 2 0 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 0 1 1 1 2
Respect 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Other 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0
Non Voters
Would Not Vote 8 0 0 0 8 9 12 8 6 6 12 6 8 10 10 5 9 6 8 12
Don't know 14 0 0 0 10 18 17 12 14 12 16 13 14 14 17 12 12 13 13 15
Do you think Gordon Brown is doing well or badly as prime minister?
Very well 4 0 17 1 5 4 3 6 4 4 4 5 3 6 4 5 7 3 4 6
Fairly well 31 10 69 32 33 29 34 32 27 32 29 29 29 28 33 40 35 28 33 29
Fairly badly 30 34 11 42 27 32 35 29 27 30 30 30 31 32 29 24 29 34 31 25
Very badly 30 55 1 20 31 28 18 28 40 30 29 25 31 32 28 28 23 31 28 36
Don’t know 6 1 3 5 4 7 10 6 2 4 8 10 6 3 6 3 6 3 5 5
Do you think David Cameron is doing well or badly as Conservative leader?
Very well 8 18 2 1 8 7 8 7 8 8 7 7 9 6 8 7 8 9 7 8
Fairly well 42 70 28 34 42 43 40 39 47 47 37 44 47 45 36 37 52 44 44 31
Fairly badly 26 8 41 40 30 23 24 28 27 26 26 24 24 26 29 30 26 26 26 30
Very badly 12 1 19 14 13 11 8 15 12 10 14 10 10 12 14 13 7 11 11 19
Don’t know 12 3 10 11 7 16 20 11 6 9 15 15 11 10 14 13 8 9 13 11
Do you think Nick Clegg is doing well or badly as leader of the Liberal Democrats?
Very well 2 2 2 9 3 2 3 2 3 2 3 2 3 3 2 3 3 4 2 3
Fairly well 28 32 24 57 31 25 26 25 32 30 25 25 30 27 27 27 28 28 29 28
Fairly badly 23 25 25 18 25 22 17 24 28 25 21 22 23 23 23 23 19 27 23 21
Very badly 12 10 15 4 16 9 7 15 13 12 11 15 11 9 15 15 12 14 10 14
Don’t know 35 32 33 13 26 43 48 34 25 31 39 37 34 39 33 33 38 28 36 34
Who would you trust more to raise you and your family's standard of living?
Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling 26 2 78 17 28 23 23 31 23 25 26 26 22 24 29 34 30 23 27 28
David Cameron and George Osborne 33 81 2 13 33 33 32 29 39 37 28 33 39 36 26 25 37 35 36 23
Neither 31 14 16 62 32 31 29 32 32 29 34 31 29 30 35 32 24 36 29 38
Don’t know 10 4 4 9 7 13 16 9 6 8 12 11 10 11 9 9 9 7 9 11
In your opinion, how good or bad is the state of Britain's economy at the moment?
Very good 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0
Quite good 1 0 2 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Neither good nor bad 6 3 12 5 7 5 6 8 4 5 6 6 6 7 5 5 6 4 6 6
Quite bad 40 31 58 39 41 39 44 39 37 38 41 42 36 43 40 44 52 35 41 40
Very bad 52 66 27 53 49 54 44 52 58 54 49 47 56 49 52 50 40 60 52 50
Don’t know 2 1 1 2 2 2 5 1 0 1 2 5 2 1 2 1 1 0 1 4
Do you fear that you or a close member of your family will lose their job as a result of the current financial crisis?
Yes, I do fear this 47 53 38 40 44 50 44 48 49 47 48 45 49 46 49 43 40 59 44 41
No, I don’t 25 22 34 37 29 21 31 24 21 27 23 26 25 26 24 28 42 19 27 21
Not sure 22 21 23 19 20 23 21 24 21 21 23 22 21 25 20 23 17 17 24 25
Not applicable – neither I nor any close member of my family is currently working 6 4 6 4 6 6 5 4 9 6 6 7 5 4 7 6 2 5 4 14
Do you agree or disagree with the following statements?
This is a global recession caused by the banking crisis
Agree 82 78 90 92 84 80 77 84 85 85 79 88 80 81 81 86 83 84 84 79
Disagree 9 14 5 2 10 8 10 8 9 8 10 5 10 11 8 8 13 10 8 6
Don’t know 9 8 6 6 6 12 13 9 6 7 11 7 10 8 11 6 5 6 8 15
This is ‘Gordon Brown's recession’ caused mainly by this Government's management of the economy
Agree 37 62 5 27 36 37 29 35 46 37 37 38 39 39 34 33 32 43 34 38
Disagree 50 28 88 59 53 47 54 53 45 52 48 50 48 48 53 56 58 48 53 45
Don’t know 13 10 7 15 10 16 18 13 9 11 16 12 13 14 14 11 11 9 12 17
The Conservatives are a 'do nothing' party - they don't understand that these are exceptional times that need exceptional measures
Agree 39 6 75 46 41 36 34 41 40 36 42 34 35 38 45 42 38 38 39 44
Disagree 41 83 9 33 43 40 36 39 47 47 35 44 46 41 33 41 46 42 43 36
Don’t know 20 11 16 21 17 24 30 20 13 18 23 23 19 21 22 17 17 20 19 21
The Government has announced a series of measures including taxpayer stakes in the banks and extra public spending, which it says are needed to get the economy through the crisis. 
Do you think ministers are using the recession as cover for increasing the state's role in the economy?
Yes – the Government wants to increase the state’s role in the economy anyway 35 53 13 31 37 33 29 33 43 34 37 29 39 38 33 30 32 42 34 34
No – the Government is increasing the state’s role only because of the conditions of Britain's economy 43 29 69 51 47 39 40 46 43 48 37 44 38 42 47 52 50 41 46 40
Don't know 22 18 18 18 16 27 31 21 15 18 27 27 23 20 21 19 18 18 21 26
What kind of society would you most like for Britain, on a scale from 0 to 10, where 0 represents an economy completely dominated by private companies and 10 represents an economy dominated completely by the state?
0 – economy dominated by private companies 2 3 0 1 3 1 2 1 2 2 2 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1
1 1 2 1 0 2 1 1 2 1 2 1 2 2 0 2 1 2 2 1 1
2 5 10 1 5 6 5 6 5 6 7 4 5 7 5 5 5 8 6 5 4
3 10 16 6 10 14 7 10 9 11 12 7 11 11 11 7 11 11 11 11 7
4 8 10 6 8 9 6 8 6 9 9 6 6 8 6 8 11 7 9 8 6
5 –  power is shared equally by private compies and the state 44 41 46 45 39 48 38 46 47 44 44 45 44 46 43 40 45 42 44 47
6 6 4 10 7 7 5 6 6 7 6 7 8 5 4 9 8 6 7 6 5
7 7 3 12 11 7 7 7 9 5 8 6 7 7 9 5 6 6 7 8 6
8 5 3 7 6 5 4 5 6 3 3 6 4 4 6 3 7 5 6 4 4
9 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1
10 – economy dominated by the state 2 1 3 2 3 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 2 3 1 3 1 2
Don’t know 10 5 7 6 6 13 16 9 6 6 15 10 8 10 13 6 7 6 9 15
SUMMARY DATA
Average 4.9 4.2 5.5 5.1 4.8 5.0 4.9 5.0 4.7 4.7 5.1 4.9 4.8 4.9 4.9 5.0 4.7 4.9 4.8 5.0
Total 0-4 (Bigger role for private companies) 26 42 14 24 33 20 26 23 29 31 20 25 29 24 24 29 29 30 27 20
5 – power shared equally  44 41 46 45 39 48 38 46 47 44 44 45 44 46 43 40 45 42 44 47
Total 6-10 (bigger role for state) 20 12 32 26 23 18 20 23 18 20 21 20 19 21 20 25 19 23 20 18
And what kind of society do you think Britain has actually been in recent years (before the credit crunch)?
0 – economy dominated by private companies 9 6 12 6 10 7 4 10 11 8 9 8 8 8 11 7 7 7 9 11
1 7 5 10 8 8 6 5 9 8 9 6 8 8 5 7 10 7 6 8 7
2 18 16 21 22 19 17 18 20 15 21 14 21 15 15 20 24 20 21 19 11
3 16 13 20 26 16 16 16 17 16 19 13 18 16 17 15 19 22 18 16 12
4 10 11 10 9 10 10 11 9 10 9 11 8 11 10 10 9 11 11 10 10
5 –  power is shared equally by private compies and the state 11 11 13 8 11 11 12 10 11 9 14 10 11 12 11 10 12 11 9 15
6 4 7 2 3 4 4 3 4 5 5 3 4 5 5 2 2 2 5 5 2
7 6 11 1 5 6 5 4 4 8 6 6 4 7 7 4 4 6 6 6 5
8 4 6 0 4 4 4 4 3 5 3 5 3 5 5 2 4 4 5 3 5
9 2 3 2 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 3 2 1 1 2 2 2
10 – economy dominated by the state 3 4 1 3 3 3 2 2 5 3 4 3 4 2 3 3 1 3 3 5
Don’t know 10 7 8 4 6 15 17 10 5 7 15 12 9 11 13 6 8 6 10 14
SUMMARY DATA
Average 3.7 4.4 2.9 3.4 3.6 3.8 3.8 3.4 3.9 3.5 3.9 3.4 3.9 4.0 3.4 3.4 3.5 3.8 3.6 3.9
Total 0-4 (Bigger role for private companies) 60 51 73 72 63 57 55 64 60 66 53 64 57 55 62 69 66 62 63 51
5 – power shared equally  11 11 13 8 11 11 12 10 11 9 14 10 11 12 11 10 12 11 9 15
Total 6-10 (bigger role for state) 19 31 7 16 20 18 16 16 24 18 19 15 22 22 14 15 14 20 19 20
America is known for its free market while France is renowned for its greater state control of business and public functions. 
Which do you think is the better role model for Britain?
The US model 20 34 15 8 25 16 18 20 23 21 19 20 25 17 18 20 25 23 19 16
The French model 29 21 37 42 29 29 29 30 27 28 30 27 26 30 31 32 28 31 29 27
Neither 33 32 34 41 35 32 28 33 39 36 31 35 33 33 31 37 31 30 36 36
Don't know 18 14 15 9 12 23 25 18 12 16 20 19 16 21 20 12 17 15 16 22
The Government has announced new data-sharing laws to allow public bodies, including town halls, access to your personal data held by other government bodies. Ministers say this will reduce inefficiencies, while critics say it is in breach of data protection laws. 
Do you think this proposal will or will not give the Government too much access to your personal data?
Will give too much power 65 76 52 68 65 65 54 65 74 66 63 63 68 63 63 65 59 71 63 71
Will not 19 14 29 18 22 16 23 18 15 20 17 18 17 21 19 17 30 16 20 12
Don't know 17 10 19 15 14 19 23 17 11 14 19 19 15 16 18 18 12 13 17 17
Turning to another issue, Barack Obama will be inaugurated as US president next week. Do you agree or disagree with this statement: 
President Obama’s arrival as President is likely to usher in a new and more optimistic era for America.
Agree 78 77 86 87 74 82 81 78 76 81 75 78 77 78 79 81 85 82 80 72
Disagree 9 10 7 7 13 5 7 9 10 9 9 7 11 8 8 10 7 9 9 11
Don’t know 13 13 8 6 13 13 12 13 14 11 16 15 12 14 13 10 9 10 11 17
Do you think with Obama as president America's relations with the rest of the world will improve get worse or stay about the same as under President Bush?
Improve 69 69 77 80 68 71 74 69 66 74 64 70 68 69 68 77 78 72 72 59
Get worse 4 4 2 1 5 3 3 3 4 3 4 4 3 4 4 3 3 4 3 4
Stay about the same 20 22 16 13 22 18 14 20 25 18 22 17 21 18 21 15 17 19 19 26
Don’t know 7 5 5 6 6 9 9 8 5 5 10 8 8 8 6 5 2 6 5 11
Some people talk of a ‘special relationship’ between Britain and the United States. How close do you think this relationship currently is?
Very close 12 12 13 15 14 10 14 13 9 11 12 9 12 14 12 9 14 12 11 12
Fairly close 52 51 62 49 52 51 53 52 51 51 53 53 51 46 56 57 51 53 55 48
Not very close 27 31 20 29 26 28 23 25 33 29 25 27 29 30 23 23 30 28 26 28
Not at all close 4 4 2 4 4 4 1 4 6 5 3 4 4 3 3 8 1 5 4 4
Don’t know 6 3 4 3 4 8 9 6 3 4 8 8 5 7 7 4 4 3 4 8
How close do you think it should be over the next few years?
Very close 16 16 22 18 18 15 21 18 12 16 17 13 18 18 16 16 22 17 15 14
Fairly close 52 54 58 52 52 52 52 51 53 53 51 56 52 51 50 53 52 54 55 47
Not very close 19 22 14 22 19 20 12 18 27 20 19 17 18 21 21 20 17 20 20 23
Not at all close 5 4 2 5 6 4 3 5 6 6 4 5 6 3 5 5 4 5 4 5
Don’t know 8 4 4 4 6 9 12 8 4 6 10 10 6 7 9 7 5 4 6 11
Turning now to the issue of air travel. 
Thinking personally, and leaving aside immediate concerns over the economy, would you expect to take more flights over the next few years, or fewer, than over the past few years?
More 13 14 12 12 15 10 21 10 8 13 12 14 13 13 13 11 100 0 0 0
Fewer 26 27 24 30 25 26 22 28 27 26 25 29 26 25 23 29 0 100 0 0
About the same 42 43 42 41 41 43 43 41 42 47 36 43 41 39 42 48 0 0 100 0
Don't know 5 3 4 2 5 5 5 5 4 3 7 6 4 5 5 3 0 0 0 0
Not applicable – I never fly 15 12 18 15 14 17 10 16 20 11 20 8 16 19 18 10 0 0 0 100
Heathrow airport currently has two runways. The government wants a third runway. Supporters say this would be good for travellers and the economy; opponents say it would be bad for the environment. 
Do you support or oppose a third runway for Heathrow?
Support 29 30 38 23 35 24 33 30 25 30 28 33 32 27 28 24 51 27 32 12
Oppose 42 47 31 56 41 42 35 40 49 44 39 45 43 40 40 40 25 51 40 46
Don't mind / don’t know 29 23 31 21 24 34 32 30 26 26 33 23 25 33 32 37 23 22 28 42
Which of the following best sums up your view on the expansion of airports in the UK?
There should be more capacity including at Heathrow 29 31 35 22 33 25 32 30 25 30 28 30 31 29 27 26 50 25 32 14
There should be more capacity but not at Heathrow 30 35 26 33 34 27 22 31 37 33 28 30 31 28 30 34 25 33 35 19
We should not expand our airports any more 26 24 19 37 21 30 27 24 27 26 26 24 25 28 27 23 17 33 21 37
Don't know 15 10 21 8 12 17 19 15 11 12 18 15 13 15 16 18 8 9 12 29
Thinking about the environment more generally, the government is phasing out the sale of conventional light bulbs, which it says are inefficient, in favour of low energy light bulbs. 
Do you agree or disagree with the decision to phase out conventional light bulbs?
Agree 57 47 70 69 60 56 69 60 46 58 57 62 54 56 59 62 61 61 60 48
Disagree 37 48 24 30 36 38 23 35 51 38 36 31 41 39 34 35 37 34 36 46
Don't know 6 5 6 2 5 6 8 5 4 5 7 8 5 5 7 3 2 5 4 6
There has been evidence recently that some household waste intended for recycling is accumulating because demand for recycled material has slumped (although other ‘green’ waste, such as food waste, is still sent for composting). 
In general, do you think measures to encourage us to recycle and take other steps to reduce emissions in our everyday lives are worthwhile or a waste of time and money?
They are worthwhile 67 60 74 82 65 70 74 67 62 70 64 70 67 71 64 67 73 67 72 59
They are a waste of time and money 22 28 17 11 25 19 13 22 29 20 24 16 22 21 25 21 20 24 18 30
Neither 6 7 5 6 7 6 6 7 6 6 6 8 6 5 6 10 4 6 6 6
Don't know 5 4 4 0 4 6 7 5 3 4 6 7 5 4 5 2 3 3 4 5
Turning to another issue, the government is concerned about social mobility - the ability of people to move between occupations and ‘classes’ - and is seeking to improve it. 
Do you feel more or less socially mobile – more stuck or less stuck in the segment of society in which you were born – than your parents?
I think I am more socially mobile than my parents 55 59 61 57 54 56 47 54 63 61 48 55 55 53 55 63 68 59 55 47
I am less socially mobile 12 11 10 15 15 9 15 12 8 10 13 12 10 13 13 8 9 14 10 13
About the same 27 27 24 27 25 29 27 28 26 24 30 25 28 28 26 25 21 24 30 30
Don't know 7 5 6 2 6 7 12 6 3 5 9 8 7 6 6 5 3 3 5 11
Alan Milburn, the former cabinet minister, has been appointed to find ways of breaking down barriers to social mobility, including making it easier for people from lower social backgrounds to enter professions like medicine or the law. Do you agree or disagree with the following statements?
In principle it is right to try and break down barriers to social mobility
Agree 80 76 88 88 78 82 73 83 83 83 77 80 77 80 83 82 87 83 80 79
Disagree 9 13 4 8 11 7 9 7 10 9 9 9 11 9 7 8 6 9 9 10
Don't know 11 11 8 5 11 11 17 10 7 9 14 11 13 11 10 10 8 8 11 11
There’s a serious danger that, in practice, policies to encourage greater social mobility will lead to ‘positive discrimination’, in which people who are less qualified will be given a fast-track into certain jobs
Agree 48 65 36 38 54 42 48 41 53 53 42 50 49 51 41 48 55 51 48 40
Disagree 30 21 43 39 29 32 26 36 28 30 31 26 30 28 34 35 33 30 30 32
Don't know 22 15 21 23 18 26 26 22 19 18 27 24 21 21 25 18 12 19 22 28
The government's concern for social mobility is really just a way of making life harder for middle-class families
Agree 27 45 10 19 31 24 25 25 32 29 25 27 29 33 21 25 29 30 26 24
Disagree 49 35 72 60 50 48 50 52 45 51 47 47 47 44 54 57 58 47 50 49
Don't know 24 20 18 22 20 28 26 23 23 20 28 26 25 23 25 18 13 23 24 27
Last week video from a home camera was released in which Prince Harry described an army colleague as a "Paki". 
What was your view on this?
It was used in a good-natured way and wasn't racist 68 80 58 55 66 70 57 65 80 68 68 57 70 73 69 60 70 67 69 71
Any use of such expressions is unacceptable 19 11 29 26 20 17 23 21 13 20 18 28 17 16 16 27 17 22 18 16
Neither 9 5 9 13 9 9 12 10 6 8 10 10 8 8 10 11 11 9 9 7
Don't know 5 4 4 6 4 5 9 4 1 4 5 5 5 4 5 3 3 3 4 6
It also emerged that Prince Charles has for some years used the name ‘Sooty’ to address an Asian businessman with whom he played polo. 
Which best sums up your view on this?
The businessman does not mind so nobody else should either 78 89 66 78 77 80 71 76 87 78 78 68 78 84 82 70 82 77 79 80
The use of such names is unacceptable 13 7 25 13 15 12 16 16 9 14 13 22 12 9 12 23 12 16 13 11
Neither 5 3 6 6 5 5 6 5 4 5 5 6 6 3 5 5 5 5 5 4
Don't know 3 2 3 3 3 3 7 3 1 3 4 4 4 4 2 2 1 2 2 6
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement ?
By using such names the Royal Family is rightly making a stand against 'political correctness'.
Agree 39 48 32 29 40 38 35 38 45 35 45 30 39 44 43 33 42 42 37 40
Disagree 41 36 52 53 43 40 43 43 38 47 34 51 41 37 36 50 46 42 43 35
Don't know 20 16 16 19 17 22 22 20 17 18 22 18 20 19 22 17 12 16 19 26
In general do you think the Royal family is or is not racist?
Is 17 9 22 22 20 14 21 18 12 17 16 25 15 12 16 23 20 18 16 14
Is not 66 80 60 55 64 68 58 64 75 67 65 55 69 66 68 63 69 67 67 65
Don't know 18 11 18 23 17 18 21 18 14 16 19 20 16 21 16 14 10 15 18 21
Turning now to events in the Middle East: For the past three weeks there has been a significant military conflict, with Israel launching attacks into Gaza, and Hamas, the Palestinian organisation running Gaza, firing rockets into Israel.
From what you know who do you blame for this conflict?
Israel 18 14 23 26 18 18 20 17 18 20 16 24 18 16 15 22 22 19 18 17
Hamas 24 34 22 17 32 17 14 22 35 25 24 22 22 24 29 26 25 25 26 23
Both equally 39 35 41 45 38 40 35 43 38 39 39 35 43 37 37 39 32 41 39 40
Don't know 19 18 15 12 12 26 31 18 10 17 22 19 18 23 19 14 22 15 18 20
Do you think America could have done more to stop the bloodshed in Gaza?
Yes – America could have done more but has chosen not to 42 40 48 53 48 37 41 43 43 47 37 53 41 38 40 48 42 44 44 38
No – in practice, there has been nothing more that America could have done 35 41 35 29 37 34 29 34 42 34 37 28 38 35 37 33 39 38 33 35
Don't know 22 19 18 18 15 29 30 24 15 19 26 19 21 27 23 20 19 18 23 28
Finally Jonathan Ross will return to TV screens next week after a three-month ban. Should he be allowed to do so by the BBC?
Yes he has served his punishment 38 34 45 42 39 38 63 43 13 37 40 44 36 38 39 39 52 38 39 29
No the ban should have been longer 6 5 6 7 6 5 5 6 6 6 5 5 6 5 6 6 4 8 6 4
No he should have been sacked 43 52 39 36 44 42 17 39 70 45 42 36 44 46 44 42 35 47 41 54
Don’t care / don’t know 13 10 9 15 11 14 15 12 11 12 13 16 14 11 11 13 10 8 14 14