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Opinion polling for the 1983 United Kingdom general election

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In the run-up to the 1983 general election, various organisations carried out opinion polling to gauge voting intention. Results of such polls are displayed in this article. The date ranges for these opinion polls are from the 1979 general election until 6 June 1983.

Graph of opinion polls conducted
  Conservative   Labour   SDP–Liberal Alliance

Polling results

[edit]

All data is from UK Polling Report.[1]

1983

[edit]
Survey
end date
Pollster Client Con Lab All Lead
9 June 1983 general election 42.4% 27.6% 25.4% 14.8%
8 Jun Harris The Observer 47% 26% 25% 21%
8 Jun Gallup The Daily Telegraph 47% 25% 26% 21%
8 Jun Marplan The Guardian 45.5% 26.5% 26% 19%
8 Jun NOP Northcliffe 46% 26% 26% 20%
8 Jun MORI Evening Standard 47% 25% 26% 21%
8 Jun NOP Daily Mail 44% 28% 26% 16%
7 Jun Audience Selection The Sun 46% 28% 24% 18%
7 Jun Marplan The Guardian 46% 23% 29% 17%
6 Jun Audience Selection The Sun 47% 26% 25% 21%
5 Jun Harris The Observer 45% 24% 28% 17%
3 Jun Marplan Sunday Mirror 47% 28% 23% 19%
3 Jun NOP The Mail on Sunday 44% 27% 27.5% 16.5%
3 Jun Gallup The Sunday Telegraph 47% 29% 23% 18%
2 Jun MORI The Sunday Times 45.5% 31.5% 22% 14%
2 Jun MORI Daily Express 45% 28% 25% 17%
2 Jun Marplan The Guardian 43% 32% 23% 11%
1 Jun Harris TV-Eye 47% 30% 22% 17%
1 Jun MORI Daily Star 46% 28% 24% 18%
31 May Audience Selection The Sun 44% 32% 21% 12%
31 May Gallup The Daily Telegraph 44% 29% 25% 15%
30 May Audience Selection TV-AM 47.5% 28% 23% 19.5%
30 May Harris The Observer 41% 30% 24% 11%
27 May Marplan Sunday Mirror 47% 30% 21% 17%
27 May Gallup The Daily Telegraph 49.5% 31% 19% 18.5%
26 May MORI Daily Express 49% 31.5% 18% 17.5%
26 May Marplan The Guardian 51% 29% 19% 22%
25 May Harris Thames 47.5% 32.5% 19% 15%
25 May MORI The Sunday Times 48% 33% 18% 15%
25 May Audience Selection The Sun 46% 30% 23% 16%
24 May Gallup The Daily Telegraph 45% 32% 21% 13%
23 May Audience Selection TV-AM 48% 33% 18% 15%
23 May MORI Daily Star 45% 32% 20% 13%
23 May NOP Daily Mail 51% 33% 15% 18%
23 May Harris The Observer 52% 33% 14% 19%
20 May Marplan Sunday Mirror 45% 36% 18% 9%
20 May MORI Daily Express 47% 34% 18% 13%
19 May MORI The Sunday Times 46% 37% 16% 9%
18 May Harris Thames 47% 30% 21% 17%
18 May NOP Daily Mail 45% 35% 17% 10%
17 May Audience Selection The Sun 49% 31% 19% 18%
17 May Gallup The Daily Telegraph 44% 33% 21% 11%
16 May MORI Daily Star 46% 33% 19% 13%
16 May Audience Selection TV-AM 44% 37% 17% 7%
16 May MORI Daily Express 46% 31% 21% 15%
13 May The Dissolution of the 48th Parliament and campaigning officially begins
12 May MORI N/A 49% 34% 15% 15%
11 May Harris Thames 46% 32% 22% 14%
11 May MORI Daily Star 52% 31% 17% 21%
10 May Gallup The Daily Telegraph 46% 31% 21% 15%
9 May MORI N/A 49% 31.5% 17.5% 17.5%
5 May 1983 local elections[2]
25 Apr MORI N/A 45% 30% 23% 15%
23 Apr MORI N/A 46% 33% 21% 13%
12 Apr Gallup The Daily Telegraph 43% 34% 22% 9%
11 Apr MORI N/A 40.5% 35% 22.5% 5.5%
24 Mar Darlington by-election
23 Mar Gallup The Daily Telegraph 43% 28% 28% 15%
21 Mar MORI N/A 39.5% 28.5% 29% 10.5%
16 Mar MORI N/A 42% 28% 27% 14%
9 Mar MORI N/A 41% 27% 30% 11%
26 Feb MORI N/A 39% 26% 34% 5%
24 Feb Bermondsey by-election
23 Feb Gallup The Daily Telegraph 46% 32% 21% 14%
14 Feb MORI N/A 43.5% 32.5% 22% 11%
9 Feb MORI N/A 45% 32% 21% 13%
26 Jan Gallup The Daily Telegraph 44% 36% 19% 8%
17 Jan MORI N/A 44% 31.5% 22.5% 12.5%
12 Jan MORI N/A 44% 35% 20% 9%

1982

[edit]
Survey
end date
Pollster Client Con Lab All Lead
15 Dec Gallup The Daily Telegraph 42% 35% 21% 7%
13 Dec MORI N/A 41% 34.5% 22% 6.5%
2 Dec Glasgow Queen's Park by-election
24 Nov Gallup The Daily Telegraph 43% 35% 21% 8%
15 Nov MORI N/A 42% 34.5% 21.5% 7.5%
10 Nov MORI N/A 42% 33% 23% 9%
28 Oct Birmingham Northfield and Peckham by-elections
26 Oct Gallup The Daily Telegraph 43% 32% 23% 11%
25 Oct MORI N/A 40.5% 29% 27% 11.5%
20 Oct 1982 Northern Ireland Assembly election[3]
12 Oct Gallup The Daily Telegraph 42% 33% 23% 9%
16 Sep Gower by-election
13 Sep MORI N/A 44% 30.5% 23% 13.5%
31 Aug Gallup The Daily Telegraph 42% 30% 27% 12%
16 Aug MORI N/A 44.5% 26.5% 27.5% 17%
31 Jul Gallup The Daily Telegraph 44% 30% 23% 14%
12 Jul MORI N/A 46.5% 27.5% 24% 19%
2 Jul Roy Jenkins is elected leader of the Social Democratic Party[4]
30 Jun MORI N/A 45% 31% 22% 14%
24 Jun Coatbridge and Airdrie by-election
23 Jun Gallup The Daily Telegraph 51% 24% 23% 27%
14 Jun MORI N/A 45% 25% 28.5% 16.5%
14 Jun The Falklands War ends[5]
3 Jun Mitcham and Morden by-election
31 May MORI N/A 48% 28% 24% 20%
27 May Beaconsfield by-election
26 May MORI N/A 51% 25% 23% 26%
23 May Gallup The Daily Telegraph 48% 31% 20% 17%
16 May MORI N/A 41.5% 28% 29% 12.5%
16 May MORI N/A 48% 33% 17% 15%
6 May 1982 United Kingdom local elections[6]
5 May MORI N/A 38% 32% 28% 6%
30 Apr MORI N/A 44% 30% 24% 14%
30 Apr MORI N/A 43% 30% 25% 13%
24 Apr MORI N/A 39% 32% 27% 7%
21 Apr MORI N/A 36% 30% 31% 5%
14 Apr Gallup The Daily Telegraph 33% 34% 30% 1%
12 Apr MORI N/A 31.5% 29% 37% 5.5%
2 Apr The Falklands War begins[7]
31 Mar Gallup The Daily Telegraph 35% 30% 33% 2%
25 Mar Glasgow Hillhead by-election
15 Mar MORI N/A 31.5% 33% 33% Tie
4 Mar Belfast South by-election
28 Feb Gallup The Daily Telegraph 34% 34% 30% Tie
15 Feb NOP Daily Mail 27.5% 34% 36% 2%
5 Feb MORI N/A 41% 36% 21% 5%
31 Jan MORI N/A 30% 33% 34% 1%
25 Jan Gallup The Daily Telegraph 29% 30% 40% 10%
18 Jan Gallup The Daily Telegraph 27.5% 29.5% 39.5% 10%

1981

[edit]
Survey
end date
Pollster Client Con Lab All Lead
14 Dec MORI N/A 23% 23.5% 50.5% 27%
14 Dec NOP N/A 27% 29% 43% 14%
3 Dec MORI N/A 30.5% 34.3% 33.1% 1.2%
1 Dec NOP N/A 27% 27% 44% 17%
1 Dec Gallup The Daily Telegraph 28.6% 32.1% 37.1% 5%
26 Nov Crosby by-election
16 Nov NOP N/A 26.5% 29% 42% 13%
6 Nov MORI N/A 29.2% 38.2% 30.6% 7.6%
27 Oct Gallup The Daily Telegraph 27% 31% 40% 9%
26 Oct NOP N/A 29.5% 28% 40% 12%
22 Oct Croydon North West by-election
8 Oct MORI N/A 32.1% 40.4% 24.7% 8.3%
28 Sep MORI N/A 28% 42% 28% 14%
18 Sep Gallup The Daily Telegraph 27% 38% 33% 5%
14 Sep NOP N/A 32% 36.5% 29% 7.5%
11 Sep Gallup The Daily Telegraph 33.5% 37.4% 27.7% 3.9%
20 Aug Fermanagh & South Tyrone second by-election
17 Aug NOP N/A 28% 38.5% 32.5% 6%
7 Aug MORI N/A 31.6% 42.1% 24.3% 10.5%
31 Jul Gallup The Daily Telegraph 30% 39% 29% 9%
16 Jul Warrington by-election
13 Jul NOP N/A 30% 40.5% 26.5% 10.5%
9 Jul MORI N/A 31.5% 41.2% 24.2% 9.7%
30 Jun MORI N/A 30% 36% 31% 6%
22 Jun MORI N/A 31% 39% 28% 8%
16 Jun Gallup The Daily Telegraph 37% 39% 22% 2%
15 Jun NOP N/A 29.5% 37.5% 30.5% 8%
5 Jun MORI N/A 37.7% 39.3% 20.8% 1.6%
30 May Gallup The Daily Telegraph 35% 39% 24% 4%
11 May MORI N/A 32% 35.5% 29% 3.5%
11 May NOP N/A 38% 41% 19% 3%
7–20 May 1981 United Kingdom local elections[8]
7 May MORI N/A 30.9% 39.3% 26.6% 8.4%
27 Apr Gallup The Daily Telegraph 30% 38% 29% 8%
13 Apr NOP N/A 30% 34.5% 33% 4.5%
9 Apr Fermanagh & South Tyrone by-election
3 Apr MORI N/A 35.9% 42.1% 19.5% 6.2%
26 Mar The Social Democratic Party is formed[9]
23 Mar MORI N/A 33% 41% 25% 8%
23 Mar Gallup The Daily Telegraph 28% 38% 32% 10%
16 Mar NOP N/A 30% 34% 32% 4%
2 Mar NOP N/A 37% 41.1% 16.5% 4.1%
13 Feb Gallup The Daily Telegraph 34.5% 50.9% 12.2% 16.4%
11 Feb MORI N/A 36% 35.5% 26.5% 0.5%
24 Jan Gallup The Daily Telegraph 35% 45% 17% 10%
19 Jan NOP N/A 33% 46.5% 18.5% 13.5%
9 Jan MORI N/A 35.4% 51.2% 11.9% 15.8%

1980

[edit]
Survey
end date
Pollster Client Con Lab Lib Lead
19 Dec Gallup The Daily Telegraph 32% 56% 11% 24%
15 Dec NOP N/A 35% 47.5% 14.5% 12.5%
4 Dec Gallup The Daily Telegraph 37.2% 47.7% 12.6% 10.5%
17 Nov MORI N/A 36.5% 47% 15% 10.5%
11 Nov NOP N/A 38% 47% 13% 9%
10 Nov Michael Foot becomes leader of the Labour Party[10]
7 Nov MORI N/A 39.4% 46.5% 12.4% 7.1%
31 Oct Gallup The Daily Telegraph 36% 50% 13% 14%
20 Oct Gallup The Daily Telegraph 40% 43% 13.5% 3%
6 Oct NOP N/A 40% 43% 13.5% 3%
2 Oct MORI N/A 39.8% 47.6% 11% 7.8%
30 Sep MORI N/A 34% 50% 15% 16%
29 Sep Gallup The Daily Telegraph 37% 46% 15% 9%
15 Sep NOP N/A 35.5% 45% 16.5% 9.5%
5 Sep Gallup The Daily Telegraph 40% 46.3% 11.3% 6.3%
18 Aug NOP N/A 38.5% 44% 14.5% 5.5%
1 Aug MORI N/A 38.1% 47.3% 11.7% 9.2%
31 Jul MORI N/A 37% 48% 13% 11%
27 Jul Gallup The Daily Telegraph 37% 47% 13% 10%
14 Jul NOP N/A 40% 43.5% 14% 3.5%
3 Jul MORI N/A 41% 46.9% 10.4% 5.9%
26 Jun Glasgow Central by-election
23 Jun Gallup The Daily Telegraph 41% 43% 13% 2%
16 Jun NOP N/A 40.5% 45% 11.5% 4.5%
6 Jun Gallup The Daily Telegraph 43% 43.3% 11.7% 0.3%
19 May NOP N/A 39% 43.5% 15.5% 4.5%
1 May MORI N/A 41.4% 46.5% 10.7% 5.1%
1 May 1980 United Kingdom local elections[11]
28 Apr Gallup The Daily Telegraph 39% 44% 14% 5%
14 Apr NOP N/A 36.5% 45% 15% 8.5%
11 Apr MORI N/A 35.5% 49.6% 10.9% 14.1%
28 Mar Gallup The Daily Telegraph 42% 46% 9% 4%
17 Mar NOP N/A 37% 49.5% 11.5% 12.5%
13 Mar Southend East by-election
5 Mar MORI N/A 35.7% 51.9% 11.2% 16.2%
29 Feb MORI N/A 38% 46% 13% 8%
25 Feb Gallup The Daily Telegraph 38% 46% 14% 8%
11 Feb NOP N/A 37.5% 42% 18% 4.5%
8 Feb MORI N/A 37.2% 50.3% 10.7% 13.1%
19 Jan Gallup The Daily Telegraph 39% 47% 12% 8%
14 Jan NOP N/A 36% 45% 16% 9%
4 Jan MORI N/A 40.1% 48.5% 9.5% 8.4%

1979

[edit]
Survey
end date
Pollster Client Con Lab Lib Lead
31 Dec Gallup The Daily Telegraph 40% 43% 14% 3%
13 Dec South West Hertfordshire by-election
10 Dec NOP N/A 38% 42% 18% 4%
6 Dec MORI N/A 42.1% 46.3% 10.1% 4.2%
2 Dec Gallup The Daily Telegraph 40% 45% 13% 5%
12 Nov NOP N/A 39% 43.5% 15.5% 4.5%
9 Nov Gallup The Daily Telegraph 40.9% 47.2% 10% 6.3%
15 Oct NOP N/A 40.5% 45% 12.5% 4.5%
6 Oct MORI N/A 44.9% 46% 7.4% 1.1%
30 Sep Gallup The Daily Telegraph 41% 46% 11% 5%
27 Sep Manchester Central by-election
17 Sep NOP N/A 40.5% 45% 12% 4.5%
2 Sep MORI N/A 42.8% 47.3% 8.6% 4.5%
31 Aug Gallup The Daily Telegraph 42% 43% 12% 1%
13 Aug NOP N/A 41.5% 44% 12.5% 2.5%
5 Aug MORI N/A 43.1% 45.4% 9.5% 2.3%
31 Jul Gallup The Daily Telegraph 44% 45% 9% 1%
16 Jul NOP N/A 41% 46% 11.5% 5%
7 Jul Gallup The Daily Telegraph 44.2% 45.5% 8.2% 1.3%
18 Jun Gallup The Daily Telegraph 42% 43.5% 12% 1.5%
7 Jun 1979 European Parliament election[12]
3 May 1979 United Kingdom local elections[13]
3 May 1979 general election 43.9% 36.9% 13.8% 7%

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "UK Polling Report". ukpollingreport.co.uk. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  2. ^ Carvel, John (6 May 1983). "Thatcher gets June signals from voters". The Guardian.
  3. ^ Beresford, David (21 October 1982). "Second attack on Unionist leader as Ulster goes to polls". The Guardian.
  4. ^ Brown, Colin (3 July 1982). "Jenkins victory boosts Alliance". The Guardian.
  5. ^ Fairhall, David; Brown, Paul; Morgan, Jeremy (15 June 1982). "Troops surrender at Port Stanley". The Guardian.
  6. ^ Carvel, John (7 May 1982). "Tories fight off challenge by Labour as Alliance falters". The Guardian.
  7. ^ Fairhall, David; Morgan, Jeremy (3 April 1982). "Argentine action in Falklands stuns Cabinet". The Guardian.
  8. ^ Carvel, John (8 May 1981). "Labour swings to victory, but no landslide". The Guardian.
  9. ^ Aitken, Ian (26 March 2021). "SDP launches itself onto the British political stage – archive, 1981". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  10. ^ Aitken, Ian (11 November 1980). "Labour picks Foot to heal party splits". The Guardian.
  11. ^ Langdon, Julia (2 May 1980). "Tories deserted by voters in Labour advance". The Guardian.
  12. ^ Palmer, John (7 June 1979). "Banging the nationalist drum inside Europe". The Guardian.
  13. ^ Hencke, David (5 May 1979). "Consolation prize for Labour". The Guardian.