Opinion Polls

• Opinion polls are published to show how Parties are doing, allowing analysts and the parties to make evaluations of campaigns
• Opinion polls can affect voting:

  • In 2015 it made people think that a Labour-SNP coalition was likely, so to avoid the influence of Scotland, many turned to the Tories.
  • In 2017 it made people think Theresa May would win easily, so many voters voted Labour thinking they wouldn’t win (no real worry of a Corbyn PM)
  • They can be massively wrong: Predicted 2015, 2016 EU and 2017 all wrong
• Opinion polls in 2017 suggested a close contest, which potentially increased turnout figures and resulted in the highest turnout since 1997
• In 2015, by suggesting the possibility of a Labour–SNP coalition, the polls perhaps encouraged some voters to vote tactically to prevent such a result.