The Times features a YouGov poll showing the Labour Party dropping three points in Westminster voting intention and the Tories rising by a single point:
The poll found that 39 per cent of people said they would vote Tory, up one point compared with last week when both parties were level. Labour dropped three points to 35 per cent. The Liberal Democrats are unchanged on 10 per cent. Ukip rise by one point to 7 per cent.
Sounds bad and many people would leap to the conclusion that the attacks by the Labour right and the Establishment have finally taken a toll on Labour’s electoral standing and public perception of its leader.
At the same time, an ICM poll paints a very different picture:
Interestingly, the ICM polling data was taken from the Friday of Corbyn’s Guardian article addressing antisemitism to the Sunday of Tom Watson’s vile article that he put out after threatening to step up his attacks if he didn’t get an improved slot at next month’s party conference – but shows little impact on Labour’s popularity and no impact on Labour’s lead.
YouGov’s, on the other hand, was taken from Wednesday to Thursday this week, when the furore was finally dying down – yet shows a big impact.
Comment:
The Times and other MSM have largely ignored the ICM poll showing Labour still leading.
Commentator Peter Hitchens memorably pointed out that polling was about influencing public opinion rather than measuring it. Is this such an instance?
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