Tuesday, December 22, 2015

YouGov poll suggests SNP voters oppose the bombing of Syria by an overwhelming margin

Thanks to my namesake James on the previous thread for drawing my attention to the fact that a full-scale Scottish YouGov poll seems to be on its way.  It was conducted between Thursday and yesterday, and Joe Twyman has already revealed the results of a supplementary question in order to make a rather dubious point.  He notes that 97% of Scottish MPs voted against the bombing of Syria, but that Scottish voters are "much more divided" on the issue, including "even SNP voters".  In reality, the poll shows that SNP voters oppose the bombing by an overwhelming margin of 56% to 31%.  If the London establishment can call a 55% to 45% margin "decisive" when it suits them, I'm not sure they're going to get away with implying that 56% to 31% is a relatively even split.

Overall, 44% of Scottish voters support the bombing, and 41% are opposed.  That's a statistical tie, meaning that the standard 3% margin of error makes it impossible to know for sure whether most people are in favour or not.  It does, however, suggest that we probably weren't being led astray by the two YouGov subsamples at the time of the Commons vote, both of which reported that public opinion in Scotland was finely balanced.

Incidentally, there's clear opposition to putting British and American ground forces into Syria or Iraq - and that opposition is strongest in respect of Iraq, even though the conflict in Syria is more complex.  It's probably safe to say that there's now something of a stigma attached to any form of military action in Iraq.

We'll have to wait and see whether Scottish Parliament voting intention numbers from YouGov appear overnight.

51 comments:

  1. UK LabGov at it again. They never give it a rest.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I completed a You Gov poll on politics including Scotland today.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Think its due in January but our family did 4 question survation poll the other night. What ge15 vote was, 1st and second vote for Holyrood 16 and indy yes/no.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Glasgow Working ClassDecember 22, 2015 at 9:12 PM

    Scotland is of no importance in World events. We supply some well paid military personnel and that is about it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    2. How is that a bad thing? Or maybe you think being involved in wars and conflicts across the world is something to be proud of?

      Delete
  5. It would be better if we didn't supply "some well paid military personnel" at all, for Britain to pretend it is a world power.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Glasgow Working ClassDecember 22, 2015 at 10:25 PM

      How do you define a World Power?

      Delete
    2. This:

      http://img.ifcdn.com/images/ad54d41fe33c57fce932e3f8ae57af8a36a8461dbab82430a6bc6fca8fccfb67_1.gif

      Focus on the retreat to being a wee diddy of no significance that's struggling to hold onto the local northern provinces when the sun once never set on its empire.

      Time to get over it and move on.

      Delete
  6. I remember when the sun finally set on the British [sic English / Anglo] empire in 1997. While the union flag was lowered in Hong Kong, back on home soil, the Scots voted 74% Yes to re-opening their own parliament. Very symbolic.

    Of course this all dates back to the post-war years and the Suez crisis, which marked the beginning of the end for 'Great Britain' and Anglo word influence.

    Since then, day by day, the union has been unravelling. The end of the empire reached Britain's shores in 1997 and has been moving closer to the centre of the Empire - London - ever since.

    The UK needs to accept it isn't a world power any more and get on with it. Instead, the SE England centred core is retreating into itself while it inexorably loses its last home soil imperial provinces and the rest of the world moves on.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Glasgow Working ClassDecember 22, 2015 at 10:36 PM

      Skier, the Empire was not possible without Scotland. Are you ashamed your prosperity was bought at the end of a Scottish bayonet. It could have been your great great granda! Let us pretend it was the English and change the history books tae suit Wee Jockannory.

      Delete
    2. Most folks have moved on from the Empire/Colonial days.

      Britain is now just another small/medium sized European country.

      Nothing more.

      Delete
    3. Glasgow Working ClassDecember 22, 2015 at 10:45 PM

      Well David you have recognised Britain as a country. What is the name of that fringe party you are member?

      Delete
    4. I've researched the history of the empire and can't find any prosperity. Lots of pics of Glasgow slums with 10 to a room etc. Also pics of how the 1% lived in massive opulent mansions growing rich on slaves and tobacco.

      I benefited from eduction which resulted from the end of the bloodthirsty, warring capitalist empire you seem to love. You know, the socialist post-war consensus which emerged from the death of neo-liberal imperialism? Jeez you've sung the praises of that often enough.

      UKIP are polling less than 2% BTW. Nice.

      Delete
    5. Always did recognise Britain as a geographical entity, dummy.

      You will find "fringe parties" filed under "S" for SLAB.

      Delete
  7. Britain=UK=SE England will soon be free of the subsidised junkie Jocks.

    What's not to like Glasgow Working Pish?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Glasgow Working ClassDecember 22, 2015 at 10:47 PM

      I like the subsidy it pays ma benefits.

      Delete
    2. Your Tory overlords are coming for those. Champagne is not cheap and they're not going to pay for it themselves.

      Delete
  8. Britain=UK=SE England will soon be free of the subsidised junkie Jocks.

    What's not to like Glasgow Working Pish?

    ReplyDelete
  9. Scottish_Skier,

    Wish I was still doing that, skiing I mean.

    I may have mentioned this before, but for some unknown reason, the Post Office employed me and subsequently gave me access to various Acts of Parliament, in basically chronological order. I looked at a few volumes of them and they were a tearing up of the whole idea of a British Empire.

    I cannot remember now, who was first and who was last, but independence movements were rampant around the late '50s, early '60s. It kind of gives the lie to a 'brotherhood of man' under a socialist banner that does not allow difference. It seems that a Canadian is entitled to care more about a fellow Canadian than a Scot is about a fellow Scot. Just because a Liverpudlian is closer. How, back then, was a Canadian not supposed to care as much about the Liverpudlian as we are now?

    On a broader stage.

    We saw, perhaps, the worst of it under Pol Pot or maybe the weilders of the Little Red Book, neither of whom had the slightest respect for plurality of thought or action.

    Hopefully both governments have moved forward. I think I am right in saying that the Chinese now view the 'cultural revolution' as something they'd rather bury.

    Nowadays a World Power can exterminate all of us.

    Which is kind of a fuck up.

    Because, inevitably, some lunatic will do it.

    I have no solution to that. And I doubt GWC has either.



    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Glasgow Working ClassDecember 22, 2015 at 11:19 PM

      When Scotland was a World Power things were nicer even the English had a propensity for kindness. Personally I blame the Scots for the Empire we are a shower of ruthless basket cases. Wullie Wallace and aw that stabbing and killing jings makes yer hert fond.

      Delete
    2. And no one else ever, ran about with sword and shield?

      Delete
  10. Why do you say "We"?

    You ain't a Scot.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Glasgow Working ClassDecember 22, 2015 at 11:32 PM

      Ah wis born in tenement up a close in Camlachie but maybe ma maw wis shagged in England who knows. Where wis your maw shagged David and are you a Scot? I am..

      Delete
    2. Sorry, bud.

      You have used the phrase "You Scots" on here, once too often.

      You are no more Scottish, than Pig Shagger.

      Delete
    3. Glasgow Working ClassDecember 23, 2015 at 12:29 AM

      I am sure you have shagged a few pigs entertaining them beforehand with your socialist witt. Get them aff hen and I will teach you about Lenin, Trotsky and Stalin. Ye cannae beat a three timer.

      Delete
    4. As I said previously.....You are NOT a Scot.

      Delete
  11. Glasgow Working ClassDecember 22, 2015 at 11:26 PM

    Douglas Clark. The general idea for not being wiped out by a World Power is to have the same weapons they have and are willing to use them and they know it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Glasgow Working ClassDecember 22, 2015 at 11:37 PM

      Is that a fitbae team

      Delete
    2. GWC,

      That would work if there was any logic left in the millenial cults that run Daesh, or more worryingly, the Republican Party. You assume sense when there is none.

      Delete
    3. Glasgow Working ClassDecember 23, 2015 at 12:21 AM

      My sense is in my previous comment. 11:26 pm. Daesh is not a factor. Yet.

      Delete
    4. Sense? Where, pray tell? You've never made sense.

      Delete
  12. It is widely accepted that Westminster does what Washington tells it to do (mostly).
    Not sending military assets to Syria was like California or Wisconsin saying to the Pentagon that we refuse to be involved.
    Without USA foreign policy,Westminster would have no global presence (certainly in a military sense) and the current arrangements allow the London elite to continue to delude themselves that we are a global power.
    However,it will be interesting to see how things pan out in future when the USA decides to confront China and demands our assistance.
    What would then happen to Osborne's nuclear power program?

    ReplyDelete
  13. No polls on Independence yet James?

    ReplyDelete
  14. What was the Labour voters %s for the bombing, I wonder? Tories and Libdems supported.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Labour weirdly had the highest % in favour, moreso than the tories or libdems. Quite unexpected.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Well said Scottish-Skier my mother had to go to pawn her mother's coat just so they could eat at the height of Glasgow Working Ass's great Empire. It is a shame that anyone can be so brain washed or stupid as that silly individual who clearly has no idea what it is on about.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Glasgow Working ClassDecember 23, 2015 at 12:45 PM

    Kim Jung Eck bad mouthing the UK over in that bastion of religious freedom called Iran where wummin are covered head tae toe, trade unions are banned and Jews are called monkeys.The wee keech must feel at hame.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Grow up.

      Delete
    2. Glasgow Working ClassDecember 23, 2015 at 6:08 PM

      Unfortunately some Iranians do not get to grow up.

      Delete
    3. You may very well say the same about some of your fellow-country men due to the efforts of your Tory paymasters.

      Delete
    4. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
  18. Disgusting comment by the resident bigot.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Why do you continue to feed the bigots? please ignore the idiots.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Glasgow Working ClassDecember 23, 2015 at 9:32 PM

      Not unexpected for some Nat sis to support a religious theocracy. Wee Eck was saying recently he preferred the company of people off faith.

      Delete
    2. The Labour man wants to know if you collected his ermine robe from the dry cleaners yet. Your heating allowance depends on it.

      Delete
  20. Good to see the Tories agreeing that the EU ref could trigger another Scottish iref.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-35165720

    ReplyDelete