Saturday 18th August 2012 | 19:30

Poll: Reduced support for Scots independence but no Olympic dividend for Coalition

ComRes press release

The Olympic Games have produced no political dividend for the Government, according to a ComRes poll for tomorrow's Independent on Sunday, shared with the Sunday Mirror.

Conservative 33% (+1)

Labour 42% (0)

Lib Dem 10% (0)

UKIP 8% (-1)

Others 7% (0)

Change since ComRes online poll for IoS/Sunday Mirror in July<http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/07/21/poll-sack-george-osborne/>.

Although the Olympics made 71% feel proud to be British, and 51% thought they would probably provide a boost to the economy, its only political impact would seem to be to have reduced support for Scottish independence, both in England and Wales and in Scotland.

The London 2012 Olympics have made me feel more proud of Britain

Agree 71%

Disagree 21%

The Olympics will probably boost the British economy

Agree 51%

Disagree 29%

And fewer people say that they have cut back on the cost of their holiday this year:

I have scaled back my holiday plans to save money

Agree 48% (-12 since August 2011)

Disagree 46% (+12)

Generally, people are pessimistic about the economic outlook, however:

I think that the general economic condition of the country will improve over the next 12 months

Agree 24%

Disagree 54%

The more affluent social grades are more likely to be optimistic: 28% of AB voters agree, compared with 17% of DE. Compare this, however, with the 16% who replied "improve" when asked by Ipsos MORI last month: "Do you think that the general economic condition of the country will improve, stay the same, or get worse over the next 12 months?" (Improve: 16%; stay the same: 33%; get worse: 48%.)

Scotland should be an independent country

Scotland (sub-sample of 172)

Agree 31% (-7 since May 2011)

Disagree 49% (+3)

England and Wales

Agree 24% (-8)

Disagree 50% (+8)

Don't know 27%

As for the sporting legacy, the effect of the Olympics seems limited:

Some members of my family intend to take part in more sport as a result of the Olympics

Agree 16%

Disagree 63%

London produced the highest level of agreement, 20%.

Leadership ratings

Since last month Nick Clegg has seen a modest improvement in his personal rating, possibly because of his stance on House of Lords reform. Despite this, fewer people than last year now think that being in coalition has helped show that the Liberal Democrats are a credible party of government.

David Cameron is turning out to be a good Prime Minister

Agree 27% (no change since last month)

Disagree 54% (0)

Net Agree -27

David Cameron scores better than the other main party leaders among voters of their own parties: 69% of Conservative voters agree.

Ed Miliband is turning out to be a good leader of the Labour Party

Agree 25% (0)

Disagree 45% (+3)

Net Agree -20

Nick Clegg is turning out to be a good leader of the Liberal Democrats

Agree 20% (+3)

Disagree 55% (-4)

Net Agree -35

Coalition

I would prefer Labour and the Liberal Democrats to form a government rather than the present coalition between Conservatives and Liberal Democrats

Agree 35%

Disagree 43%

Among current Liberal Democrat voters, 36% agree but 40% disagree. However, among 2010 Lib Dem voters, 50% agree. 73% of Labour voters would prefer Labour and the Liberal Democrats to form a government rather than the present coalition between Conservatives and Liberal Democrats, while 14% disagree.

Being in coalition with the Conservatives has shown the Liberal Democrats to be a credible party of government

Agree 18% (-6 since September 2011)

Disagree 61% (+9)

59% of current Liberal Democrat voters agree, but just 33% of 2010 Liberal Democrat voters agree. Just 9% of Labour voters agree.

David Cameron was right to abandon the attempt to make changes to the House of Lords

Agree 29%

Disagree 34%

Don't know 37%

Conservative voters are most favourable to this U-turn, with 50% of Conservative voters agreeing, and 20% disagreeing. Almost one in four of Nick Clegg's own voters - 23% - also agree, while 43% disagree. Of Labour voters, 20% agree, while 45% disagree.

Nick Clegg was right to say that Liberal Democrat MPs will vote against the plans to reduce the number of MPs and change constituency boundaries

Agree 31%

Disagree 29%

Don't know 40%

This is seen as the right this to do by the majority (53%) of Liberal Democrat voters. Nearly half (49%) of Labour voters agree. Just 15% of Conservative voters agree.

Paralympics

People with disabilities are often regarded as second rate citizens

Agree 66%

Disagree 23%

Older people are more likely than younger people to agree: 43% of those aged 18 to 24 agree, compared with 74% of those aged 45 and over.

The Paralympics are more about political correctness than about excellence in sport

Agree 20%

Disagree 63%

I sometimes feel uncomfortable around people with disabilities

Agree 22%

Disagree 72%

Younger people are more likely than older people to agree: 27% of 18 to 24 year olds agree, compared with 19% of those aged 65 and over.

Methodology: ComRes interviewed 2,024 GB adults online from 15 to 17 August 2012. Data were weighted to be demographically representative of all GB adults and by past vote recall. ComRes is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules. Full tables at ComRes http://blogs.independent.co.uk/wp-admin/www.comres.co.uk.