AV campaign support falls
Campaigners supporting a change to voting rules are set to suffer an embarrassing defeat in next month’s referendum according to a new Guardian/ICM poll.
The Lib Dem-backed motion to introduce the alternative vote (AV), which is also supported by senior Labour politicians, trails the No campaign by 16 points, after leading by two points just two months ago.
The poll follows a week of growing animosity between the two sides, with George Osborne questioning the involvement of the Electoral Reform Society in the Yes campaign.
Three quarters of Conservatives are planning to vote against the change and a small majority of Labour supporters are also opposed. Two thirds of Lib Dems will vote in favour of AV.
A significant number of people – 23 per cent – say they are still undecided.
The latest poll, unlike those preceding it, includes Northern Ireland. This group was expected to vote in favour due to differences in their voting system, making the latest poll even more depressing for the Yes camp.
National voting intentions swung slightly in favour of Labour, with 37 per cent, compared to the Tories on 35 per cent, down two, and the Lib Dems trailing on 15 per cent.