Monday, January 15, 2007

More Opinion Polls

The Londoner often claims overwhelming statistical support for the Mayor's policies. Some details of the latest poll costs are revealed at December's question time.

Angie Bray: It is reported in the December issue of the Londoner that according to a IPSOS / MORI poll, "8 out of 10 Londoners support 50% affordable housing in London." Did your office commission this poll? If so, what was the cost?

Ken Livingstone: Yes. The cost of the survey was £11,860 excluding VAT.

Money well spent then....

7 comments:

weggis said...

Are the questions in a sponsored opinion poll framed in such a way as to give the result the sponsor wants?

Roger Evans said...

You seem to be suggesting that the Mayor is paying for the result, not the poll...

weggis said...

Nope!
I have asked a question that tends to produce a predictable result.

Roger Evans said...

Judge for yourself. The question was:

'To what extent do you agree or disagree that London needs a larger supply of affordable housing?'

Strongly agree - 70%
Tend to agree - 18%
Neither agree nor disagree - 3%
Tend to disagree - 3%
Strongly disagree - 6%

weggis said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
weggis said...

Firstly, there is a disconnect between the report in The Londoner “8 out of 10 Londoners support 50% affordable housing in London", and the question which does not mention a percentage! I might have said yes to the question with 5% in mind, so who has inserted 50% on my behalf without asking me? Unless there is a supplementary question you haven’t told me about?

Then we have what is known as “Auto-suggestion”. The question contains the statement “London needs a larger supply of affordable housing?' and it is the last thing the respondent hears. This will tend to produce an affirmative response.
At the very least the question should have been reversed half the time “'To what extent do you agree or disagree that London does not need a larger supply of affordable housing?'

I would have asked this. On the subject of affordable housing in London do you think the amount we have is a) way too much, b) too much, c) about right, d) too little, e) way too little.

Who framed the question? The Mayor or the Pollsters? If it was the Pollsters I’d ask for a refund on the grounds of incompetence. If it was the Mayor……..

And who wrote the article in The Londoner? And who inserted the 50%?

Feel like digging Roger?

Anonymous said...

I think in certain polling you table the question to give you the answer you want to hear. Its a shame so much money was spent to get those answers isn't it!