Opinion polling for UK general elections
1970 election
Opinion polls
February 1974 election
Opinion polls
October 1974 election
Opinion polls
1979 election
Opinion polls
1983 election
Opinion polls

In the runup to both the February and October United Kingdom general elections, various polling organisations conducted opinion polling to gauge voting intention amongst the general public. Such polls, dating from the previous election in 1970 to the second polling day on the on 10 October 1974, are listed in this article.

All polling data is from UK Polling Report[1]

Graphical summaries

UK opinion polling for the February (lower) and October (upper) 1974 election
  Conservative
  Labour
  Liberal

October general election

Survey
end date 		Pollster Client Con Lab Lib Lead
10 Oct Oct 1974 general election[2] 35.8% 39.3% 18.3% 3.5%
9 Oct Harris Daily Express 34.6% 43% 19.3% 8.4%
9 Oct ORC Evening Standard 34.4% 41.8% 19.4% 7.4%
8 Oct ORC The Times 35% 44% 17% 9%
8 Oct Marplan The Sun 33.3% 43.8% 19.5% 10.5%
7 Oct Gallup The Daily Telegraph 36% 41.5% 19% 5.5%
6 Oct Harris Daily Express 33.5% 43.5% 20% 10%
5 Oct NOP Daily Mail 31% 45.5% 19.5% 14.5%
4 Oct Marplan News of the World 33.1% 42.9% 19.7% 9.8%
3 Oct Gallup The Daily Telegraph 37% 42.5% 17.5% 5.5%
3 Oct Harris London Weekend Television 34% 43% 20% 9%
2 Oct Business Decisions The Observer 35.5% 40% 20% 4.5%
30 Sep Gallup The Daily Telegraph 35% 42.5% 19% 7.5%
29 Sep ORC The Times 33% 42% 21% 9%
29 Sep Harris Daily Express 35% 43.5% 18.5% 8.5%
26 Sep Gallup The Daily Telegraph 39% 44% 15% 5%
25 Sep Business Decisions The Observer 36% 40% 20% 4%
25 Sep Harris London Weekend Television 34% 43% 20% 9%
22 Sep Harris Daily Express 36.5% 42.5% 19% 6%
22 Sep Gallup The Daily Telegraph 37.5% 42.5% 18% 5%
22 Sep ORC Evening Standard 31% 45% 20% 14%
20 Sep Parliament dissolved and official campaign period begins[3]
19 Sep Harris London Weekend Television 33% 45% 19% 12%
19 Sep ORC The Sunday Times 35% 43% 19% 8%
19 Sep Business Decisions The Observer 36% 39.5% 20% 3.5%
17 Sep Gallup The Daily Telegraph 34% 42% 20.5% 8%
15 Sep ORC The Times 34% 38% 23% 4%
15 Sep NOP Daily Mail 32% 46.6% 18.2% 14.6%
12 Sep ORC The Sunday Times 36% 46% 16% 10%
4 Sep Gallup The Daily Telegraph 37.5% 40.5% 18% 3%
12 Aug Gallup The Daily Telegraph 35.5% 39.5% 21% 4%
28 Jul NOP N/A 35.4% 44.8% 18.2% 9.4%
15 Jul Gallup The Daily Telegraph 35% 38% 21% 3%
17 Jun Gallup The Daily Telegraph 35.5% 44% 17% 8.5%
23 May Newham South by-election
13 May Gallup The Daily Telegraph 33% 46.5% 17% 13.5%
7 May 1974 Scottish local elections[4]
2 May 1974 London local elections[5]
16 Apr Gallup The Daily Telegraph 33% 49% 15.5% 16%
24 Mar NOP N/A 33.6% 47.7% 15% 14.1%
18 Mar Gallup The Daily Telegraph 35% 43% 19% 8%
17 Mar NOP N/A 35.7% 43.3% 17.9% 7.6%
7 Mar Three Day Week restrictions end[6]
28 Feb Feb 1974 general election[2] 37.9% 37.2% 19.3% 0.2%

February general election

1974

Survey
end date 		Pollster Client Con Lab Lib Lead
28 Feb Feb 1974 general election[2] 37.9% 37.2% 19.3% 0.2%
28 Feb Harris Daily Express 40.2% 35.2% 22% 5%
28 Feb NOP Daily Mail 39.5% 35.5% 22% 4%
28 Feb ORC Evening Standard 39.7% 36.7% 21.2% 3%
28 Feb ORC The Times 38.7% 34.9% 23% 3.8%
28 Feb Marplan London Weekend Television 36.5% 34.5% 25% 2%
27 Feb ORC Evening Standard 36.5% 35% 25.5% 1.5%
27 Feb Harris Daily Express 38% 34.5% 25% 3.5%
27 Feb Gallup The Daily Telegraph 39.5% 37.5% 20.5% 2%
26 Feb NOP Daily Mail 40.5% 35.5% 22% 5%
24 Feb Business Decisions N/A 35% 37.5% 23.5% 2.5%
24 Feb Marplan London Weekend Television 38.5% 31.5% 28% 7%
23 Feb Harris Daily Express 40% 33.5% 23.5% 6.5%
21 Feb NOP Daily Mail 43.4% 37.8% 16.9% 5.6%
21 Feb Gallup The Daily Telegraph 42% 40% 16.5% 2%
20 Feb ORC Evening Standard 41% 35% 21% 6%
18 Feb Harris Daily Express 43.5% 38% 17% 5.5%
18 Feb Gallup The Daily Telegraph 41% 40.5% 16.5% 0.5%
17 Feb Marplan London Weekend Television 44% 35% 17% 9%
17 Feb Business Decisions The Observer 40.5% 38% 19.5% 2.5%
14 Feb ORC The Times 42% 40% 16% 2%
14 Feb Harris Daily Express 46% 35% 18% 11%
14 Feb Gallup The Daily Telegraph 42.5% 41.5% 14% 1%
13 Feb NOP N/A 39.4% 42% 16.5% 2.6%
11 Feb Gallup The Daily Telegraph 44.5% 43% 11% 1.5%
10 Feb Business Decisions The Observer 44.9% 37.2% 11.9% 7.7%
10 Feb Marplan London Weekend Television 45% 39% 12% 6%
7 Feb Parliament dissolved and official campaign period begins[7]
4 Feb Gallup The Daily Telegraph 39.5% 42.5% 16% 3%
13 Jan Gallup The Daily Telegraph 40% 38% 19% 2%

1973

Survey
end date 		Pollster Client Con Lab Lib Lead
18 Dec Gallup The Daily Telegraph 36% 42.5% 18.5% 6.5%
2 Dec NOP N/A 35.6% 43.2% 20% 7.6%
18 Nov NOP N/A 36.5% 39.9% 21.2% 3.4%
18 Nov Gallup The Daily Telegraph 36.5% 38.5% 22.5% 2%
8 Nov Berwick-upon-Tweed, Edinburgh North, Glasgow Govan and Hove by-elections
28 Oct NOP N/A 37.5% 39.7% 21.3% 2.2%
21 Oct Gallup The Daily Telegraph 33% 39.5% 25.5% 6.5%
13 Oct NOP N/A 34.2% 35.4% 29.1% 1.2%
9 Sep NOP N/A 33.9% 40.9% 23.8% 7%
9 Sep Gallup The Daily Telegraph 33.5% 43% 22% 9.5%
15 Aug NOP N/A 28.9% 41.7% 27.6% 12.8%
12 Aug Gallup The Daily Telegraph 31.5% 38% 28% 6.5%
15 Jul Gallup The Daily Telegraph 35.5% 45% 17.5% 9.5%
26 Jul Isle of Ely and Ripon by-elections
24 Jun NOP N/A 39.3% 43.9% 14.8% 4.6%
27 Jun Manchester Exchange by-election
17 Jun NOP N/A 41.3% 41.6% 15.7% 0.3%
10 Jun Gallup The Daily Telegraph 41% 42% 14.5% 1%
7 Jun 1973 June local elections[8][9]
24 May West Bromwich and Westhoughton by-elections
13 May Gallup The Daily Telegraph 38% 43.5% 14.5% 5.5%
6 May NOP N/A 31.9% 50.1% 16.9% 18.2%
1–30 May 1973 May local elections[10][11]
15 Apr NOP N/A 36.6% 45% 17% 8.4%
15 Apr Gallup The Daily Telegraph 38% 41% 17.5% 3%
12 Apr 1973 April local elections and Greater London Council election[12][13][14]
12 Mar Gallup The Daily Telegraph 39% 43% 16% 4%
11 Mar NOP N/A 38% 45.2% 14.9% 7.2%
8 Mar 1973 Northern Ireland border poll[15]
1 Mar Chester-le-Street, Dundee East and Lincoln by-elections
11 Feb Gallup The Daily Telegraph 38% 47% 12.5% 9%
28 Jan NOP N/A 39.9% 42.7% 15.4% 2.8%
15 Jan NOP N/A 39.4% 39% 20.6% 0.4%
14 Jan Gallup The Daily Telegraph 38.5% 44% 15.5% 5.5%

1972

Survey
end date 		Pollster Client Con Lab Lib Lead
17 Dec NOP N/A 39.7% 42.6% 15.7% 2.9%
10 Dec Gallup The Daily Telegraph 38% 46.5% 12.5% 8.5%
7 Dec Sutton and Cheam and Uxbridge by-elections
3 Dec NOP N/A 37% 47.4% 13.7% 10.4%
19 Nov NOP N/A 40.5% 45.4% 12.9% 4.9%
12 Nov Gallup The Daily Telegraph 37.5% 45.5% 15% 8%
26 Oct Rochdale by-election
22 Oct Gallup The Daily Telegraph 40% 48% 8.5% 8%
17 Sep Gallup The Daily Telegraph 38.5% 49.5% 9.5% 11%
13 Aug Gallup The Daily Telegraph 40% 49% 7.5% 9%
16 Jul Gallup The Daily Telegraph 39% 49% 9.5% 10%
11 Jun Gallup The Daily Telegraph 41% 47% 10% 6%
14 May Gallup The Daily Telegraph 40.5% 46.5% 11% 6%
4 May Kingston-upon-Thames and Southwark by-elections
17 Apr NOP N/A 44.8% 46.8% 7.5% 2%
16 Apr Gallup The Daily Telegraph 43.5% 44.5% 10% 1%
13 Apr Merthyr Tydfil by-election
12 Mar Gallup The Daily Telegraph 39.5% 48.5% 9.5% 9%
13 Feb Gallup The Daily Telegraph 40.5% 49% 8.5% 8.5%
16 Jan Gallup The Daily Telegraph 40.5% 48% 9% 7.5%

1971

Survey
end date 		Pollster Client Con Lab Lib Lead
12 Dec Gallup The Daily Telegraph 42% 48% 7.5% 6%
14 Nov Gallup The Daily Telegraph 42.5% 48.5% 7% 6%
17 Oct Gallup The Daily Telegraph 40% 50% 8% 10%
30 Sep Macclesfield by-election
23 Sep Widnes by-election
20 Sep Gallup The Daily Telegraph 35% 54% 8.5% 19%
16 Sep Stirling and Falkirk by-election
15 Aug Gallup The Daily Telegraph 42% 48.5% 7% 6.5%
12 Jul Gallup The Daily Telegraph 33.5% 55% 8.5% 21.5%
8 Jul Greenwich by-election
17 Jun Hayes and Harlington by-election
13 Jun Gallup The Daily Telegraph 36% 54% 8% 18%
27 May Bromsgrove and Goole by-elections
16 May Gallup The Daily Telegraph 38% 50% 9.5% 12%
13 Apr Gallup The Daily Telegraph 44% 45.5% 9.5% 1.5%
4 Apr Gallup The Daily Telegraph 44.5% 48% 6% 3.5%
1 Apr Liverpool Scotland and Arundel and Shoreham by-elections
14 Mar Gallup The Daily Telegraph 38.5% 50.5% 8% 12%
14 Feb Gallup The Daily Telegraph 41.5% 49% 8% 7.5%
17 Jan Gallup The Daily Telegraph 42.5% 47% 8.5% 4.5%

1970

Survey
end date 		Pollster Client Con Lab Lib Lead
13 Dec Gallup The Daily Telegraph 46% 44.5% 6% 1.5%
19 Nov Enfield West by-election
15 Nov Gallup The Daily Telegraph 43.5% 48% 6.5% 4.5%
22 Oct St Marylebone by-election
18 Oct Gallup The Daily Telegraph 46.5% 46.5% 6.5% Tie
13 Sep Gallup The Daily Telegraph 46.5% 44% 8% 2.5%
16 Aug Gallup The Daily Telegraph 47% 43.5% 7.5% 3%
18 June 1970 general election[2] 46.4% 43.1% 7.5% 3.3%

References

  1. ^ Wells, Anthony. "1970-1974 Polls". UK Polling Report. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d Audickas, Lukas; Cracknell, Richard; Loft, Philip (2020). UK Election Statistics: 1918-2019: A Century of Elections (PDF). House of Commons Library. p. 12.
  3. ^ Smith, Alastair (19 July 2004). Election Timing. Cambridge University Press. p. 194. ISBN 0521833639.
  4. ^ Faux, Ronald (5 May 1977). "SNP seizes 107 seats". The Times. pp. 1, 4.
  5. ^ London Borough Council Elections 2 May 1974 (PDF). London: Greater London Council. 1974.
  6. ^ Robards, Terry (8 March 1974). "3‐day Work Week Ending in Britain". The New York Times. p. 1. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  7. ^ Eder, Richard (8 February 1974). "British Elections Called by Heath for Month's End". The New York Times. p. 65. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  8. ^ "Final poll result may lie with Independents". The Times. 8 June 1973.
  9. ^ "Liberals capture Eastbourne and exceed ambition to win 1,000 local government seats". The Times. 8 June 1973.
  10. ^ "Three major parties find cause for satisfaction in local election results despite low poll". The Times. 14 May 1973.
  11. ^ Damkat, Ivo (29 October 2003). "The 1973 Local Government Elections". ARK. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  12. ^ Greater London Council Election 12 April 1973 (PDF). London: Greater London Council. 1973.
  13. ^ "Labour sweep to victory in London and all six of the metropolitan counties". The Times. 13 April 1973.
  14. ^ "Labour take over metropolitan counties and 11 other councils". The Times. 14 April 1973.
  15. ^ Whyte, Nicholas (24 February 2001). "The Referendums of 1973 and 1975". ARK. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
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