Opinion polling for the 1983 United Kingdom general election

Last updated September 21, 2022

In the run-up to the 1983 general election, various organisations carried out opinion polling to gauge voting intention. Results of such polls are displayed in this article. The date ranges for these opinion polls are from the 1979 general election until 6 June 1983.

Polling results

All data is from UK Polling Report.^[1]

1983

Survey end date	Pollster	Client	Con	Lab	All	Lead
Survey end date	Pollster	Client				Lead
9 June	1983 general election		42.4%	27.6%	25.4%	14.8%
8 Jun	Harris	The Observer	47%	26%	25%	21%
8 Jun	Gallup	The Daily Telegraph	47%	25%	26%	21%
8 Jun	Marplan	The Guardian	45.5%	26.5%	26%	19%
8 Jun	NOP	Northcliffe	46%	26%	26%	20%
8 Jun	MORI	Evening Standard	47%	25%	26%	21%
8 Jun	NOP	Daily Mail	44%	28%	26%	16%
7 Jun	Audience Selection	The Sun	46%	28%	24%	18%
7 Jun	Marplan	The Guardian	46%	23%	29%	17%
6 Jun	Audience Selection	The Sun	47%	26%	25%	21%
5 Jun	Harris	The Observer	45%	24%	28%	17%
3 Jun	Marplan	Sunday Mirror	47%	28%	23%	19%
3 Jun	NOP	The Mail on Sunday	44%	27%	27.5%	16.5%
3 Jun	Gallup	The Sunday Telegraph	47%	29%	23%	18%
2 Jun	MORI	The Sunday Times	45.5%	31.5%	22%	14%
2 Jun	MORI	Daily Express	45%	28%	25%	17%
2 Jun	Marplan	The Guardian	43%	32%	23%	11%
1 Jun	Harris	TV-Eye	47%	30%	22%	17%
1 Jun	MORI	Daily Star	46%	28%	24%	18%
31 May	Audience Selection	The Sun	44%	32%	21%	12%
31 May	Gallup	The Daily Telegraph	44%	29%	25%	15%
30 May	Audience Selection	TV-AM	47.5%	28%	23%	19.5%
30 May	Harris	The Observer	41%	30%	24%	11%
27 May	Marplan	Sunday Mirror	47%	30%	21%	17%
27 May	Gallup	The Daily Telegraph	49.5%	31%	19%	18.5%
26 May	MORI	Daily Express	49%	31.5%	18%	17.5%
26 May	Marplan	The Guardian	51%	29%	19%	22%
25 May	Harris	Thames	47.5%	32.5%	19%	15%
25 May	MORI	The Sunday Times	48%	33%	18%	15%
25 May	Audience Selection	The Sun	46%	30%	23%	16%
24 May	Gallup	The Daily Telegraph	45%	32%	21%	13%
23 May	Audience Selection	TV-AM	48%	33%	18%	15%
23 May	MORI	Daily Star	45%	32%	20%	13%
23 May	NOP	Daily Mail	51%	33%	15%	18%
23 May	Harris	The Observer	52%	33%	14%	19%
20 May	Marplan	Sunday Mirror	45%	36%	18%	9%
20 May	MORI	Daily Express	47%	34%	18%	13%
19 May	MORI	The Sunday Times	46%	37%	16%	9%
18 May	Harris	Thames	47%	30%	21%	17%
18 May	NOP	Daily Mail	45%	35%	17%	10%
17 May	Audience Selection	The Sun	49%	31%	19%	18%
17 May	Gallup	The Daily Telegraph	44%	33%	21%	11%
16 May	MORI	Daily Star	46%	33%	19%	13%
16 May	Audience Selection	TV-AM	44%	37%	17%	7%
16 May	MORI	Daily Express	46%	31%	21%	15%
13 May	The Dissolution of the 48th Parliament and campaigning officially begins
12 May	MORI	N/A	49%	34%	15%	15%
11 May	Harris	Thames	46%	32%	22%	14%
11 May	MORI	Daily Star	52%	31%	17%	21%
10 May	Gallup	The Daily Telegraph	46%	31%	21%	15%
9 May	MORI	N/A	49%	31.5%	17.5%	17.5%
5 May	1983 local elections ^[2]
25 Apr	MORI	N/A	45%	30%	23%	15%
23 Apr	MORI	N/A	46%	33%	21%	13%
12 Apr	Gallup	The Daily Telegraph	43%	34%	22%	9%
11 Apr	MORI	N/A	40.5%	35%	22.5%	5.5%
24 Mar	Darlington by-election
23 Mar	Gallup	The Daily Telegraph	43%	28%	28%	15%
21 Mar	MORI	N/A	39.5%	28.5%	29%	10.5%
16 Mar	MORI	N/A	42%	28%	27%	14%
9 Mar	MORI	N/A	41%	27%	30%	11%
26 Feb	MORI	N/A	39%	26%	34%	5%
24 Feb	Bermondsey by-election
23 Feb	Gallup	The Daily Telegraph	46%	32%	21%	14%
14 Feb	MORI	N/A	43.5%	32.5%	22%	11%
9 Feb	MORI	N/A	45%	32%	21%	13%
26 Jan	Gallup	The Daily Telegraph	44%	36%	19%	8%
17 Jan	MORI	N/A	44%	31.5%	22.5%	12.5%
12 Jan	MORI	N/A	44%	35%	20%	9%

1982

Survey end date	Pollster	Client	Con	Lab	All	Lead
Survey end date	Pollster	Client				Lead
15 Dec	Gallup	The Daily Telegraph	42%	35%	21%	7%
13 Dec	MORI	N/A	41%	34.5%	22%	6.5%
2 Dec	Glasgow Queen's Park by-election
24 Nov	Gallup	The Daily Telegraph	43%	35%	21%	8%
15 Nov	MORI	N/A	42%	34.5%	21.5%	7.5%
10 Nov	MORI	N/A	42%	33%	23%	9%
28 Oct	Birmingham Northfield and Peckham by-elections
26 Oct	Gallup	The Daily Telegraph	43%	32%	23%	11%
25 Oct	MORI	N/A	40.5%	29%	27%	11.5%
20 Oct	1982 Northern Ireland Assembly election ^[3]
12 Oct	Gallup	The Daily Telegraph	42%	33%	23%	9%
16 Sep	Gower by-election
13 Sep	MORI	N/A	44%	30.5%	23%	13.5%
31 Aug	Gallup	The Daily Telegraph	42%	30%	27%	12%
16 Aug	MORI	N/A	44.5%	26.5%	27.5%	17%
31 Jul	Gallup	The Daily Telegraph	44%	30%	23%	14%
12 Jul	MORI	N/A	46.5%	27.5%	24%	19%
2 Jul	Roy Jenkins is elected leader of the Social Democratic Party ^[4]
30 Jun	MORI	N/A	45%	31%	22%	14%
24 Jun	Coatbridge and Airdrie by-election
23 Jun	Gallup	The Daily Telegraph	51%	24%	23%	27%
14 Jun	MORI	N/A	45%	25%	28.5%	16.5%
14 Jun	The Falklands War ends ^[5]
3 Jun	Mitcham and Morden by-election
31 May	MORI	N/A	48%	28%	24%	20%
27 May	Beaconsfield by-election
26 May	MORI	N/A	51%	25%	23%	26%
23 May	Gallup	The Daily Telegraph	48%	31%	20%	17%
16 May	MORI	N/A	41.5%	28%	29%	12.5%
16 May	MORI	N/A	48%	33%	17%	15%
6 May	1982 United Kingdom local elections ^[6]
5 May	MORI	N/A	38%	32%	28%	6%
30 Apr	MORI	N/A	44%	30%	24%	14%
30 Apr	MORI	N/A	43%	30%	25%	13%
24 Apr	MORI	N/A	39%	32%	27%	7%
21 Apr	MORI	N/A	36%	30%	31%	5%
14 Apr	Gallup	The Daily Telegraph	33%	34%	30%	1%
12 Apr	MORI	N/A	31.5%	29%	37%	5.5%
2 Apr	The Falklands War begins ^[7]
31 Mar	Gallup	The Daily Telegraph	35%	30%	33%	2%
25 Mar	Glasgow Hillhead by-election
15 Mar	MORI	N/A	31.5%	33%	33%	Tie
4 Mar	Belfast South by-election
28 Feb	Gallup	The Daily Telegraph	34%	34%	30%	Tie
15 Feb	NOP	Daily Mail	27.5%	34%	36%	2%
5 Feb	MORI	N/A	41%	36%	21%	5%
31 Jan	MORI	N/A	30%	33%	34%	1%
25 Jan	Gallup	The Daily Telegraph	29%	30%	40%	10%
18 Jan	Gallup	The Daily Telegraph	27.5%	29.5%	39.5%	10%

1981

Survey end date	Pollster	Client	Con	Lab	All	Lead
Survey end date	Pollster	Client				Lead
14 Dec	MORI	N/A	23%	23.5%	50.5%	27%
14 Dec	NOP	N/A	27%	29%	43%	14%
3 Dec	MORI	N/A	30.5%	34.3%	33.1%	1.2%
1 Dec	NOP	N/A	27%	27%	44%	17%
1 Dec	Gallup	The Daily Telegraph	28.6%	32.1%	37.1%	5%
26 Nov	Crosby by-election
16 Nov	NOP	N/A	26.5%	29%	42%	13%
6 Nov	MORI	N/A	29.2%	38.2%	30.6%	7.6%
27 Oct	Gallup	The Daily Telegraph	27%	31%	40%	9%
26 Oct	NOP	N/A	29.5%	28%	40%	12%
22 Oct	Croydon North West by-election
8 Oct	MORI	N/A	32.1%	40.4%	24.7%	8.3%
28 Sep	MORI	N/A	28%	42%	28%	14%
18 Sep	Gallup	The Daily Telegraph	27%	38%	33%	5%
14 Sep	NOP	N/A	32%	36.5%	29%	7.5%
11 Sep	Gallup	The Daily Telegraph	33.5%	37.4%	27.7%	3.9%
20 Aug	Fermanagh & South Tyrone second by-election
17 Aug	NOP	N/A	28%	38.5%	32.5%	6%
7 Aug	MORI	N/A	31.6%	42.1%	24.3%	10.5%
31 Jul	Gallup	The Daily Telegraph	30%	39%	29%	9%
16 Jul	Warrington by-election
13 Jul	NOP	N/A	30%	40.5%	26.5%	10.5%
9 Jul	MORI	N/A	31.5%	41.2%	24.2%	9.7%
30 Jun	MORI	N/A	30%	36%	31%	6%
22 Jun	MORI	N/A	31%	39%	28%	8%
16 Jun	Gallup	The Daily Telegraph	37%	39%	22%	2%
15 Jun	NOP	N/A	29.5%	37.5%	30.5%	8%
5 Jun	MORI	N/A	37.7%	39.3%	20.8%	1.6%
30 May	Gallup	The Daily Telegraph	35%	39%	24%	4%
11 May	MORI	N/A	32%	35.5%	29%	3.5%
11 May	NOP	N/A	38%	41%	19%	3%
7–20 May	1981 United Kingdom local elections ^[8]
7 May	MORI	N/A	30.9%	39.3%	26.6%	8.4%
27 Apr	Gallup	The Daily Telegraph	30%	38%	29%	8%
13 Apr	NOP	N/A	30%	34.5%	33%	4.5%
9 Apr	Fermanagh & South Tyrone by-election
3 Apr	MORI	N/A	35.9%	42.1%	19.5%	6.2%
26 Mar	The Social Democratic Party is formed^[9]
23 Mar	MORI	N/A	33%	41%	25%	8%
23 Mar	Gallup	The Daily Telegraph	28%	38%	32%	10%
16 Mar	NOP	N/A	30%	34%	32%	4%
2 Mar	NOP	N/A	37%	41.1%	16.5%	4.1%
13 Feb	Gallup	The Daily Telegraph	34.5%	50.9%	12.2%	16.4%
11 Feb	MORI	N/A	36%	35.5%	26.5%	0.5%
24 Jan	Gallup	The Daily Telegraph	35%	45%	17%	10%
19 Jan	NOP	N/A	33%	46.5%	18.5%	13.5%
9 Jan	MORI	N/A	35.4%	51.2%	11.9%	15.8%

1980

Survey end date	Pollster	Client	Con	Lab	Lib	Lead
Survey end date	Pollster	Client				Lead
19 Dec	Gallup	The Daily Telegraph	32%	56%	11%	24%
15 Dec	NOP	N/A	35%	47.5%	14.5%	12.5%
4 Dec	Gallup	The Daily Telegraph	37.2%	47.7%	12.6%	10.5%
17 Nov	MORI	N/A	36.5%	47%	15%	10.5%
11 Nov	NOP	N/A	38%	47%	13%	9%
10 Nov	Michael Foot becomes leader of the Labour Party ^[10]
7 Nov	MORI	N/A	39.4%	46.5%	12.4%	7.1%
31 Oct	Gallup	The Daily Telegraph	36%	50%	13%	14%
20 Oct	Gallup	The Daily Telegraph	40%	43%	13.5%	3%
6 Oct	NOP	N/A	40%	43%	13.5%	3%
2 Oct	MORI	N/A	39.8%	47.6%	11%	7.8%
30 Sep	MORI	N/A	34%	50%	15%	16%
29 Sep	Gallup	The Daily Telegraph	37%	46%	15%	9%
15 Sep	NOP	N/A	35.5%	45%	16.5%	9.5%
5 Sep	Gallup	The Daily Telegraph	40%	46.3%	11.3%	6.3%
18 Aug	NOP	N/A	38.5%	44%	14.5%	5.5%
1 Aug	MORI	N/A	38.1%	47.3%	11.7%	9.2%
31 Jul	MORI	N/A	37%	48%	13%	11%
27 Jul	Gallup	The Daily Telegraph	37%	47%	13%	10%
14 Jul	NOP	N/A	40%	43.5%	14%	3.5%
3 Jul	MORI	N/A	41%	46.9%	10.4%	5.9%
26 Jun	Glasgow Central by-election
23 Jun	Gallup	The Daily Telegraph	41%	43%	13%	2%
16 Jun	NOP	N/A	40.5%	45%	11.5%	4.5%
6 Jun	Gallup	The Daily Telegraph	43%	43.3%	11.7%	0.3%
19 May	NOP	N/A	39%	43.5%	15.5%	4.5%
1 May	MORI	N/A	41.4%	46.5%	10.7%	5.1%
1 May	1980 United Kingdom local elections ^[11]
28 Apr	Gallup	The Daily Telegraph	39%	44%	14%	5%
14 Apr	NOP	N/A	36.5%	45%	15%	8.5%
11 Apr	MORI	N/A	35.5%	49.6%	10.9%	14.1%
28 Mar	Gallup	The Daily Telegraph	42%	46%	9%	4%
17 Mar	NOP	N/A	37%	49.5%	11.5%	12.5%
13 Mar	Southend East by-election
5 Mar	MORI	N/A	35.7%	51.9%	11.2%	16.2%
29 Feb	MORI	N/A	38%	46%	13%	8%
25 Feb	Gallup	The Daily Telegraph	38%	46%	14%	8%
11 Feb	NOP	N/A	37.5%	42%	18%	4.5%
8 Feb	MORI	N/A	37.2%	50.3%	10.7%	13.1%
19 Jan	Gallup	The Daily Telegraph	39%	47%	12%	8%
14 Jan	NOP	N/A	36%	45%	16%	9%
4 Jan	MORI	N/A	40.1%	48.5%	9.5%	8.4%

1979

Survey end date	Pollster	Client	Con	Lab	Lib	Lead
Survey end date	Pollster	Client				Lead
31 Dec	Gallup	The Daily Telegraph	40%	43%	14%	3%
13 Dec	South West Hertfordshire by-election
10 Dec	NOP	N/A	38%	42%	18%	4%
6 Dec	MORI	N/A	42.1%	46.3%	10.1%	4.2%
2 Dec	Gallup	The Daily Telegraph	40%	45%	13%	5%
12 Nov	NOP	N/A	39%	43.5%	15.5%	4.5%
9 Nov	Gallup	The Daily Telegraph	40.9%	47.2%	10%	6.3%
15 Oct	NOP	N/A	40.5%	45%	12.5%	4.5%
6 Oct	MORI	N/A	44.9%	46%	7.4%	1.1%
30 Sep	Gallup	The Daily Telegraph	41%	46%	11%	5%
27 Sep	Manchester Central by-election
17 Sep	NOP	N/A	40.5%	45%	12%	4.5%
2 Sep	MORI	N/A	42.8%	47.3%	8.6%	4.5%
31 Aug	Gallup	The Daily Telegraph	42%	43%	12%	1%
13 Aug	NOP	N/A	41.5%	44%	12.5%	2.5%
5 Aug	MORI	N/A	43.1%	45.4%	9.5%	2.3%
31 Jul	Gallup	The Daily Telegraph	44%	45%	9%	1%
16 Jul	NOP	N/A	41%	46%	11.5%	5%
7 Jul	Gallup	The Daily Telegraph	44.2%	45.5%	8.2%	1.3%
18 Jun	Gallup	The Daily Telegraph	42%	43.5%	12%	1.5%
7 Jun	1979 European Parliament election ^[12]
3 May	1979 United Kingdom local elections ^[13]
3 May	1979 general election		43.9%	36.9%	13.8%	7%

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References

↑ "UK Polling Report". ukpollingreport.co.uk. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
↑ Carvel, John (6 May 1983). "Thatcher gets June signals from voters". The Guardian .
↑ Beresford, David (21 October 1982). "Second attack on Unionist leader as Ulster goes to polls". The Guardian .
↑ Brown, Colin (3 July 1982). "Jenkins victory boosts Alliance". The Guardian .
↑ Fairhall, David; Brown, Paul; Morgan, Jeremy (15 June 1982). "Troops surrender at Port Stanley". The Guardian .
↑ Carvel, John (7 May 1982). "Tories fight off challenge by Labour as Alliance falters". The Guardian .
↑ Fairhall, David; Morgan, Jeremy (3 April 1982). "Argentine action in Falklands stuns Cabinet". The Guardian .
↑ Carvel, John (8 May 1981). "Labour swings to victory, but no landslide". The Guardian .
↑ Aitken, Ian (26 March 2021). "SDP launches itself onto the British political stage – archive, 1981". The Guardian . Retrieved 15 July 2021.
↑ Aitken, Ian (11 November 1980). "Labour picks Foot to heal party splits". The Guardian .
↑ Langdon, Julia (2 May 1980). "Tories deserted by voters in Labour advance". The Guardian .
↑ Palmer, John (7 June 1979). "Banging the nationalist drum inside Europe". The Guardian .
↑ Hencke, David (5 May 1979). "Consolation prize for Labour". The Guardian .

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[1] "UK Polling Report". ukpollingreport.co.uk. Retrieved 16 August 2018.

[2] Carvel, John (6 May 1983). "Thatcher gets June signals from voters". The Guardian .

[3] Beresford, David (21 October 1982). "Second attack on Unionist leader as Ulster goes to polls". The Guardian .

[4] Brown, Colin (3 July 1982). "Jenkins victory boosts Alliance". The Guardian .

[5] Fairhall, David; Brown, Paul; Morgan, Jeremy (15 June 1982). "Troops surrender at Port Stanley". The Guardian .

[6] Carvel, John (7 May 1982). "Tories fight off challenge by Labour as Alliance falters". The Guardian .

[7] Fairhall, David; Morgan, Jeremy (3 April 1982). "Argentine action in Falklands stuns Cabinet". The Guardian .

[8] Carvel, John (8 May 1981). "Labour swings to victory, but no landslide". The Guardian .

[9] Aitken, Ian (26 March 2021). "SDP launches itself onto the British political stage – archive, 1981". The Guardian . Retrieved 15 July 2021.

[10] Aitken, Ian (11 November 1980). "Labour picks Foot to heal party splits". The Guardian .

[11] Langdon, Julia (2 May 1980). "Tories deserted by voters in Labour advance". The Guardian .

[12] Palmer, John (7 June 1979). "Banging the nationalist drum inside Europe". The Guardian .

[13] Hencke, David (5 May 1979). "Consolation prize for Labour". The Guardian .

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v t e 1983 United Kingdom general election
Results MPs elected Scotland Opinion polling
Incumbent Prime Minister: Margaret Thatcher (Conservative) Appointed Prime Minister: Margaret Thatcher (Conservative)
Parties elected to the House of Commons	Conservative (Margaret Thatcher) Labour (Michael Foot) SDP–Liberal Alliance David Steel - Liberal Roy Jenkins - SDP Ulster Unionist Party (James Molyneaux ) Democratic Unionist Party (Ian Paisley) Scottish National Party (Gordon Wilson) Plaid Cymru (Dafydd Wigley) Social Democratic and Labour Party (John Hume) Sinn Féin (Ruairí Ó Brádaigh) Ulster Popular Unionist Party (James Kilfedder)
Results by area	England Northern Ireland Scotland Wales
See also	Falklands factor Diana Gould–Margaret Thatcher exchange The longest suicide note in history