Opinion polling for the 1983 United Kingdom general election

In the run-up to the 1983 United Kingdom 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.

Graph of opinion polls conducted
  Conservative   Labour   SDP–Liberal Alliance

Polling results

All data is from UK Polling Report.[1]

1983

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

1982

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

1981

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

1980

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

1979

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

References

1. "UK Polling Report". ukpollingreport.co.uk. Retrieved 2018-08-16.
2. "1982: Sinn Fein triumph in elections". 1982-10-21. Retrieved 2018-08-16.
3. "1982: Argentina invades Falklands". 1982-04-02. Retrieved 2018-08-16.
4. "1982: Argentina invades Falklands". 1982-04-02. Retrieved 2018-08-16.
5. "1981: 'Gang of four' launches new party". 1981-03-26. Retrieved 2018-08-16.
6. "1980: Michael Foot is new Labour leader". 1980-11-10. Retrieved 2018-08-16.