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On gullibility and bias 65

Posted on January 08, 2014 by

When we commissioned our second Panelbase poll, we asked Edinburgh University’s highly respected Professor of Public Policy, Politics and International Relations, James Mitchell, to give our questions the once-over beforehand to ensure they weren’t unfair or leading. The resulting poll’s neutrality was widely praised. 

We thought it might therefore be interesting to get his expert professional opinion on the recent “Better Together” poll by YouGov, and he very kindly obliged.

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    • Mark Beggan on Before Action: “Taylor Swift ?” Aug 23, 12:05
    • Oneliner on Before Action: “Thought: If The Clash are the ‘thinking man’s yobs’ then who is the yobs’ thinking man?” Aug 23, 12:01
    • Mark Beggan on Before Action: “From the Cult of enthusiasm to the Cult of confession. A woke must affirm their ideology on a daily basis.…” Aug 23, 12:00
    • Northcode on Before Action: ““So the embezzlement has to belong to named individuals running it [the SNP]…” Not necessarily, James. Those at the top…” Aug 23, 11:55
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    • James Che on Before Action: “Saffron Robe, Remember that old part of the treaty of union that states “One and the same parliament hereafter” The…” Aug 23, 10:29
    • Alf Baird on Before Action: ““It’s impossible for an organisation to be “institutionally racist”.” Not so, Hatey. As ‘racism is a consubstantial part of colonialism’…” Aug 23, 10:26
    • James Che on Before Action: “Missing posts, they may or may not be allowed by governing forces, happens quite regulally.” Aug 23, 10:03
    • James Che on Before Action: “Hatey, My reference was to law and how it applies to people, not non thinking entities, and not racism in…” Aug 23, 09:57
    • James Che on Before Action: “Saffron robe, Indeed, Proves that there was no union of two parliaments in 1707, and Scotland had not been in…” Aug 23, 09:45
    • Hatey McHateface on Before Action: “So we’re in agreement, James. It’s impossible for an organisation to be “institutionally racist”. And so another sacred cow of…” Aug 23, 09:09
    • Hatey McHateface on Before Action: “I can see you’re not a fan, but I have to confess I left the review before the end. All…” Aug 23, 09:01
    • James Che on Before Action: “100 %, Thanks for the link, areciated.” Aug 23, 08:58
    • Hatey McHateface on Before Action: “So there I am, quietly sipping a fine single malt at 10:39 pm of a Saturday night. And there you…” Aug 23, 08:46
    • James Che on Before Action: “Northcode, You made a excellent point yesterday, that organisations are an neutral entity that can not think for itself, So…” Aug 23, 08:43
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    • Young Lochinvar on Before Action: “Well that’s it, I’ve done it and waded through watching the 3 hour plus movie “Odyssey” at the local pictures.…” Aug 22, 22:39
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    • Ex President Xiden on Before Action: “Exactly.” Aug 22, 22:06
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    • agentx on Before Action: “It’s strange – as of 19.14 on 22 Aug this blog article has 124 comments. The article in The National…” Aug 22, 19:18
    • gm on Before Action: “Alf Baird says: 22 August, 2026 at 2:21 pm ‘And at the top of the colonial pile the Permanent Secretary’s…” Aug 22, 17:13
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