Much of the commentariat and media has been in a froth for the last 24 hours about the supposed failure of the nation’s pollsters to predict the Conservative victory. This, for example, was Labour’s highly-paid election guru David Axelrod:
But the truth is that the polls – just like the heavily-maligned exit poll which turned out to be bang on the money – got nothing wrong. The people interpreting them did.
We’ve done another poll in conjunction with our dear chums at Panelbase, readers, which we think will be the last full-size Scottish one before the polls open. You may already have seen their headline voting-intention stats, but if not they’re below.
Those numbers suggest, depending which electoral forecaster you feed them into, over 50 seats for the SNP. The poll delivered some extremely interesting results, but we’re going to tease you and hold most of them over until tomorrow, because it’ll actually be a really slow news day.
(September 18 last year was one of the most miserable days of our lives, and we’re not talking about the result. It just seemed to drag on forever and ever, with nothing happening until past midnight. This way there’ll at least be something to read.)
But as a little taster, here’s a fascinating info-nugget.
Hatey McHateface on The Love Of Big Brother: ““There seems to be utter confusion” Agreed.” Oct 5, 06:43
James Che on The Love Of Big Brother: “Lornical It is not a case of Scotlands people agreeing to the treaty of union at all, there were enough…” Oct 5, 01:06
gm on The Love Of Big Brother: “The labour party cancelled ‘buy one get one free’ a while back, for items they felt weren’t good for the…” Oct 5, 00:23
James Che on The Love Of Big Brother: “Can we presume that the not Scottish parliament politicians in Scotland would like cheaper drugs and easier access for themselves…” Oct 5, 00:02
James Che on The Love Of Big Brother: “Lorncal. Well said. Know our history, we are a Colony because we do nothing and avoid conversations on the subject…” Oct 4, 23:51
Lee on In The Eyes Of The Law: “Just attempted to donate vis a via bank app twice. Failed. Would be happy to donate by paypal. Wont be…” Oct 4, 23:51
Hatey McHateface on The Love Of Big Brother: “I would have thought the mega data centres, the ports, the huge pylons and the undersea cables pose far less…” Oct 4, 22:27
Hatey McHateface on The Love Of Big Brother: ““it has been Unionists who have acquiesced, not independistas” Naw. If anybody has acquiesced, it’s been the majority. If anybody…” Oct 4, 22:19
Lorncal on The Love Of Big Brother: “Can we be the only people who have actively acquiesced in our own cultural and historical obliteration, Alf, because that…” Oct 4, 22:03
Lorncal on The Love Of Big Brother: “Of course there is still a Treaty, Northcode, and (domestic) Acts cannot overturn or submerge primary legislation – which the…” Oct 4, 21:39
Hatey McHateface on The Love Of Big Brother: “I have long believed that the costs to the NHS of treating the diseases and conditions associated with tobacco abuse,…” Oct 4, 21:38
Insider on The Love Of Big Brother: “Alf @8.19pm Whit ??? The Burmese Imperial Police are giving the rev the runaround ? Have you told him yet…” Oct 4, 21:35
Hatey McHateface on The Love Of Big Brother: “So the Burmese Imperial Police “explains the runaround the Rev is getting”? Only in yer heid, Alf. I asked you…” Oct 4, 21:24
Southernbystander on The Love Of Big Brother: “Yes but I put ‘right’ in inverted commas for a reason – you don’t need such a right as no-one…” Oct 4, 21:11
Alf Baird on The Love Of Big Brother: “Join the dots, Hatey: ‘Imperial Police’? Explains the runaround the Rev is getting, and a few other things.” Oct 4, 20:48
Hatey McHateface on The Love Of Big Brother: ““What do you do with that attitude?” Thank them for their services towards solving the social care crisis. Reward them…” Oct 4, 20:32
Hatey McHateface on The Love Of Big Brother: “Aye, Alf, and now the Burmese and Chinese excel at oppressively ruling over indigenous peoples and cultures all by themselves.…” Oct 4, 20:19
Southernbystander on The Love Of Big Brother: “The thing is though it does seem that people’s diet and lifestyles can be pretty woeful and Scotland has an…” Oct 4, 20:06
Alf Baird on The Love Of Big Brother: “Since we are talking of Orwell, he also wrote that: “The most effective way to destroy people is to deny…” Oct 4, 19:55
Hatey McHateface on The Love Of Big Brother: “Any idea what the shenanigans to the east are doing to the climate? I read a report claiming that $200…” Oct 4, 19:41
sarah on The Love Of Big Brother: “O/T: Rev, sorry to spoil your Bath weather report but it has been incredibly warm here in Wester Ross today…” Oct 4, 19:08
Hatey McHateface on The Love Of Big Brother: “Fourth of October 2026. Another date historians of the future (assuming they survive) will be writing about long after we…” Oct 4, 18:25
Lorncal on The Love Of Big Brother: “Even if we are not in a Union, James, we have acquiesced for centuries. Acquiescence can, itself, be used to…” Oct 4, 18:09
Northcode on The Love Of Big Brother: “Correction: “Crowdjustice automatically refunds donations if the stated target isn’t reached.” Should read: “Crowdjustice automatically refunds donations if the stated…” Oct 4, 18:08
Hatey McHateface on The Love Of Big Brother: ““It is factual to say Scotland has a food affordability problem” Only to the extent that every other country in…” Oct 4, 18:00
Lorncal on The Love Of Big Brother: “The one thing that is never, ever mentioned when drugs use is being discussed is personal responsibility and the drive…” Oct 4, 17:49
Northcode on The Love Of Big Brother: “Either donations made to Craig Murray’s fundraiser before the US intervention were refunded or they went to his lawyers (unlikely).…” Oct 4, 17:22
Lee Floyd on In The Eyes Of The Law: “English, but strangely still committed to Fair Play. So I contributed. Good luck.” Oct 4, 17:17
sam on The Love Of Big Brother: ““The fairest conclusion is that the policy responds to a real problem but remains unproven as a mechanism. It is…” Oct 4, 17:02
sarah on The Love Of Big Brother: “Salvo’s facebook post today explains why they suggest that donations to their crowdfunder be made direct to Salvoscot Ltd’s bank…” Oct 4, 16:24