34% say coalition will last until next election in 2015; 28% say just before this and only 1% beyond it
Though the most common opinion among the British public is that the current Coalition Government will last up until the next election in 2015, more than a quarter would expect them to end before the next election, while one in twenty wouldn’t give them another year, our poll shows. Meanwhile, hardly anyone believes they will last beyond the next election.
- 7% say the Coalition Government of Conservatives and Liberal Democrats will not last another year
- 18% think the Coalition will last for another one or two years
- More than one quarter (28%) say it will last until just before the next election in 2015
- Meanwhile around a third (34%) give them up until the next election
- Only 1% say they will last beyond the next election
- 12% don't know
When being candid about how long they actually want the Coalition to last, over two fifths say they would be glad to have it end immediately (43%) while one fifth would give them until the next election (19%). Just 7% would like to see the Coalition to last another two years while 3% would like to see them remain beyond the next election.
If the Coalition between the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats did end during the next year, the majority of Britons would like a fresh general election, while over one in five would like the Conservatives to continue as a minority government.
- 64% a fresh general election
- 22% the Conservatives to continue as a minority government without the Liberal Democrats
- 6% the Labour party to form a coalition with the Liberal Democrats instead
- 7% don't know
Premature split predicted
The Coalition has recently defended its stability, after another minister has predicted their premature downfall. Amid noticeable political disarray within the current Cabinet, chairman of the Tory 1922 committee Graham Brady has openly questioned the lifespan of the Coalition, saying he predicted its end much before the 2015 general election.
Brady told BBC Radio 4's Westminster Hour: "I think it would be logical and sensible for both parties to be able to present their separate vision to the public, in time for the public to form a clear view before the election.”
Not long ago, former Lib Dem leader Sir Menzies Campbell invited tension by confirming rumours that many of his party's MPs would not be willing to vote through proposed changes to Commons constituency boundaries if the Lords bill was not passed . Former Tory defence Secretary Liam Fox also stirred controversy by stating that the Lib Dems were only "a sixth" of the coalition and insinuated that Cameron should do more to push Conservative policies.
Giving up 'not an option'
David Cameron and Nick Clegg have challenged critics by declaring that the Coalition will last until the next general election in 2015, as they insisted any row over House of Lords reform would not be allowed to disrupt the work of the Government. Cameron assured the Coalition would last until the next general election in 2015, while Clegg insisted that despite considerable economic headwind, giving up was not an option.
"I can speak for both of us – we are not going to lose our nerve." Clegg said. "I'd put a considerable amount of money on us seeing it through to 2015 because that is what we are committed to doing and that is what we will do."
See the full details and results of our poll here (pg 5-6)
