Snap YouGov survey finds almost half of the public think the Prime Minister is right to want an early election
In an announcement that caught the political world entirely by surprise, yesterday morning Theresa May said that she would ask the House of Commons to vote in favour of an early general election. Having previously repeatedly denied that she wanted go to the country before the next scheduled election in 2020, the Prime Minister said in her statement that threats from opposing parties and the House of Lords to try and water down or otherwise sabotage the government's Brexit negotitations had forced her hand.
A YouGov survey has found that almost half the British public (49%) think Theresa May is right to try and seek an early vote, compared to just 17% who think she is wrong - a ratio of almost three to one in favour of the PM's move. A further 34% of people say they don't know.
Unsurprisingly, given the party's substantial lead in the polls, 2015 Conservative voters are the most supportive of the move, with 62% thinking it is the right thing to do, compared to just 12% who think it is wrong. Those who voted for UKIP in 2015 are almost as enthusiastic, at 61% believing it was right to 13% who believe it was wrong.
Even 2015 Labour voters are much more likely to support than oppose calls for an early election, with 44% backing the Prime Minister's call compared to 25% who don't. The SNP are the most opposed, but even they are more likely to think Mrs May is in the right, at 38% to 31%.
