Poll Archive

Northern Rock

Fieldwork: September 17th 2007

published by The Times

Click here to download detailed results 386k

How much do you think each of the following is to blame for the problems experienced by Northern Rock?

	A great deal	Somewhat	Not at all
The Labour government	20%	33%	38%
Financial problems in the American mortgage market	42%	34%	11%
The management of Northern Rock	29%	42%	18%
The Bank of England and City authorities	15%	41%	33%
Other banks & financial institutions	10%	42%	38%

If Britain's economy were to face problems in the months or years ahead, who would you most trust to deal with it in the best interests of Britain, David Cameron & the Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne, or Gordon Brown & the new Chancellor of the Exchequer Alastair Darling? [Change since September 7th-9th shown in brackets]

	All	Men	Women	AB	C1	C2	DE	Con	Lab	LD
Brown & Darling	56% (-5%)	59% (-5%)	53% (-5%)	57% (-4%)	54% (-7%)	61% (+3%)	52% (-10%)	25% (+2%)	86% (-6%)	54% (-13%)
Cameron & Osborne	18% (-9%)	23% (-3%)	14% (-14%)	17% (-11%)	19% (-7%)	18% (-15%)	19% (-4%)	60% (-11%)	5% (-1%)	12% (-7%)
Neither	16% (+11%)	15% (+10%)	16% (+11%)	17% (+11%)	14% (+6%)	16% (+13%)	16% (+12%)	7% (+5%)	5% (+4%)	16% (+6%)
Don't know	10% (+3%)	3% (-3%)	17% (+9%)	8% (+2%)	13% (+7%)	6% (-)	13% (+3%)	8% (+4%)	4% (+3%)	17% (+14%)
Net Brown & Darling	38% (+4%)	36% (-2%)	39% (+9%)	40% (+7%)	35% (-)	43% (+18%)	33% (-6%)	-35% (+13%)	81% (-5%)	42% (-6%)

Now I'd like to ask how optimistic or pessimistic you are about Britain's economy. Thinking about all the things that may affect the economy - such as changes in salaries and wages, the level of interest rates and tax, the rates of inflation and unemployment, and the strength of the pound – how do you think the British economy will fare over the next year a) for the country as a whole, and b) for you and your family?

ECONOMIC OPTIMISM (for country as a whole)	Very well	Quite well	TOTAL WELL	Quite badly	Very badly	TOTAL badly	NET OPTIMISM
All voters	6% (-1%)	46% (-5%)	53% (-5%)	37% (+9%)	8% (-)	45% (+9%)	+8% (-14%)
Labour voters	11% (-)	58% (-5%)	69% (-5%)	26% (+9%)	4% (-)	30% (+9%)	+39% (-14%)
Conservative voters	3% (-2%)	35% (-11%)	38% (-13%)	45% (+8%)	15% (+8%)	60% (+16%)	-22% (-29%)
Lib Dem voters	5% (-)	36% (-30%)	40% (-31%)	42% (+20%)	15% (+9%)	57% (-29%)	-17% (-60%)

ECONOMIC OPTIMISM (for me & my family)	Very well	Quite well	TOTAL WELL	Quite badly	Very badly	TOTAL BADLY	NET OPTIMISM
All voters	10% (+3%)	51% (-2%)	61% (+1%)	26% (-)	7% (-1%)	34% (-)	+27% (+1%)
Labour voters	16% (+1%)	56% (-8%)	71% (-8%)	22% (+8%)	4% (-)	26% (+8%)	+45% (-16%)
Conservative voters	10% (+4%)	47% (-9%)	57% (-5%)	28% (+2%)	10% (+3%)	38% (+5%)	+19% (-10%)
Lib Dem voters	6% (+4%)	47% (-14%)	53% (-10%)	31% (+3%)	10% (+2%)	41% (+5%)	+12% (-15%)

How much confidence do you have in your own bank or building society to manage its lending and protect your savings?

	All	Men	Women	AB	C1	C2	DE	SE	Midlands	North	Wales & SW	Scotland
A great deal of confidence	42%	45%	38%	45%	40%	37%	43%	46%	43%	35%	38%	45%
Moderate confidence	44%	42%	46%	40%	51%	44%	39%	41%	44%	48%	40%	46%
Only a little confidence	7%	7%	8%	9%	5%	10%	7%	6%	9%	9%	8%	3%
No confidence	5%	4%	6%	4%	4%	6%	7%	5%	2%	4%	12%	6%

Thinking about the year ahead, do you think that house prices in your area are most likely to

	All	Men	Women	AB	C1	C2	DE	SE	Midlands	North	Wales & SW	Scotland
Rise significantly	14%	11%	18%	14%	12%	17%	16%	17%	12%	12%	12%	22%
Rise somewhat	33%	35%	32%	30%	31%	37%	36%	37%	31%	30%	35%	36%
Total 'RISE'	48%	45%	49%	43%	43%	53%	52%	54%	43%	42%	47%	58%
Fall somewhat	13%	13%	13%	12%	21%	9%	9%	14%	15%	11%	14%	10%
Fall significantly	2%	3%	1%	3%	0%	1%	4%	1%	1%	2%	5%	0%
Total 'FALL'	15%	17%	14%	15%	21%	10%	13%	15%	17%	14%	19%	10%
Stay at about their current level	35%	37%	33%	40%	36%	36%	28%	29%	37%	43%	32%	32%

Since the news broke about the problems at Northern Rock many people with money deposited there have queued to withdraw it all, even though they have been assured – with guarantees from the Bank of England - that their savings are safe and the scale of withdrawals has created more uncertainty in the banking sector and on financial markets. Do you approve or disapprove of the actions of the customers who have withdrawn their savings?

	All	Men	Women	AB	C1	C2	DE	Lab	Con	LD	SE	Midlands	North	Wales & SW	Scotland
Approve	47%	44%	50%	47%	48%	50%	45%	45%	44%	53%	52%	46%	43%	50%	43%
Disapprove	46%	48%	44%	48%	45%	47%	45%	49%	51%	41%	43%	50%	49%	41%	42%
Net approve	1%	-4%	6%	-1%	3%	3%	0%	-4%	-7%	12%	9%	-4%	-6%	-11%	1%

Please say if you think the Bank of England should guarantee the financial stake in banks or lending bodies such as Northern Rock, each of the following

Those with deposits of up to £20,000

	All	Men	Women	AB	C1	C2	DE	Lab	Con	LD
Should guarantee	84%	83%	84%	86%	87%	81%	80%	83%	92%	84%
Should not guarantee	11%	13%	10%	10%	8%	17%	12%	14%	4%	14%
Net should guarantee	73%	70%	74%	76%	79%	64%	68%	69%	88%	70%

Those with deposits of between £20,000 and £100,000

	All	Men	Women	AB	C1	C2	DE	Lab	Con	LD
Should guarantee	77%	71%	82%	78%	84%	70%	73%	76%	82%	69%
Should not guarantee	18%	26%	11%	18%	12%	26%	18%	21%	15%	20%
Net should guarantee	59%	45%	71%	60%	72%	44%	55%	55%	67%	49%

All depositors

	All	Men	Women	AB	C1	C2	DE	Lab	Con	LD
Should guarantee	78%	70%	85%	75%	86%	77%	73%	78%	79%	74%
Should not guarantee	18%	27%	10%	20%	13%	21%	20%	20%	19%	21%
Net should guarantee	60%	43%	75%	55%	73%	56%	53%	58%	60%	53%

Shareholders

	All	Men	Women	AB	C1	C2	DE	Lab	Con	LD
Should guarantee	48%	36%	58%	34%	51%	50%	57%	43%	43%	45%
Should not guarantee	47%	61%	34%	59%	43%	49%	37%	53%	55%	45%
Net should guarantee	1%	-25%	24%	-25%	8%	1%	20%	-10%	-12%	0%

Populus interviewed a random sample of 504 adults aged 18+ by telephone on 17th September 2007. Interviews were conducted across England and the results have been weighted to be representative of all English adults. Populus is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules. For a full description of the methods we use, please click here.

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