Election letter: There is more to the margin of error than voters are being told

The public are being misled by polls and their interpretation, particularly in respect of political parties which are not contesting every electoral area.

These parties consequently attract negligible support in the uncontested areas, which is reflected in their low average, nationwide, support. Polling data should not be published for such parties, for it is knowingly doing them and the public a disservice.

Additionally, pollsters and commentators are wont to talk of a ‘margin of error’, often stated to be plus or minus 3 per cent when the nationwide sample of voters is about 1,000.