The question was: Do you think Andrew Mitchell should be restored to Cabinet?
The answers were as follows:
As International Development Secretary and afterwards, Mitchell championed an unpopular cause (aid).
And he has never had a popular following in the Party – unlike, say, Boris or IDS.
I therefore expected that the proportion wanting him to be recalled to the Cabinet would be nearer 50 per cent than 80 per cent. The result shows both a rise in his popularity as a result of the injustice done to him and – I think especially – how low the standing of the police now is with many Party members.
Almost 700 of the latter responded to our survey when it was sent out last week.