Bigger YouGov shares for Ukip coming up?They appear to now include Ukip in first prompt. See this from @redukipper twitter.com/MSmithsonPB/st…

— Mike Smithson (@MSmithsonPB) May 15, 2013

If the firm’s critics are correct then expect bigger Ukip shares

Above is a screen shot of YouGov polling questionnaire which shows that Ukip is now included in the prompt on the main voting intention question.

Until now those polled wanting to say Ukip have had to click the “some other party” option which, it is argued, has compressed the shares for Farage’s party being reported by the UK’s most prolific political pollster.

We don’t know whether this is just a test or a permanent change and I have emailed the firm asking for clarification.

Certainly as Ukip has risen it has become increasingly hard to argue that it shouldn’t be there on the first screen alongside the other main parties

The big question is whether this will lead to bigger shares for Ukip from the firm that carries out at least five national voting intention surveys per week.

There had been a lot of debate recently on the issue led by newbie pollster Survation which started prompting for Ukip last year resulting in bigger shares for the purples in its polls.

If those who’ve been pressing for this change from YouGov are correct then we should see bigger Ukip numbers.

This is today’s YouGov. Whether or not it used the new prompt I do not know.

Today’s YouGov/Sun poll has CON 30, LAB 40,LD 10, UKIP 15

— Mike Smithson (@MSmithsonPB) May 15, 2013

Update: there’s been no change in way YouGov prompts Ukip

YouGov tell me that there has been no charge in way it polls Ukip.The screen-shot in my Tweet putting it on main prompt was from a test

— Mike Smithson (@MSmithsonPB) May 15, 2013

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