The survey of 159 MPs revealed that 35% of Labour MPs and 25% of Tory MPs would support a ban on the publication of opinion polls in the run-up to general elections.

This comes after news that the Indian Election Commission has banned exit polls in the five states holding elections this month, as well as introducing a ban on any opinion polls in the final 48 hours of campaigning.

The survey also revealed that the most trusted voting intention opinion poll methodology is face-to-face ( 94% of MPs trust this method) – an approach that has been almost entirely abandoned.

ComRes chaiman, Andrew Hawkins, said: “The internet has had two profound effects on political polling. Firstly it has made it quicker and cheaper, but it is too soon to tell yet whether it is as accurate as the telephone polling. Secondly the internet, and especially the advance of social and other online media, renders entirely nugatory any attempt to ban the publication of opinion polls in the run-up to elections.”

For a recent report on the freedom to publish opinion poll reports, click here.