Smart Kids Liberally Inclined, published in Student 12/11/08

A STUDY conducted by the University of Edinburgh showed that those who vote for the Green Party and the Liberal Democrats are more intelligent than voters who vote Conservative, Labour or Scottish National Party (SNP).

The study compared the childhood IQ results of 6,000 people against their voting habits in the 2001 election. It showed that those who vote for either the Green party or the Liberal Democrats had a higher childhood IQ result, averaging at 108. This compared with a 103.7 average for those who voted for the Conservatives, 103 for those who voted Labour and 102.2 for those who voted for the SNP.

The least intelligent voters were found to be those who voted for the British Nationalist Party (BNP). They were rated as having an average IQ of 98.4, which was 1.3 points lower than those who did not even vote in the 2001 election.

The study showed that the more intelligent the person the more likely they were to vote for a liberal party. Consequently, the most intelligent voters do not influence the election results, as they tend to vote for the Green Party or the Liberal Democrats who fall behind Labour, Conservatives and the SNP in general elections.

The study also showed a strong correlation between high childhood IQ scores and an above-average interest in politics. It showed that the more intelligent a person the more likely they are to vote, as well as become involved in other forms of politics such as petitions and campaigns.

Harry Cole, the chairman of the Edinburgh University Conservative and Unionist Association, stated: "Well it seems the age old saying 'if you vote conservative at 18 you have no heart but if you don’t vote conservative at 40 you have no brain' has been disproved. Anyone with half a brain clearly votes Tory old or young!"

Comments on the Guardian website, however, showed a sceptical response to the results of the study. Dontmindme wrote, "Why do I suspect the construction of the study was performed largely by Green or LibDem voters," which was replied with the comment by semajmaharg: "Because the others are too stupid perhaps?"