Sunday, December 03, 2006
Just one poorly conceived stunt away from disaster
This article in today's Observer will make for sobering reading for David Cameron and his entourage. It reveals that a series of polls timed to coincide with the anniversary of his leadership show him struggling to make an impact:
A survey of party activists, provided to The Observer in advance of its publication tomorrow, shows signs of a grassroots rebellion over Cameron's latest high-profile move to reposition the Conservatives, by embracing Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee's views on poverty.
A series of other polls timed to coincide with his leadership anniversary will also make sobering reading at Tory central office. An ICM survey in today's News of the World reveals that Tony Blair's likely successor, Gordon Brown, is the preferred choice for Prime Minister for 29 cent of people, with Cameron trailing on 25 per cent. Meanwhile, a focus group conducted by the American political consultant Frank Luntz for the Sunday Telegraph suggested Cameron was succeeding in appealing to 'floating voters' but alienating some existing Conservative backers. Luntz warned that Cameron could be 'one poorly conceived stunt away from disaster'.
The poll of Conservative members is particularly revealing as it demonstrates once again that the Cameron revolution is only skin deep. The real Conservative Party has not changed:
The Conservativehome survey - conducted by a website viewed by Cameron aides as a key barometer of Tory opinion - reveals the depth of unhappiness over his repositioning of the party. Though a comfortable majority still backs him as leader, his 'satisfaction' rating has fallen since last month's survey from 76 per cent to 67 per cent.
Respondents were also asked to react to the suggestion by Clark, a key Cameron aide, that the Tories' policy on poverty should draw less on the traditional views of Winston Churchill than on Toynbee - citing her call to help not only the poorest in society but also the 'relatively' disadvantaged. Twelve per cent agreed that the Tories had 'much to learn' from Toynbee. One-quarter had no opinion. But 63 per cent agreed with the statement that Toynbee 'holds left-wing views that have no place in the Conservative Party'.
Montgomerie, a former adviser to Iain Duncan Smith, said: 'The idea that relative poverty is an important issue was something that, in my view, was worth raising. But there is clearly a growing sense among some activists that the party's core identity is being sacrificed for eye-catching efforts to appeal to new supporters.'
Personally, I cannot stand Polly Toynbee either but my disagreement wth her is based on her support for Tony Blair and New Labour. It is not an instinctive disagreement with making tackling poverty a priority as it is with core Tories. Nor are my party leadership placing her on a pedestal and urging us all to embrace instinctively statist and centralising views. Cameron and his acolytes have tried to take their party too far too soon and the grassroots are rebelling.
A survey of party activists, provided to The Observer in advance of its publication tomorrow, shows signs of a grassroots rebellion over Cameron's latest high-profile move to reposition the Conservatives, by embracing Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee's views on poverty.
A series of other polls timed to coincide with his leadership anniversary will also make sobering reading at Tory central office. An ICM survey in today's News of the World reveals that Tony Blair's likely successor, Gordon Brown, is the preferred choice for Prime Minister for 29 cent of people, with Cameron trailing on 25 per cent. Meanwhile, a focus group conducted by the American political consultant Frank Luntz for the Sunday Telegraph suggested Cameron was succeeding in appealing to 'floating voters' but alienating some existing Conservative backers. Luntz warned that Cameron could be 'one poorly conceived stunt away from disaster'.
The poll of Conservative members is particularly revealing as it demonstrates once again that the Cameron revolution is only skin deep. The real Conservative Party has not changed:
The Conservativehome survey - conducted by a website viewed by Cameron aides as a key barometer of Tory opinion - reveals the depth of unhappiness over his repositioning of the party. Though a comfortable majority still backs him as leader, his 'satisfaction' rating has fallen since last month's survey from 76 per cent to 67 per cent.
Respondents were also asked to react to the suggestion by Clark, a key Cameron aide, that the Tories' policy on poverty should draw less on the traditional views of Winston Churchill than on Toynbee - citing her call to help not only the poorest in society but also the 'relatively' disadvantaged. Twelve per cent agreed that the Tories had 'much to learn' from Toynbee. One-quarter had no opinion. But 63 per cent agreed with the statement that Toynbee 'holds left-wing views that have no place in the Conservative Party'.
Montgomerie, a former adviser to Iain Duncan Smith, said: 'The idea that relative poverty is an important issue was something that, in my view, was worth raising. But there is clearly a growing sense among some activists that the party's core identity is being sacrificed for eye-catching efforts to appeal to new supporters.'
Personally, I cannot stand Polly Toynbee either but my disagreement wth her is based on her support for Tony Blair and New Labour. It is not an instinctive disagreement with making tackling poverty a priority as it is with core Tories. Nor are my party leadership placing her on a pedestal and urging us all to embrace instinctively statist and centralising views. Cameron and his acolytes have tried to take their party too far too soon and the grassroots are rebelling.
