Friday, September 19, 2008
Warming to Clegg
Liberal Democrat Voice highlights the very interesting focus group conducted by Frank Luntz on Newsnight last night. LDV highlights The Spectator's Coffee House blog which describes it thus:
Of more immediate relevance, however, was the further evidence that the focus group provided about what a risk the Tories are running with their tax policy. When Cameron talked about how the Tories can’t promise tax cuts the panel dialled him down, when Clegg talked about tax cuts they almost unanimously dialled him up.
If the Lib Dems can get their new tax cutting message across, they could eat into Tory support. The word on the street is that George Obsorne’s conference speech will contain two big policy announcements. It would be sensible for one of these to be tax relief for the middle classes. Going into the election with the only sizable Tory tax cut on offer being raising the threshold for inheritance tax to a million pounds would suggest that the Tories are dangerously out of touch with the zeitgeist.
Of more immediate relevance, however, was the further evidence that the focus group provided about what a risk the Tories are running with their tax policy. When Cameron talked about how the Tories can’t promise tax cuts the panel dialled him down, when Clegg talked about tax cuts they almost unanimously dialled him up.
If the Lib Dems can get their new tax cutting message across, they could eat into Tory support. The word on the street is that George Obsorne’s conference speech will contain two big policy announcements. It would be sensible for one of these to be tax relief for the middle classes. Going into the election with the only sizable Tory tax cut on offer being raising the threshold for inheritance tax to a million pounds would suggest that the Tories are dangerously out of touch with the zeitgeist.
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You must have watched a very different Frank Luntz focus group to me Peter. Hardly anyone in the audience on the programme I watched, had even heard of Nick Clegg!
# posted by 
: 10:03 PM
: 10:03 PM
The point, as you will see if you watch it again via the link I have provided, is that once they heard Clegg speak and his message on tax many of the audience warmed to him and increased their rating of him. I think that was made clear in the first paragraph of the quote from the Coffee House blog, whilst in the second paragraph of that quote lessons are drawn from the experience.
You are right - when people hear his message then they form an opinion on him and your party.
Is that what accounts for your Party languishing as low as 12% in some polls is it?
Once they hear Clegg and listen to what he stands for, they switch off? Or is that not what you meant?
Hilarious!
Is that what accounts for your Party languishing as low as 12% in some polls is it?
Once they hear Clegg and listen to what he stands for, they switch off? Or is that not what you meant?
Hilarious!
# posted by : 11:02 AM
: 11:02 AM
It is funny you should say that because that poll put is at 12% before the Conference. After the Conference, when people had had a chance to see Clegg at first hand and sample some of our policies, we went up to 21%. Hysterical!
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