Grumblings from the grassroots
Peter Hoskin 2:57pmLabourHome's poll of Labour members - featured on the cover of today's Independent - has caused quite a stir. UK polling report summarises the criticism that a few Labour figures have levelled against it - i.e. that it's not sufficiently scientific - but also points out that similar polls by ConservativeHome have proved quite accurate in the past. Either way, the results are well worth a read. Here are some of the headline findings:
46.2% want Gordon Brown to lead Labour into the next election.
53.8% would prefer someone else.
45.3% believe a change of leader would improve Labour's General Election prospects.
27.7% believe a change would harm Labour's prospects.
27% believe it would make no difference.
If Gordon Brown were to step aside, people would prefer:
24.6% David Miliband
18.1% Alan Johnson
11.3% Jon Cruddas
9.6% Jack Straw
6.6% Harriet Harman
6.5% John McDonnell
3.2% James Purnell
2% Ed Balls
18% Other names specified unprompted, significantly John Reid, John Denham and Hilary Benn, none more than 2%
As Ben Brogan points out, the expectation now is that the rebellious Labour MPs will be relatively quiet during the party conference. LabourHome's poll makes one wonder whether the grassroot presence will be quite as accommodating.
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LSS
September 19th, 2008 4:22pm Report this commentI find it truly baffling that people could want a man like Ed Balls to be leader of their party. I suspect Yvette Cooper has her reservations about him even being head of the household.
Hereford
September 19th, 2008 4:43pm Report this commentThis is getting really really boring. We know they generally hate him. We know that, given a risk free chance they would dump him. Finally we know that they know that whether they get rid of him or not they are stuffed.
So, might just as well bumble on then, raking in the expenses and storing up the cash to tide them all over when they lose their jobs.
Pathetic!
Tiberius
September 19th, 2008 4:49pm Report this commentWell after the unfortunate cases of the Guildford 4 and the Birmingham 6, I wonder what fate awaits the Labour 83,000 who want Brown to lead them into the next election.
Ulster Tory
September 19th, 2008 4:58pm Report this commentWhich sick 6.6% want HH as leader?
Dirty Euro
September 19th, 2008 5:09pm Report this commentThe survey is not proper it was done on one website, where anyone can register. It is not real.
Woll
September 19th, 2008 10:17pm Report this commentNow we know Labour are doomed. A more perfect fracturing couldn't have occurred. A collection of larger shards and a cloud of splinters. A position from which there is no common cause, no collective cooperation, no comeback.
No one can put this particular Humpty together again.
Nicholas
September 20th, 2008 8:45am Report this commentHarriet Harmthenation's dismissal of this poll on QT was pure New Labour theatre. Unfortunately the opposition spokespeople were half asleep and it was left to Hislop and the geeky enterpreneur of some high street chain to put the boot in.
The latter did a nice impromptu job on Labour's bullying, nanny culture but there were enough barmy Labour activists in the audience + one deranged young conservative to ensure Her Magnificent Eminence the Monster Womperson walked away deluded and no doubt passed the message to the other architects of Britain's "secret grot invasion".
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