The latest Reuters/IPSOS Mori Political Monitor makes grim reading for the Liberal Democrat leadership. Though the headline voting intention figures - Conservatives 36% (-3); Labour 39% (+3); Liberal Democrats 14% (unchanged) - actually represent an improvement from their faltering performance in the Sun/YouGov daily tracker series, satisfaction and perception levels among the public leave Mr Clegg and his colleagues with plenty to think about.
The latest Reuters/IPSOS Mori Political Monitor makes grim reading for the Liberal Democrat leadership. Though the headline voting intention figures – Conservatives 36% (-3); Labour 39% (+3); Liberal Democrats 14% (unchanged) – actually represent an improvement from their faltering performance in the Sun/YouGov daily tracker series, satisfaction and perception levels among the public leave Mr Clegg and his colleagues with plenty to think about.
Only a quarter of voters believe the government is a genuine coalition in which decisions are made jointly between the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats (down from 41% in June), with nearly two-thirds of those polled believing the Conservatives are making most of the decisions – up from only a half five months ago.
Dissatisfaction with the government, meanwhile, is rife, amongst the public as a whole, and, more worryingly for Mr Clegg, amongst Liberal Democrat voters. Whilst Conservative voters seem very content with the way the government is running the country, the net satisfaction of Lib Dems has plummeted in the wake of the Comprehensive Spending Review and widespread unease over tuition fee rises.
Amongst all voters, Labour leader Ed Miliband has the highest net satisfaction rating (+9), followed by Mr Cameron (+1) and lastly Mr Clegg (-9) – though he may console himself with the knowledge dissatisfaction with the government as a whole is even greater (-20).
Additionally, voter concern about the extent of the government’s cuts is growing (as is acceptance of their inevitability). Those polled were most concerned about cuts to local public services, for example libraries, social care, sports facilities etc. (83%); policing (77%); public sector unemployment (73%); defence (73%); higher education (67%); benefits (54%); and social housing (52%)
30 Responses to “Coalition suffers slump in Lib Dem support while dislike of Clegg grows”
Mr. Sensible
Totally unsurprised to see the Lib Dems suffering.
I think that Labour is beginning to win the argument.
Wendy Maddox
Now there's a surprise – NOT!: RT @leftfootfwd: Coalition suffers slump in Lib Dem support while dislike of Clegg grows http://bit.ly/dfNlIa
Duncan
@Mr Sensible – Ah yes. The old ‘going on holiday’ maneuver. Labour aren’t ‘winning’ any ‘argument’ they’re just there. They haven’t distanced themselves from the failings of the past 13 years they’re just hanging around picking up progressives who are upset that a coalition with is five parts conservative and one part liberal can’t deliver liberal policies 100% of the time. The Labour-founded Browne commission came up with a policy the Tories loved, we improved it so it was based on an income-contingent repayment scheme (so people on average incomes actually end up paying less per month than under the Labour tuition fees scheme) but because students apparently haven’t read the policy or don’t realise that manifestos are what you plan to do in the event of a majority (including the millionaire-heir who go arrested for assaulting police officers with a fire extinguisher) public opinion has swayed to Ed Milliband because… er…. What exactly would this graduate tax look like? It’s hard to imagine how a graduate tax, which would probably have to be imposed via loan arrangements to deal with overseas students, would differ from the policy the government ended up with.
Anon E Mouse
Mr.Sensible – What argument have they won?
Mr. Sensible
Duncan you should probably ask Cable about this ‘Graduate Tax’; it was his idea as late as July.
The fact is that the Lib Dems said they would oppose any further rise in fees, they’re now supporting it.