YouGov on Labour
I’m a little behind the times, but I reckon the YouGov poll for Monday’s Telegraph makes interesting reading:
The survey of more than 1,000 members found that 73 per cent wanted a contest and just 11 per cent thought it better if Gordon Brown, the Chancellor, was elected unopposed. If no one came forward to take on Mr Brown, more than half want an “affirmative ballot” so members can decide whether or not to endorse Mr Brown as the new leader.
If there were such a ballot, then Mr Brown would likely romp home, commanding nearly two thirds - 63 per cent - of the vote, with 21 per cent saying they would reject him.
However, if a strong candidate such as David Miliband, the Environment Secretary, came forward in a two-horse race then Mr Brown’s support slips to just 52 per cent, with Mr Miliband on 25 per cent.
The poll also found that 70 per cent wanted the Prime Minister to stand down immediately or after May’s local, Scottish and Welsh elections.
So far, so much we know. I am infuriated, though, that party members want an “affirmative ballot” if there’s only one candidate. We really don’t have the thousands and thousands in the bank to waste money on luxuries.
The ranking for deputy leadership candidates was also interesting. Both union members and party members ranked the contenders in the order Benn - Johnson - Harman - Hain - Cruddas - Blears. As a declared Cruddas supporter, this says to me that he has to try harder to get out there in the mainstream press and reach the non-junkies.
By the way, one of the 1115 members of the Labour Party who took part in the survey was me. In an amazing turnaround for YouGov, they sent me an interesting poll, not some nonsense about credit cards and perceptions of white goods suppliers. If you’d like to join the panel and earn me some credit while you’re at it, click here.
I read here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6423761.stm that Harriet Harman commissioned the poll (fourth paragraph, at least I assume this is the YouGov poll it refers to)
I seem to recall that when Michael Howard became Conservative leader after a one candidate election, no end of Labour politicians and activists were proclaiming that it was “undemocratic” and he had been “selected” rather than elected. Do you still agree with that assessment?
Good poll.Great result for those of us campaigning for a contest. Am actually surprised at the 21 pe rcent opposing Brown.If John McDonnell does get on the hustings, I have no doubt that would soar - given the unions growing antipathy to brown .Brown would still win, but the left would have a real , significant, credibility within the Party.Can I remind everyone Margaret Beckett ( who had been Leader after Smith died) gotaround the same figure in 1994. And she was a long-established figure.