April survey of readers' opinions

The latest ConservativeHome survey of readers' opinions is now online.  Please click here to have your say.

Comments

[HF]

For the first time I have recorded dissatisfaction with DC and Francis.

The reasons are
1. The MEP selection process
2. Dyke
3. The state of the election organisation and systems.
4. Failure to land punches in the Pensions and Defence debates. (also down on Osbourne Villiers and Fox).

[Tanuki]

Why so many questions about the mayor of London? To anyone outside the "westminster village" this is an utterly irrelevant matter.

I look forward to a similar future focus by Conservativehome on the candidates standing for the mayor of Devizes.

[HF]

I liked the question on Kirkhope.

[Deputy Editor]

Tanuki, as Devizes' population is exactly a 500th of London's - I don't think our emphasis is disproportionate!

[richard coad]

will there be a vote among party members to select the conservative candidate for mayor? if not why not?

Milliband will be the next Labour party leader! After the local elections Brown will not have the support from Labour members to endorse him as leader. He will step aside to endorse Milliband which is now the only route available to him. I will take that bet from anyone!

[Andrew Woodman]

I chuckled at the one as well HF. Guess how I answered!

[Chris]

richard coad, There is going to be a primary election for our London Mayor candidate.

[Tanuki]

DeputyEditor@14:23: "Tanuki, as Devizes' population is exactly a 500th of London's - I don't think our emphasis is disproportionate!"

Trust me - for the vast majority of the UK's population (who set foot in London infrequently and usually under extreme duress) the political/media-establishment's resolutely london-centric worldview can leave the rest of us feeling pretty much disconnected from 'the machine'.

[David Jones]

Where was question 17??

[Matthew Oxley]

The same place as those postal votes

[Editor]

I'm sorry about the bias to London. It is a real bias. London's Mayoral contest is important but it's fair to say that ConservativeHome gives London much more attention than Scotland, Wales or other local areas. This is much to do with the simple fact that for the working week I'm based in London and it's much easier to cover London matters. We'll see if we can do more for outside of London. I readily agree that politics is often different beyond the M25.

[Reagan Fan]

To be fair to you, Editor, the Mayor of London is an important role worthy of national coverage despite the hardened parochialism of some posters. The role enjoys the single largest personal electoral mandate of any British politician and presides over the capital city including the economic heart of the UK (i.e. the City). It is an interntaionally recognised position.

Coverage of the London Mayor is widespread for some of the same reasons we know more about the likes of New York's Bloomberg and Giuliani than we do the mayor of Bald Knob, Arkansas.

[Scotty]

I noted the question about the Scottish Conservative Party becoming independent with disappointment.
Never let it be said that having seen the disastrous result that the ill thought policy of devolution has wrought, that it will stop some in our party making a mistake and aid the further demise of the Union.
Also it would be the death knell to any return of the Conservatives as a Unionist party who wish to represent the whole country.
Oh what fun the other parties would have when canvassing for a GE. Still it might keep a certain cabal happy and their ambitions afloat.

[Deputy Editor]

I do very much agree with you on the London-centricity of British politics and media Tanuki.

[Martin Wright]

No prizes for guessing who is going to get the wooden spoon on the shadow cabinet question: Francis Maude.

As for the London Mayor, the sad thing is that I can't put a face to any one of the declared candidates, though I did vaguely recognise one name. The undeclared candidates are far better. Even better would be Jeremy Clarkson, if he'd stand!