Tory lead temporarily trimmed to 10%

YouGov for The Sun:

• Conservative 41%, down 3%
• Labour 31%, up 7%
• LibDems 16%, down 4%

...but all mid-conference season polls are pretty meaningless. Remember this one?

7.30am, 25 September:

Comments

[Andrew Woodman]

Good poll for us. Nothing in the media and a fortnight of Lib Dem and Labour wall to wall coverage and we've retained a base over 40%. Looking like a fair few people have made up their minds come what may.

[David (One of many)]

It's encouraging that despite the inevitable post-conference bump Labour were always going to get this poll still gives us a Conservative government. I expect the numbers to get back to 'normal' in the coming weeks, and not just because of our conference. And, if anything useful is shown by this poll, it's that all Labour have really done is drag their core supporters back from apathy, rather than take all the floaters.

[Malcolm Dunn]

Yup, I remember that one pretty well and looking at my comments that day I was feeling pretty desperate. If Brown had gone then,he would have won.
Many of the people who hated the Conservative Party used to post regularly here but as our fortunes have improved have disappeared. Who can forget the half witted Cleo? Or Effie who was always trying to get the Editor to have me banned? I miss those two, they were always good for laugh.
Others less missed include the incredibly bigoted Moral Minority and the well educated but thoroughly nasty Traditional Tory. Perhaps they crawled back under the stone from whence they came.

[Steve]

McLabour OUT!

[Sean]

This is not really that bad at all. Considering that the Government has decided to take credit for Lloyds-HBOS hook up and Brown is talking about being the greatest thing since sliced bread (with a but of humility thrown in), our poll position has not dipped that much. I think our conference will need to lock in some of those swingers.

[Norm Brainer]

This would have been done before his excuse for a speech?

[Tim Montgomerie]

After apparently NB,

http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/blog/archives/1421

[Edison Smith]

This is actually a pretty excellent poll for the Conservatives.

Still above 40%, after having zero coverage in the media for two weeks, and DC getting besmirched left, right and centre by Clegg, Brown, Harman and other undesirables.

Another good thing regarding this poll is that it will make sure CCHQ and the party do not rest on any laurels, and will ensure a focused, united conference next week.

[Norm Brainer]

ah, well given it seems most people thought it was a good speech then I guess that's going to be their peak - and if they are peaking at 10% behind, then it's got to be a good sign.

[Opinicus]

Whistle, whistle

One speech and 5% of voters change their minds back to Gordon.

The polls are as volatile as ether

Either we get some bottom (in the 18th century not the CCHQ sense) or we are blown around like tumbleweed.

This election is not ours. It is merely not presently Gordon's. This is what Mrs Thatcher would recognise as mid term blues. See the polls in 1981, 1985 and 1990. To make it ours we have to earn it.

One year ago we saved ourselves from annihilation with one tax cut. We have spent the year, exhausted with the effort, hoping it would do.

It won't.

[David (One of many)]

"One year ago we saved ourselves from annihilation with one tax cut. We have spent the year, exhausted with the effort, hoping it would do.

It won't."

Sorry, Jonathan, I can't think of a single Tory activist, politician or supporter who has said the election is in the bag, or that we can rest on our laurels. And, while polls are indeed all over the place - and particularly at this time of year - I don't think it's improper to take some encouragment at the same time as staying focused.

[Simon]

DC needs to nail it next week, he needs a clear vision, easily explainable, he needs to be positive and Prime Ministerial. I think next week can be the difference between Labour losing it and the Tories winning it.

As for this poll. A Tory has not been on the telly for a fortnight!!!! The public are a fickle bunch LOL

[Edison Smith]

He needs to be positive and Prime Ministerial.

I agree about the PM bit. DC has increasingly looked like a statesman over the past 12 months and needs to convey serious messages in serious tones in his speech. A replica of last year's (brilliant) speech won't cut it this time.

As for the positive bit - that's less important. DC is already viewed by the electorate in favourable terms as a more 'positive', digital option to the miserable, analogue Brown.

I think actually being a bit negative - about our broken society, about the staggering national debt, how Brown will run up a huge tab because he knows he won't be the one to pay it, and an emphasis on living within our means - would add much needed gravity.

Although it's not a balls-to-the-wall election avoidance situation like last time, DC and his team should approach it with similar rigour to ensure that poll gap doesn't narrow further.

[Simon Robinson]

I understand the positive view points expressed here, but I have to say that I'm utterly dismayed that Labour can rise 7 points in the opinion polls on the back of Gordon sharing an awkward kiss with his wife, and not collapsing, wetting himself or having an epileptic fit for the duration of his deeply average speech.

I think this bears out what I've believed all along -the public WANT to like Labour, and vote for them. They do not like the Tories, who ARE still seen as a toffs party. Obviously people prefer a competent toff to an unelectable man of the people, but they are only too willing to give the latter the benefit of the doubt time and time again. I am glad I'm not a politician, because the general public are, as a group, stupid, bigotted, sentimental, and utterly credulous, and the idea of spending my time apealing to them sounds like utter torture. It SCARES me that with the country circling around the toilet pan ready to be flushed into oblivion, people can still say they would vote for more of the same, it really does.

This Conference is VITAL for us. We have to be seen as positive, capable, and offer some bloody optimisim to people. But MOST of all, we HAVE to mount a coherent and authentically Tory line of attack on this Government, and keep on drumming it into the public conciousness. The absolute vacuum where an opposition should be at the moment is a disgrace. It means that the banking crisis has actually HELPED Labour, by lending weight to their narrative that this is all to do with greedy bankers and international economics, and nothing at all to do with 11 years of their piss poor stewardship of our economy. Everywhere I look on TV there are Labour luvvies urging a gullible public to 'have faith' in Gordon Brown. I mean good GOD. Inspite of people believing he's a crap PM, people STILL believe he was a good chancellor. Why? Because no-one has told them any different.

It is not too late, but we cannot expect the party of Alastair Campbell to just lie down in shame and sportingly agree that their time is up. If there is one thing they are competent at, it is winning elections, and they will do so by any means necessary.

We HAVE to get a few things over again and again this week.

That we are NOT 'best placed to weather the storm', we are the worst economy of all the G8 countries.

That Gordon Brown's reckless spending and PFI has saddled our children and our children's children in debt. Let's reveal the full scale of the bloody mess we're in.

That he has NO PLAN to get us out of this mess, and we DO. That the DANGER would be to keep a man in power who has proven himself incompetent.

PLEASE GOD I hope someone has this in hand, otherwise I fear the worst.

[Patsy Sergeant]

Yes I agree Simon @ 23.23, I also think that David Cameron should present some firm and definite policies at next week's Conference.

Gordon Brown has come out with 'some' policies this week - albeit re-hashed old ones, or ideas filched from Conservatives, so I think that DC can afford to 'hopefully' introduce at least a couple of really innovative ideas, not 'trying the water' type of ideas, but really firmed up policy statements.

NOW is the TIME!!

[Nigel Rathbone]

A Tory has not been on the telly for a fortnight!!!!

Indeed. And why not? We are in the worst financial crisis since 1931 apparently, and the Tories have NOTHING to say. It's pathetic.

In some ways, Brown has the same problem Norman Lamont had in the last recession - a gloomy persona which does not inspire and cheer. But for all his faults he does sound more impressive - and confident - on the subject of the world economy than squeaky George Osborne, who sounds like he's still studying for his A Level Economics (and he's on course for a C- at best)

[passing leftie]

Cameron has kept silent, with the exception of an impassioned speech defending poor beleagured capitalism, because he has no solutions, and no clue, and doesn't want to leave a speech. Despite this, he has a healthy poll lead.

With the conference coming up he is in the position of Admiral Jellicoe - the only man who can single handedly lose the war.

[Irene Adler]

Malcolm Dunn – you commented that a lot of anti-Conservatives who’ve posted here have gone away. You wrote too soon! Nigel Rathbone [any relation of Basil Bruce?] has reappeared!

[Simon Robinson]

Whether or not Nigel Rathbone is anti-Conservative, he does us a service in pointing out the truth. Brown DOES sound more convincing on the economy than Cameron, and the reason for that is, he's the only one talking!

[Nigel Rathbone]

Yes Irene, that has been pointed out throughout my life, it's rather tiresome - but it was responsible for prompting a lifelong love of the Holmes stories (and indeed those wonderful old films).

Anyway, on the substance of your point - you're right, I'm not a Tory. Neither am I a Socialist, a Labour or Lib Dem party member. What I am is someone with a wide interest in politics, and political history - politics ancient and modern on all sides fascinates me, and I would find it difficult to be tied down by any Party lines on either side in my personal views.

However, an appreciation and knowledge of the great political figures of history does rather lead me to regard shallow modern types like Cameron, Osborne (and, yes, Miliband - though I actually think there's potentially a bit more to him) as deeply unimpressive.

[twustafarian]

Can't Osborne use some of his trust fund to bribe potential poll respondents to say they want to vote Tory?

[YMT]

Unsurprising, but we've seen hardly a smidgen of Cameron in the media the last few weeks, but conference is coming up, got to make it a corker!

[Sally Roberts]

It could have been a lot worse for us if Labour had been any good! And to those that are saying they've heard nothing from the Conservatives - wait until next week!

[C List and Proud]

Wasn't one tax cut or one speech which "saved" us last year, it was the sight of queues round the block from the branches of Northern Rock, as the impact of that sunk in, people started to switch. Also, the poll which Brown saw before he decided to chicken out was of 100 marginals, where our campaigning was strongest, and that showed us doing far better.

Economic disaster throughout this year has persuaded more people to open their eyes and ignore the spin. Labour have mortgaged the UK just as recklessley as any 4x4 driving, plasma telly watching, spanish apartment owning, NINJA mortgaging family on benefits.

We need to keep attacking Brown's record as a profligate, wasteful, anti-reform Chancellor and PM who created and condoned the regulatory system which got us into this mess.

Having spent £200 billion he didn't have, increasing the National Debt by 50% - and rising - in the process, Brown has no claim to a record of economic competence!

[GB£.com]

Don't worry, Labour are toast.

But it would be wise for Cameron to starting being more than 'not Brown' to avoid doing a Kinnock.

Surely the party of business should be speaking up for the City more to avoid a long-term exodus of business from the Capital to a more commerce-friendly centre?

I'd like to see a robust defence of the City at conference.

Who is going to point out that despite the 'evil short sellers' (remember every short seller needs a willing buyer) being banned, Bradford and Bingley is now on the point of collapse?

How can that be when short-selling is 'to blame'?

[Dominic]

This comes as no surprise as BBC pandering to the Labour Party and the TUC has been non-stop. Every time Andrew Marr interviews any Labour Minister they have a very easy ride. Marr allows Ministers to say what they like unchallenged and his expertise in Politics and Finance is very limited and last Sunday again Brown had an easy ride.
It is clear to everyone this day to day bias which the British taxpayer has had to endure is evident to every body apart from the BBC. Lord Pearson for many years proved the bias of the BBC over Europe and the Labour party follow link http://www.globalbritain.org/BBC/BBC Front page.htm
If the general public had somebody like Lindsay Jenkins ,Fraser Nelson and others exposing this incompetent Government it would bring some credibility back to the BBC, even Andrew Neil gives an easy ride to these incompetent people they call Labour Ministers .At conference this week Hazel Blears in a interview made a statement that interest rates under the Tories went up to 17% and Neil did not challenge this and make it clear to viewers a high rate lasted just hours.
The other factor is as many people have mentioned in all the panic over the last few weeks we have not heard anything from the Shadow Cabinet

[WHS]

Nothing can be taken for granted, and Simon very rightly points out that Labour still has the impression of some moral purpose (which Gordon very astutely pointed up with his "values" speech) - we are still seen as the party of the speculator and the capitalist, Boris Johnson most of all highlighting this with his silly quixotic apologia for these people in the Telegraph the other day.

People still want Government to be active and intervening on our side and that's what Gordon gave them - some might call it socialism but it is not un-Tory for our Government to work for the people.

This is why we need a sombre and thoughtful conference with some hard-hitting announcements, and not triumphant Hooray Henrys blithering on about grinding socialists into the dust or whatever drivel is in vogue this week.

[Sally Roberts]

"But it would be wise for Cameron to starting being more than 'not Brown' to avoid doing a Kinnock."

You are right GB£.Com and I also agree that we should not be afraid to come to the defence of the City as an institution at our Conference.

Our critics tend to say that no one knows what the Conservatives stand for - well next week let's show them how wrong they are!

[Ian Bruce]

To those who feel the Tories have been quiet of late, I have to disagree with their reasons for this. I am confidently of the opinion that there is a convention of not announcing policies / attacking opponents and trying to take air coverage during other parties conferences. What will be interesting is how Labour act next week.

[H K Williams]

I am annoyed that the poll of polls graphic only went up now.
It contains vital information that should go up at the same time as the poll itself.
What went wrong?

[Malcolm Dunn]

Political Betting has an interesting thread on the 'bounces' achieved by all parties after their conferences. It concurs with Tim's comment that it is really only worth examinining the polls after all three conferences have concluded.

[Oscar Miller]

This year's conference will be, if anything, even more pivotal than last year's. If it fails to ignite with the public the Labour conference could really mark the beginning of a comeback for Brown and a turn in the polls. There's good reason to believe Labour grandstanding and negative campaigning backed by the dominant pro-Labour/anti-Cameron media will be out in force. This could turn the tide. On the other hand this could be the moment when Cameron really seals the deal with the public, emerging with an enhanced reputation and consolidating his emerging status as a weighty, serious and formidable leader. We will see.

[Dominic]

To really improve on the polls he general public need to hear at every opportunity how Labour has hurt their Country. Time after time on Question Time and many other programmes Conservative Politicians are to timid and are lacking in knowledge to tear Labour apart.
The following points have hurt the nation’s economy, hurt the taxpayer and prevented them from having the chance of a referendum on our sovereignty all due too New Labour. It should be repeated at every opportunity to the media and if any Conservative Politician is appearing on Radio on TV it should be in their handbag or pocket ready to remind the people of this country just how bad Brown’s Government really is. In interviews over the weekend with various Labour Ministers a question was asked time and time again how many things have New Labour got wrong ?the answer was always the same the eradication of the 10% tax level only.Below is a very long list of failure.
Raid on pensions
Selling of gold reserves at lowest price and announcing it before selling which forced the price down Now Gold at sky high price.
Introduction of HIP’S which put the cost of £500 to every seller and has no interest to mortgage companies.
10% tax level eradicated and new route to compensate with tax credits which will cost a fortune on administration costs.
No referendum on treaty
Not being competitive with company tax which is forcing companies to re locate to other countries
Student fees on education
Highest debt level in Europe
Council tax quadrupled in some areas since 1997
Full rates charged since April on commercial empty buildings.
Very large contribution for all London Boroughs on rates for Olympics
New car tax on old cars which will cost an extra £200 to poorer families
Tax on dividends on Isa’s and Peps introduced
Very high tax on petrol highest in Europe
No change on threshold levels on stamp duty although house prices have become nearly out of reach of first time buyers
Inheritance tax bands have hardly been increased despite massive increases on house prices over eleven years.
Most complicated tax scheme in Europe.
Congestion charges on a very wide band in London with hardly any difference to traffic jams
Small businesses badly affected by congestion charges on borders of entry.
Closure of post offices
To much red tape for businesses of all sizes
Incompetence with private personal data across government departments
Erosion of civil liberties
How many Government and non Government Agencies have been given access to private data and allowed to tap phones?
In a decade or so this Labour government has brought in 3,000 new laws that make ordinary decent people into criminals should they transgress any of them.
They have also destroyed British military hospitals leaving injured servicemen and women on wards of struggling NHS trust hospitals all of them should hang their heads in shame.
On Lisbon “it is one thing to lose your country in times of war, it is quite another to have it donated to a foreign power by your own government”. (Dave Jones UKIP conference October 2007)
ACCESS TO GPs
CLAIM “Whilst a year ago only one in 10 patients had access to GPs at weekends and in the evening, now almost half of all practices are open and by the end of next year the majority will be open even longer.’’ REALITY Until Labour tore up the GPs’ contract we always had access to a GP at the evenings and weekends. But four years ago, that was changed and Labour allowed GPs to opt out of weekend/evening work – while at the same picking up more pay.
GPs’ pay has soared almost 60 per cent since 2004 to an average £111,000. But now they could get even more just for taking back responsibility for out-of-hours care.
PRESCRIPTIONS
CLAIM “For those in our nation battling cancer, from next year you will not pay prescription charges ... and as the NHS generates cash savings in its drugs budget we will plough savings back into abolishing charges for all patients with longterm conditions.’’ REALITY In April, prescription charges rose by 25p to £7.10 in England. In Scotland they fell 25 per cent, from £6.85 to £5 and will be free by 2011.
Wales scrapped charges last year. Scots already have access to free eye care and dental checks, free personal care for the elderly, extra central heating grants and a number of drugs deemed “too costly” for the NHS in England and Wales. No tuition fees
Gravely ill people have been forced to take court action to get access to life-saving drugs. Mr Brown made no reference to these.
NORTHERN ROCK
CLAIM ‘’Our Labour Government saved Northern Rock so not a single UK depositor lost out...We are the party protecting home owners’ rights.’’ REALITY The taxpayer could lose between £450million and £1.28billion from nationalisation of the bank, an adviser has warned the Treasury.
JOB CREATION
CLAIM “When we talk about three million more people in work since 1997 - that’s not just a number, that’s a life that’s been changed - three million times over. REALITY Of the 2.7 million or so jobs created over the past decade, up to 1.5 million are low-skilled posts that have gone to immigrants. Between 700,000 and 1 million are public sector jobs - paid for by the rest of us.
Sir Andrew Green’s Migrationwatch who stated that 2.3 M came into the UK up to 2006 and only 8% from the new East European members of the EU. Sir Andrew said ‘The reality is that those who come and stay are almost entirely from countries subject to immigration control. What we need therefore is effective control. Unfortunately, the government’s much vaunted Points Based System is entirely open ended and simply fails to address the deep public concern on this issue.’
Sir Andrew said the net benefit to Britain was negligible.
They have completely lost control of immigration, the Home Office has lost the equivalent of the entire British army inside their own country (150,000 personnel) - (150,000) failed asylum seekers unaccounted for.

FINANCES
CLAIM “Transparency – all transactions need to be transparent and not hidden.” REALITY More than £110bn of debt has been kept off the national balance sheet, but taxpayers will have to pick up the bill.

Just like in 1979 the Conservative Party will inherit a massive mess with large debt which will take years to sort out.

[Oscar Miller]

Dominic makes some very good points, but I would not advise Cameron to attack Brown and Labour in his speech. Brown was nasty and provocative and it would be easy for Cameron to react with some choice putdowns. He's very very good at that. But on this occasion I'd leave the work of attacking Labour's dismal record to William Hague and George Osborne. DC should rise above that and really lay out Conservative vision, strategy and policy. We want to know what he stands for not what he's against. The charge against him is that he's a novice without substance. He has to take that on and prove the critics wrong. And after the horribly gloomy Labour affair, mendaciously exploiting the financial crisis to gain political capital - it would be good to have something genuinely uplifting as well. The best riposte to Brown in fact would be to snub him entirely as an irrelevance who will soon be gone.

[Cleethorpes Rock]

Cameron doesn't need to tell people what a mess Labour are making of the country- they can see it with their own eyes. It's time to tell peole what we'd do differently. Something along the followig lines wouldn't go amiss:

We're currently borrowing too much and spending too much: We will cut public spending and pay off our debts. We need to learn to live within our means and balance the budget.

We want to cut taxes but have no idea what sort of a mess we'll be in. Labour are currently borrowing on the nation's credit card so they can go on a spending spree to try and save themselves. More borrowing today means higher taxes and bigger bills tomorrow: We will cut taxes, but will only be able to say whichones once we've had a look at the books and done a damage limitation exercise.

[christina Speight]

This thread is about the poll - supposedly!!

The front page has a link to Anthony King in the Spectator =. I beg you all to read it and you'll see what the voters are REALLY thinking.

Just one paragraph --- " Last week respondents were asked to say which party they preferred on 19 issues, and the proportion ticking either ‘None of them’ or ‘Don’t know’ fell only once below a third. In nine instances it rose to 40 per cent or more. The cynics and the quizzical together almost invariably outnumbered those opting for any one party. Similarly, asked last week to say who would make the best Prime Minister, 34 per cent said David Cameron (compared with only 16 per cent Gordon Brown), but 40 per cent said ‘Don’t know’ — a far larger proportion than was ever recorded in the past."

I have repeated here - and some above realise this - The voters can find no reason to vote FOR the Conservatives. The voters merely dislike Brown and Labour. This is not surprising as Cameron never engages in the absolute burning issues but retreats into his ;'touchy-feely' cocoon.

[ChrisD]

Better to read the whole article by Anthony King in the Spectator rather than the one paragraph taken out of context by Christina Speight. It draws a slightly different conclusion than the one she is peddling!

The Tory lead is more solid than you might think

He concludes that "Under present circumstances, a popular vote of confidence in Britain’s entire political class would probably be lost, possibly by a wide margin. Politicians, like bankers, short-sellers and hedge-fund managers, need to attend to their collective reputation."

Considering the damage done to the reputation of politicians as a whole with all the various scandals like cash for honours, combine it with the culture of spin so systemic throughout the years of New Labour, are we that surprised?
I would also add that the continuing economic downturn quite naturally has made many voters more pessimistic about the immediate future.
When Blair came to power in 97' it was a completely different economic picture and that was bound to make people feel more optimistic.

[christina Speight]

ChrisD @1141. Unfortunately for the tranquility of your "comfort zone" the extract I gave was highlighted by Prof: King as the most significant item in the polls. It is not the headline figures (which are volatile) but the underlying distaste for all politicians.

He introduces that section with
----->
"However, one feature of YouGov’s latest findings casts a shadow over all the main parties and, indeed, over Britain’s entire political class. It captures a growing trend, one that has scarcely been noticed.

When people are asked YouGov’s ‘best to handle’ question, they are given the option of refusing to name any political party but of responding either ‘None of them’ or else ‘Don’t know’; and the number of people ticking one or other of those boxes has soared in recent months."
-----

If you wan t to put your head in the sand and rely on ephemeral findings you may get a nasty surprise. An awful lot of people are going to vote Tory grudgingl;y because they have been absolutely NOTHING to vote FOR.

This is dangerous for our nation. let alone the party.

[ChrisD]

Christina, please take the time to reread my post and actually digest the point I was making!

[Nigel Rathbone]

Cetainly the first time I've thought this, and probably the last, but... Christina Speight has a point.

In the period 95-97, not only was Blair massively ahead of Major in the "who would make the best prime minister" responses, the "don't knows" were relatively small.

Cameron is ahead of Brown on the same question at the moment - not too difficult really - but he's still beaten by the "don't know" candidate. This is not impressive.

[Gezmond007]

Posted by: Simon Robinson | September 24, 2008 at 23:51

"I understand the positive view points expressed here, but I have to say that I'm utterly dismayed that Labour can rise 7 points in the opinion polls on the back of Gordon sharing an awkward kiss with his wife, and not collapsing, wetting himself or having an epileptic fit for the duration of his deeply average speech".

This is one of the most disgusting posts I have ever read on this site, It,s rude and very hurtful but especially to people who suffer from Epilepsy . A friend of mine in our office who has Epilepsy was very upset and has posted this comment on a site for people who have Epilepsy which has thousands of hits every week, telling people it came from ConservativeHome.

He says that It backs up the case that the Tory party has not changed and that they are still the nasty party.

I hope that you are happy Mr Robinson , you've done a great job promoting our party, well done !!!

[Sally Roberts]

Gezmond007 you know as well as I do that most Conservatives are not like this! Mr Robinson shame on you! I and I know many other Conservatives will totally dissassociate ourselves from your really horrid sentiments.

[emily]

Presumably you'd like to take this opportunity to disown the posts & comments at Guido Fawkes, if you're so touchy-feely?

[Sally Roberts]

Nothing wrong with being "touchy-feely" as you put it, Emily! I just want people to know that just because one single poster with - it would seem - rather few brain cells - makes comments which would upset people with epilepsy it does not mean we all agree with him! There are plenty of Conservative supporting people who suffer from epilepsy, just as there are many who live with other conditions and I certainly do not want some website for their community thinking we are all heartless nasty people. If that's being "touchy-feely" then I happily plead guilty.

[Votedave]

I would like to encourage all fellow Conservatives to remain positive, and just think if the LibDem conference bounce can come and go so quickly, so can Labour's. This time last year Labour were 11% ahead, and within two weeks that was reversed. Our task is to claw back the lost ground - we have done it and we can do it again!

[christina Speight]

ChrisD at 13:51 "please take the time to reread my post and actually digest the point I was making!"

I did read it but essentially you are trying to explain away something totally unique in opinion polling. You can't do it!

And for heaven's sake all you touchy-feely people who see insults where none are intended and aren't robust enough to ride with them anyway. This party takes its lead from its leader and has gone soft-centred. No wonder people can't find any reasin to vote FOR the Conservative Party.

[Votedave]

And to those who claim David Cameron has nothing to say, just read "Cameron on Cameron" and you will see that he has something to say on any issue you put to him.
He is rightly being circumspect and flexible before he rushes into premature, inflexible election pledges. He will wait till the time comes - unlike Labour who never think things through and steal our ideas.

[Votedave]

An thought-provoking comment made by someone on UK Polling Report":

"The BBC seems to be reporting this poll, it’s on Ceefax at any rate, I can’t find it on the website and domestic politics seem to have disappeared from the main news. I thought the BBC had a policy of not reporting opinion polls. Or does this policy go out of the window when they’re (relatively) favourable to the labour party?"

[christina Speight]

Votedave @1740
Cameron has plenty to say on 'touchy-feely' issues but zero - zilch - nothing on the core issues that will determine the future of our country. He's as wet as can be and totally uninspiring!

Maybe he'll put it all right next week but I doubt it - Oh how I doubt it!

[ChrisD]

Christina, I have not got a clue what you are blethering on about. You don't like Cameron, but then you didn't like him last year and I doubt that will change.
Get over it, take a deep breath and realise that Anthony King was making a wider point about the level of cynicism felt towards politicians in general of all parties by the electorate.
And anyone who is interested in politics is aware of that and the reasons why, and the rot set in long before Cameron became leader of the Conservative party.
I hope that he and some of the other politicians of all parties will start to address this growing problem.

[Gloy Plopwell]

It's a temporary set back for the Lib Dems, and 16% is still better than 12%.
A year ago, some polls were showing Lib Dems with 11%, and very sadly had to decopitate the leader again.
It's on course to overtake Labour by Christmas, and then overtake the Tories next year, crossing over to win a General Election in 2010. That is inevitable, with stupendous momentum.

The Lib dem conference was fabulous, with a stupendous speach by Nick Cleg.

[Roberts]

in Camden (and more generally in North London), Linda Chung is the new councillor for Hampstead Town ward:

Liberal Democrat 1,242 (44.1%, +11.5%)
Conservative 1,114 (39.6%, -6.9%)
Labour 289 (10.3%, -1.0%)
Green 140 (5.0%, -3.3%)
BNP 29 (1.0%, +1.0%)

Majority: 128 (4.5%)
Swing: 9.2% Conservative to Liberal Democrat

[Votedave]

Gloy Plopwell - your old joke is a good one - but the novelty is now rapidly wearing off. Say something different, please.