LDV post-conference members’ survey (1): Nick Clegg approval ratings

Over the weekend, Lib Dem Voice invited the members of our private forum (open to all Lib Dem members) inviting them to take part in a survey, conducted via Liberty Research, asking a number of questions about the party and the current state of British politics. Many thanks to the 200+ of you who completed it; we’re publishing the results on LDV over the next few days. You can catch up on the results of our exclusive LDV members’ surveys by clicking here.

First up, LDV asked: What is your view of Nick Clegg’s performance as Lib Dem leader?

Here’s what you told us (with September’s pre-conference figures in brackets):

Very effective 16% (9%)
Effective 64% (60%)
Ineffective 15% (24%)
Very ineffective 3% (4%)
Don’t know / No opinion 3% (3%)

In total, then, 80% (69% before conference) of LDV-reading party members regard Nick’s performance as effective or very effective, compared with 18% (28%) who do not: a net satisfaction rating of +62% (+41%). This is a huge increase compared with a few weeks ago, thanks presumably to the high profile Nick gained in the party’s conference.

I wrote last month, ‘My guess is that Nick’s standing, both in the party and nationally, will get a conference boost.’ Given the grumbles against the leadership during conference week, I had wondered whether I’d be forced to re-assess my prediction. But no: +62% is the strongest rating Nick has received in any of the members’ surveys LDV has run.

LDV then asked: Who do you think should be Lib Dem leader if, God forbid, Nick Clegg fell under a bus?

I deliberately made this an unprompted free-text answer to see what would be the results. The question was intended to test who is the ‘obvious successor’ should anything unthinkable happen to Nick, rather than to anticipate X years down the line who folk might support when next there’s a vacancy. Indeed, a number of people expressed support for (say) Vince to take over as leader if there were an immediate vacancy, but named other folk they’d consider supporting in the future.

Anyway, the results suggest it would be a two-horse race:

Vince Cable – 34%
Chris Huhne – 26%
Don’t know / No answer – 10%
Charles Kennedy – 6%
Tim Farron – 5%
Steve Webb – 5%
David Laws – 2%
Jo Swinson – 2%
Lynne Featherstone – 2%
Ed Davey – 1%
Paddy Ashdown – 1%
Sarah Teather – 1%

A handful of MPs all received one vote each, as did a certain Millennium Elephant …