Lib Dem Voice has polled our members-only forum to discover what Lib Dem members think of various political issues, the Coalition, and the performance of key party figures. Over 500 party members have responded, and we’re currently publishing the full results.
Tuffrey set to beat Opik for London mayoral nomination
LDV asked: It’s thought that there are two names who may stand for the London mayoralty as the Lib Dem candidate in 2012: Lembit Opik and Mike Tuffrey. Who do you think you are most likely to vote for?
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10% – Lembit Opik
56% – Mike Tuffrey
18% – I do not intend to vote for either
17% – Don’t know / No opinion
If our survey of members eligible to vote is any indicator, then Lib Dem London assembly member Mike Tuffrey is set to defeat former Lib Dem MP Lembit Opik by a 5:1 margin, and become the party’s mayoral candidate for the London 2012 election.
It’s only fair to say the survey comes with a few health warnings: (1) the sample size was 176, so is more prone to error; (ii) we have not verified if all who said they are eligible to vote in the selection process are actually eligible (although all are Lib Dem members); (3) our surveys are inevitably more skewed towards activist party members, so may not be representative of the wider membership.
You can read more about both candidates, and what they stand for, in these Lib Dem Voice posts:
- Lembit Opik: vote for my libertarian agenda
- Opinion: Why Mike Tuffrey should be our candidate for Mayor of London
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6 Comments
Lib Dem Voice is a very important blog for our campaign, but not necessarily representative of the whole party. This does not correlate with straw polls that I have asked people to carry out, although our team will need to fight hard to win. What Lembit has on his side is a team of supporters who will be campaigning hard on his behalf. The Facebook group hit 1000 members today and we have a young, fun and lively campaign. There is a growing buzz around our group and many new people are joining. Lembit’s team will be working hard to win the nomination.
Ed Joyce
Lembit4London
Personally I’m with Lem. I think our party needs his charisma not to mention the vibrancy that he’d bring to the mayoralty. The mayoral election is a personality contest and we need a candidate who won’t be squeezed out of the contest by Boris and Ken.
I admire anyone who wants to take on this thankless task.
For the sake of the party it cannot be Lembit. Haven’t the Lib Dems lost enough credibility?
If Lembit is the candidate, I will not vote LibDem for Mayor (will for the GLA though of course). That’s how terrible I think he is!
Ed,
1,000 members on the Facebook group, eh? Where have I heard that sort of claim before? Oh yes, during Lembit’s ill-fated Presidential campaign in 2008, when his then Facebook group was press released as support for the notion that he was winning. He wasn’t, as it turned out. Then, as now, most of them weren’t Liberal Democrat members, and even fewer of them will be eligible to vote in the Mayoral selection.
Having been part of Ros Scott’s campaign team in 2008, I saw how people reacted when the thought of Lembit as President was put to them. Since then, he has lost one of the Party’s safest seats, hardly likely to add to his credibility.
Sorry, but until Lembit gets serious, he is unlikely to regain the respect he needs to fulfil his undoubted potential. A quixotic attempt to become our London Mayoral candidate is unlikely to help that process…
“The mayoral election is a personality contest”
No it isn’t. It is primarily a party political contest, alongside the party political Assembly election on the same day.