Pushed for time, but want to keep up-to-date with how the campaign’s going? Here are today’s must-reads …
(Actually it’s hard to avoid coverage of the Lib Dems today, no matter which paper you pick).
Nick Clegg’s success built on an already incoming tide (John Curtice, Telegraph)
Nick Clegg seized his chance, his appeal summed up by the one-liner, “the more they argue with each other, the more they sound exactly the same”. … Today’s ICM poll for The Sunday Telegraph – much of it conducted just before the leaders’ debate, though some afterwards – confirms that Nick Clegg’s success built upon an already incoming tide. At 27 per cent, the party’s rating is up by six points on last week. … the party has shored up its core support while appealing afresh to uncommitted voters. … Still, there are two more debates and three weeks of campaigning yet to come. Last week ensured the spotlight is now shone on Nick Clegg and his party. But it remains to be seen whether they wilt or prosper.
Nick Clegg nearly as popular as Winston Churchill (Times)
NICK CLEGG, the Liberal Democrat leader who until a few days ago was little known to voters, is now the most popular party leader since Winston Churchill, a new Sunday Times poll reveals. Following his decisive victory in last week’s television debate, Clegg has surged to a higher approval rating than Tony Blair at the peak of new Labour’s popularity. Last night, as the YouGov survey showed that the three parties are almost neck and neck, Labour and the Tories desperately tried to respond to the Clegg phenomenon. The general election has become a genuine three-way contest with the Lib Dems, on 29%, enjoying their strongest support in almost 30 years.
The Lib Dems find you don’t need to spin when you’re winning (Andrew Rawnsley, Observer)
The Lib Dems are keen to capitalise on this boost, but don’t seem entirely sure how, and are wary of the hype for fear that it will set up Nick Clegg to flop at the next debate which he goes into with greatly raised expectations. … The Lib Dem leader disdained the Tory’s attempts to love bomb him during the first debate. Influential voices around David Cameron are telling him to forget any more loving and concentrate on bombing. Their visceral instinct is to go for the Lib Dems as wet on crime, reckless on defence, soft on immigration and in love with Europe. The risk for the Tories is that this lures David Cameron back on to Michael Howard territory and will look like a lurch to the right which is repulsive to the liberal, centrist voters that he needs.
These are the three pieces which caught my eye – which are the obvious ones I’ve missed? Let us know in the comments thread.
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2 Comments
The election has clearly just got interesting. What happens next?
1. The others will come after us. LibDem policies are going to face scrutiny but
a) They bear up to scrutiny – these are not the 1970s – these are well thought out plans and part of a holistic programme. Today the Libdems are full of grade A economists, industrialists, academics and other expert and experienced people to pull together a thought through and credible programme.
b) Scrutiny is good because when you get scrutiny you see what we are actually saying not just the Tory misrepresentation and sound-bite. Eg Trident – we want a relevant and affordable replacement, not just to unilaterally to walk away – and well done to Huhne for not letting Theresa May or, by default, the BBC journo let the Tory spin go!
2. People like the policies. there are plenty of people who like what we are saying about Trident. Plenty of people who don’t like parties who seem to dislike ‘Johnny Foreigner’ much prefer our constructive and considered approach to Europe, immigration and such like. Plenty of people like Cable’s analysis of the economic situaton and the honesty and credibility with which we wish to tacle the issues we face!
3. The view that the next debate plays to our weaknesses is wrong! heard a couple of right wing dinosaurs and hacks on Sky News last night say we were weak on foreign affairs. But wait – our stance on Iraq is poular and closer to what most people think and appears full of wisdom now! The Tories have no credibility on this! our views on Europe are more constructive and discerning than we are given credit for – scrutiny is good here! yes we are positive about Europe. The people who disagree are already supporting UKIP, English Nationalist and Tory. Our grasp of the issues and the big picture is good. The Tories will find this hard given they ned to placate the right but not seem too rabidly right wing. With war it is a difficult issue area for Labour already.
4. There is a big chunk of the electorate for whom we are the best fit in terms of both sentiment and detail! Only they may not all fully realise this or may think we are not a player! All this srutiny and debate helps draw many of those people in and improve our vote!
So I say – do not fear scrutiny – we can stand it! It will draw many people in and contains as many bear traps for our opponents as it does opportunities for them. There IS a choice!
I can anticipate the Tories attacking our proposals for a qualified amnesty for some illegal immigrants, but all we propose to do is to address the current mess largely created by the Tories removal of exit controls. Are the Tories sensible enough to realise that the public will not be impressed with this?