Lib Dem Voice has polled our members-only forum to discover what Lib Dem members think of the Coalition Government’s budget, and what you make of the Lib Dems’ and Government’s performance to date. Almost 600 party members have responded, and we’re currently publishing the full results of our survey.
Today we take a look at the performance of the Lib Dems and our leader. First we asked:
Do you think, as a whole, the Liberal Democrats are on the right course or on the wrong track?
- 69% – The right course
- 17% – The wrong track
- 15% – Don’t know / No opinion
This 69% / 17% split gives a net result of +52% of party members in our sample believing the Lib Dems are on the right track. Last month, in July 2010, it was 71% / 19% (+52%). So no real change there: the vast majority of Lib Dem members are generally satisfied with the direction of the party.
But what of Nick Clegg’s leadership? LDV asked:
What is your view of Nick Clegg’s performance as Lib Dem leader?
Here’s what our sample of Lib Dem members told us:
- 18% – Very effective
- 62% – Effective
- 15% – Ineffective
- 3% – Very ineffective
- 2% – Don’t know / No opinion
Net satisfaction = +62%
Overall, then, 80% of members view Nick’s leadership as effective, compared with 18% viewing it as ineffective, a net satisfaction rating of +62%. This compares with +68% in July 2010, so a slight fall in satisfaction, though that figure did represent Nick’s highest ever approval rating among Lib Dem members in our surveys. Almost a year ago, in September 2009, Nick’s net satisfaction rating was +41% (improving to +62% post-conference). By February this year, it had had reached +66%. All things considered, I think he can be satisfied with a +62% rating going into this year’s autumn federal conference in Liverpool.
Here are a selection of your comments:
[The Coalition] was the only option and the best choice for the country, as well as the only way to get Lib Dem policies implemented. I definitely still agree with Nick! But he needs to sharpen up his media presence, making it clear that actions are being taken which cause him to think hard but they are the price of stable government through coalition. The right course “as a whole” but all our ministers need to up their game and show that we are having a significant impact on government. He is an effective leader, but the coalition deal was not good for us as a party, and will damage our reputation with left wing voters. We are losing our core voters because of these actions. He’s Deputy Prime Minister! And he’s getting Lib Dem things done in Government! Bloody brilliant! (and I voted for Huhne.) Not that it’s an easy course but I feel we’re still heading in the right direction. Effective as DPM, but lost sight of him as LD leader We need to maintain an independent voice. We have been silent on too many issues where Tory policy ideas are dominating. He’s done incredibly well to get us this far – but he needs to make more of the position we’re in. Its a mixed bag! Most days i feel both proud and disapointed – I wonder how long I can keep that up? A few gaffes, and an emerging tendency to come across as sanctimonious. But overall, he’s still politician of the year. Given the confines of his situation and the hostile press he is doing the best he can. A more open approach, stating when he disagrees with certain government policies as he did with Trident last week would help him re-capture his earlier appeal. If all works out he could be the man that really did make a difference – all credit to him for that. We must hold our nerve.
You can catch up on the result of all our LDV members surveys by clicking here.
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9 Comments
OK, I am a member of the Labour Party and you can take this with as big a grain of salt as you like. My view remains that you had little choice but to enter a coalition – it was right for you and – given the election result – for the country (obviously I would have preferred a different result).
But that judgement is based on the idea that you might make a positive difference. But I see precious little sign of it.
You have been so mesmerized by getting a few cherished policies (an AV referendum, the pupil premium, an increase in the tax threshold) taken seriously that you seem to have left your brains behind.
How can you call a government that blithely panders to prejudice (eg over travellers’ sites this last weekend) “liberal”: if Labour had done that you would have (rightly) gone ballistic, now every liberal voice is dumb.
Party politics continues inside a coalition just as it does outside: but you lot seem to be grateful for a few crumbs from the Tory table.
If you want your party to survive – I do: I want that broad liberal-social democratic popular front – then you have to learn to fight.
The first few months of a coalition should be all about unity and stability for the 5 year term of parliament. The news is still all about the coalition not lasting the course and there is a need to get over to the public that we are committed to stick with it. Soon, though, we are going to need to show our difference from the Conservatives by airing our differences in public and demonstrating what we believe in. Once we have got the message across that we will work with the Conservatives despite our differences, we need to make our differences known. The risk if we don’t is that the country will vote for a “proper” Conservative or Labour government next time and ignore us. Timing is key. There’s a long time until the next general election but there will be several local and European elections before then. We need to pick the right time to change from a “unity for 5 years” theme to a “working together but different” theme to build on the party’s credibility.
At least our long-cherished vision of middle of the road complacency hasn’t been lost in the coalition…
I think we’re all guilty of seeing what we want to see, rather than reality – and I think that Labour supporters are just as guilty of that as Lib Dem activists.
Fair point, Grammar Police!
@Grammar Police
I second what you wrote.
i took part in the survey and think the use of the word ‘effective’ skewed the results somewhat. i am increasingly in despair at this right-wing government with limited liberal presence, and am increasingly unhappy with Nick Clegg’s constant 180 degree turns on his own pronouncements (mainly but not exclusively about how awful Tory cuts would be), yet i think he is an effective leader. Do i support him? barely, but yes, just about. Do i like his manner? Not so much anymore. Do i think he’s saying the wrong things? definitely, yes. But i still think he’s effective, after all, he got what seemed like a good coalition deal at the time and may yet contribiute to big liberal ideas being put into law. Still, i don’t like him and i fear he will destroy our party. but yes he is ‘effective’.
The level of self-delusion thats evident in the remarks section is dispiriting. Some party members seem to act as if there are TWO governments running the country, a Libdem government and a Tory government; all we need do is focus on the things that OUR government is doing, all those gleaming Liberal policies being set free to gambol across the nation. But as for what that OTHER government is doing, hmph, just have to let them get on with it, I suppose. People will see what OUR people are doing and congratulate us when its all over.
And monkeys might fly out of my jacksie!
I don’t know if this a “personally abusive comment” and whilst I don’t have a better answer to the coalition, I can’t help thinking that a lot of the people at the top of the Lib Dems ought infact to be in the Conservative Party, probably including Nick “I can’t talk to that rough state school type Brown” Clegg.
The fact seems to be that many of the ruling Liberal Future clique don’t believe in the New Liberal Welfarist vision at all – they are completely classical Liberals and the Conservative Party is the home of such people both in this and the last century.