What Lib Dem members say about the party’s direction and Nick Clegg’s leadership

By Stephen Tall | Sun 4th November 2012 - 8:50 am

Lib Dem Voice polled our members-only forum recently to discover what Lib Dem members think of various political issues, the Coalition, and the performance of key party figures. Some 550 party members have responded, and we’re publishing the full results.

Post-conference boost: +23% happy with party’s direction

LDV asked: Do you think, as a whole, the Liberal Democrats are on the right course or on the wrong track? (Comparison with September’s figures.)

There’s a significant recovery in the number of Lib Dem members now satisfied with the direction of the party, up from just +9% in mid-September to +23% this month. That’s the same proportion as we recorded in August, though less than half the +49% recorded as recently as February.

Nick’s leadership ratings recover somewhat, to +8%

What is your view of Nick Clegg’s performance as Lib Dem leader? (Comparison with September’s figures.)

Total satisfied = 53% (+5%)

Total dissatisfied = 45% (-5%)

Nick Clegg will be relieved that satisfaction with him as party leader has climbed from last month’s negative -2% back into positive territory, at +8%. However, this is still his second lowest rating among Lib Dem members since we started our surveys and compares to +38% net satisfaction as recently as February. Given the party leader usually benefits from a post-conference boost, together with his generally well-received apology video, he might have hoped for more of a fillip from Brighton.

Over 1,200 Lib Dem paid-up party members are registered with LibDemVoice.org. Some 550 responded to the latest survey, which was conducted between 28th and 31st October.

Please note: we make no claims that the survey is fully representative of the Lib Dem membership as a whole. However, LibDemVoice.org’s surveys are the largest independent samples of the views of Lib Dem members across the country, and have in the past offered accurate guides to what party members think.

For further information on the reliability/credibility of our surveys, please refer to FAQs: Are the Liberal Democrat Voice surveys of party members accurate? and polling expert Anthony Wells’ verdict, On that poll of Lib Dem members.

The full archive of our members’ surveys can be viewed at www.libdemvoice.org/category/ldv-members-poll

* Stephen was Editor (and Co-Editor) of Liberal Democrat Voice from 2007 to 2015, and writes at The Collected Stephen Tall.

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3 Comments

Chris Carrigan 4th Nov '12 - 9:09am

I think your causality analysis may be the wrong way round. I think the significance of the apology is much greater than conference. The apology deals with an underlying issue with Nick’s leadership which then enables people to feel much beter about the direction of the party which he a leads.
Elizabeth Grant 4th Nov '12 - 4:15pm

Apologies for missing out this time on the survey. I am amazed the party at times does not recognise what we have in Nick Clegg as our leader. I urge members to access the speech Nick Clegg made on Europe at Chatham House which was impressive and highly knowledgeable : http://www.chathamhouse.org/events/view/186909
The Q&A was very informative too.
Tracy Connell 5th Nov '12 - 9:07am

Some people may be holding back until this shares for rights thing is sorted out.