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RSS50 per cent think “Bigotgate” was a “storm in a teacup”
Another poll finding conspicuously ignored by the Sun.
By George Eaton Published 29 April 2010 14:50
A significant number of commentators claimed yesterday that Gordon Brown's "bigot" gaffe spelled certain political death for the Prime Minister. The Telegraph's Benedict Brogan claimed, for instance, that the gaffe "might finish off Mr Brown altogether".
But an instant Sun/YouGov poll on the affair suggests that this may not be the case. The tabloid, again using censorship by omission, has chosen not to publish the result, but as Liberal Democrat Voice's Mark Pack helpfully points out, it can be found on the polling group's website.
The survey found that 50 per cent of voters agree with the statement that:
It's a storm in a teacup. Mr Brown was simply trying to let off steam in private. We should not think the worse of him.
While 46 per cent believe that:
Mr Brown is a hypocrite -- saying one thing in public and the opposite in private. Now we know just how much he despise [question truncated on results sheet . . . ]
That half the country believes the affair was a "storm in a teacup" may convince Labour strategists that Brown can safely afford to ignore the issue in tonight's debate (although, if he is tempted to lance the boil this evening, he could worse than lift the text suggested by my colleague James Macintyre).
We'll get a better idea of what this means for voting intentions when the latest daily YouGov survey, the first poll to be carried out in full after the affairs, is published this evening.
Tags: Election 2010
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George Eaton is editor of The Staggers blog
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20 comments
My experience of elections is that the closer election day looms the more people look to their pockets. Bigotgate (gawd 'elp us!) will be far from people's minds. Gordon has to give a Tour de Force perfomance on the Tory's shock and awe assault on the country if they ever got into Number 10. The rest is just background noise.
Ha ha. Wonderful. After all that hyperventilating and tantrum-throwing from the right-wing, blanket TV coverage and acres of hysterial newsprint, half the public still don't give a toss.
Which by default suggests that half the country think it more significant
This just demonstrates how smiling
politicians say one thing and mean
another,constantly lying through their teeth.Isn,t it great when they
get caught out!I would not buy a used toy car from Brown.
The Campaign Show tonight had the most comical moment of this dire media fest. Andrew Rawnsley and Andrew Porter were in triumphalist, catastrophising flow harassing a faltering, apologetic Harriet Harman who looked as if she might fall asleep before our eyes, when the camera went to four voters at a Norwich hustings. In spite of the interviewers disbelief, each and every one said "we've all done it... no of course it won't affect my vote". Cut back to the studio and the discomfort of the journalists who had previously been predicting 'the most significant moment of the campaign' and poor Harriet protesting that what Gordon had done was still serious!
It doesn't matter what the 'survey' says, most surveys reflect skewed nonsense with the result built into the questioning format as a result of who comissions the survey.
More interesting is the simple fact that a member of the public asked simple questions, fairly posed, and Gordon clicked into 'bigot' mode. In private he performed an ad hominem attack - 'she mentioned immigrants, she must be a rascist/bigot/BNP supporter'. Again, honest debate stifled by pathetic, ignorant, US-style, man-not-ball politics.
She also mentioned she was worried about her grandchildren's potential university debts. She thinks about children? Christ, maybe she's a paedo, eh Gord?
Nice try New Statesman.
Yeti, you're a stupid c*nt. We all know it, probably even you know it.
Yeti Killer: great example of ad hominem debate - you're not actually Gordon are you?
'It's the economy, stupid'. Amazing how many times that's always forgotten by those who'd like everyone to be grubbing away in the gutter scoring petty points. Roll on May 6th and let's have this over and done with. At the very least the trolls will go away.
@Karyobin: you're not actually a Tory voter, are you?
@davidk: masterpiece of New Labourism there. You'll be calling for a 'mature debate' next. Top stuff.
@Yeti Killer: see - you're doing it again! A tenner says you're under 30 and were educated under NL. It *is* possible to debate *without* despising your opponent personally you know? Please tell me you understand this, Gordon clearly doesn't.
@Karyobin
LOL. Sorry, you are wrong on so many counts, troll.
@Yeti Killer: and you still can't let the tactic go, can you? What does it matter if I'm a troll? Isn't that what the woman who caused Gordon so much trouble yesterday is/was too? Is that what we label those who we regard ourselves as superior to?
The thing is, you've not actually engaged in *any* debate yet, have you? You spew venom, bile and filth yet say very little.
Won't be able to answer for a while, gotta meeting to go to. Try to think of something to say.
Apparently Churchill once said:
"The best argument against Democracy is a 5 minutes conversation with an average voter".
@Karyobin
You Tory.
Nice try though at forming a coherent argument. You may get there one day. Personally, i try not to spend much time getting a rise from trolls, but sometimes it's fun..
...And the best argument against voting Tory is 5 seconds listening to David Cameron.
A storm in a tea cup indeed. But, has anyone read the tea leaves yet ? !
Nonsense! "Bigotgate" hopefully willstart a chain effect of 'swear & tell"! Marvellous!