Conservative Party's image among the public takes a hit
Ahead of the Conservative Party Conference, the latest Ipsos poll shows what the public thinks of the three main parties.
The public view the Conservative Party in a more negative light than they did a year ago with significant falls in the proportion who say the Conservatives have a good team of leaders and understand the problems facing Britain (both down 9 points). At the same time, they are also seen as more divided (up 13 points) and more out of date (up 9 points) than a year ago. They are also seen as the most extreme party (29% compared to 18% for Labour and Liberal Democrats).
The Conservatives strongest point is being seen as fit to govern (5 point lead over Labour).
Labour are seen as the party most likely to understand the problems facing Britain (14 point lead over the Conservatives) and look after the interests of people like me (16 point lead over the Conservatives). They are also seen as less divided than a year ago (down 6), although their ratings on having a ‘good team of leaders’ and being ‘fit to govern’ are little changed.
The Liberal Democrats are seen as the most divided (65%) and the least fit to govern (21%) of the three main parties. They are also the party least trusted to keep its promises (14%).
Gideon Skinner, head of political research at Ipsos, said:
“The Conservatives have had a difficult year and this latest poll reveals that their public image has also suffered. Two of their key strengths, that of being a party fit to govern with strong leaders, are under threat from Labour, although they still just hold the edge.”
Technical note
Ipsos interviewed a representative sample of 1,006 adults aged 18+ across Great Britain. Interviews were conducted by telephone 15-17 September 2012. Data are weighted to match the profile of the population.
