The Polling being done by Lord Ashcroft is really useful data for those of us wanting to comment on what is happening during this election.
The Blog and details of the lastes polling here – http://lordashcroftpolls.com/2015/04/parties-cant-change-in-four-weeks-what-theyve-failed-to-change-in-five-years/#more-11246
The case made here is that put simply most of us have pre concieved ideas of the strengths and weaknesses of the parties and we make up our minds based on these rather than detailed policy announcements. They simply add to the mood music. As regular readers will know this fits in with my blogs on the Lakoff Book – Don’t think of an Elephant. We all think in ‘Frames’ and detailed policies are ont the reason we vote for a party.
If you look at the detailed questions you will see, as Ashcroft points out, that is is a fight between those who like Labour to care and be passionate about people like them and things like the NHS v the feeling that the Tories can take the ‘tough’ or ruthless decisions and manage the money better.
Probably this is why people are so undecided this time in 2015. There is no clear direction and overwhelming argument for either based on a nervousness for the future. If as the Tories have clained the eocnomy is ok, they might be able to risk Labour caring better than the Tories – or find the risk too great if it isn’t quite as repaired as the Tories claim. They are finely balanced for much of the electorate from my conversations.
View from the Margins 