Mrs Middle England and Those Focus Groups

HenryG Wed Feb 28, 2007 at 06:24:44 PM GMT Print-friendly version Facebook

Jon Cruddas has given an interesting interview with the BBC. As well as revealing he's given up smoking and is learning to surf, he covers the limitations of focus groups in determining policy.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6383069.stm




In the interview Jon talks of the famous Thick Of It episode whereby the Minister's special advisors boil down a focus group to just one person who they believe is 'middle england' to consider a policy on badly behave young people.  The whole plan turns sour when it turns out that the woman (you got that bit wrong Jon) was in fact an actress from The Bill paid by an agency to give what she thinks the 'right views' would be.  

Cruddas draws some parallels with realities of policy formation in the Labour Party.  As a former No. 10 staffer he is one to know.  He notes:

"They just ignore 50 or 60 million people, and end up with one person who dictates the terms of political debate - and that's where we're going."

Now I know that marginal seats are politically significant and I don't think Cruddas is saying that we should ignore these seats. But he is write in saying that if you repeatedly combine a focus on a small number of seats in the south of England with small focus groups of 'swing voters' you do create problems elsewhere from this disenfrachisement.  Lone parent living in poverty in Liverpool - you don't count.  Pensioner in Birmingham who has voted Labour all their life - you're not important.  Young couple from Ebbw Vale - sorry.

Cruddas says:

"We need change, but not through some stylised exercise with 120 people spread around the M25 marginal seats - Harlow, Kettering, Watford - that just doesn't fly."

The logic of this focus group dependency is that political parties are reduced to the role of cheerleaders.  I prefer Jon Cruddas' view that the Labour Party should be leading campaigns in our communities and not act as passive note takers in Travel Lodges.  But what do you think?


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Mrs Middle England and Those Focus Groups | 9 comments (9 topical)

Re: Mrs Middle England and Those Focus Groups (#1)

by Anzi on Wed Feb 28, 2007 at 10:53:39 PM GMT

I have Weetabix for breakfast, I vote Labour & I smoke Marlboro Mediums, but these may not be my preferences in 3 years time.

The bogus electionologists use flawed logic when they assume that most electors retain a brand loyalty. That may hold true over 2-3 years but not over a decade.

Its oversimplified washing powder marketing that will loose us the next election if we are not carefull. When I meet senior MPs they have a air of complacency when challenged about poor performance in opinion polls. They have a blind faith that the swing voters in the marginals are the only people who need to be placated. This is silly. Boundary changes & changes in demographic dynamics mean that the old assumptions of 12 years ago are no longer true. The market segmentation assumed 1997 views & attitudes, they neglect the fact that people have had 10 years to form a view of this government.

I'm sure we'll have jr popping up telling us that blair won 3 elections blah blah blah. In fact the tories lost the last 3 elections & cameron is marketing savvy enough to win the next.


Re: Mrs Middle England and Those Focus Groups (#2)

by NeilF on Thu Mar 01, 2007 at 09:32:41 AM GMT

I agree Anzi excessive use of focus groups can give a sense of complacency because it works entirely on the premise that everyone else who says that everyone else who has traditionally voted for you will continue to do so.  

Increasingly the choice is more complicated than Labour v Tory.  We have nationalists often pitching themselves to the left on social issues, the far right trying to pick up on other insecurities plus the Lib Dems campaigning on everything and nothing. Plus you have the increasing option of people just not turning out to vote through disengagement.  

I think focus groups probably have some minor role somewhere but if they are used then they need to include more than the swing voters.  If we're seeking policy solutions rather than headlines in the Express and Mail focus groups offer little.  People need a clearer certainty of what Labour stands for.  Jon Cruddas helps give that.


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Re: Mrs Middle England and Those Focus Groups (#3)

by JR on Thu Mar 01, 2007 at 12:26:20 PM GMT

Yep I'm here alright. Just for the record, Blair has won us three elections and therefore we should keep what has worked for the next election.

We need a leader who is just as media savvy as Cameron and who looks and sounds in touch with modern Britain. That's why it can't be Brown (nor anybody to the left of Brown).


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Re: Mrs Middle England and Those Focus Groups (#4)

by alsoleeds on Thu Mar 01, 2007 at 03:23:07 PM GMT

JR - why don't you stand. You are impeccably on message, I guess from other posts younger than David Cameron and you seem absolutley sure you have the zeitgesit of the time.

All we need now is 44 nominations - any offers?


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Re: Mrs Middle England and Those Focus Groups (#6)

by JR on Thu Mar 01, 2007 at 09:46:17 PM GMT

I don't think so somehow.

It's not that I'm 'on message', it's what I believe and know is right for the Labour party. Thankfully other people think that too.


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Re: Mrs Middle England and Those Focus Groups (#5)

by grimupnorth on Thu Mar 01, 2007 at 05:15:01 PM GMT

Are  you related perchance to Alan "modern Britain" Milburn?


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Re: Mrs Middle England and Those Focus Groups (#7)

by JR on Thu Mar 01, 2007 at 09:47:46 PM GMT

Well looking to 'modern Britain' sure beats looking back at 'old Britain' and 'old labour' in particular.


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Re: Mrs Middle England and Those Focus Groups (#8)

by Ian G on Mon Mar 05, 2007 at 10:11:04 AM GMT

"Blair has won us three elections and therefore we should keep what has worked for the next election"

But you simply can't run a targettting strategy without people willing to move. In 97 my CLP sent whole coach loads of people to the nearest marginal. Now we'd have trouble filling a mini.

The majorities in our safe seats are declining rapidly. If the current trend continues we won't HAVE any safe seats, while the Tories will have a fair number. At that point we'll be facing a wipeout.

Narrowing the organisational and political focus ever more precisely can only delay the inevetable.


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Re: Mrs Middle England and Those Focus Groups (#9)

by treborc on Tue Mar 06, 2007 at 12:56:27 PM GMT

I have voted Labour for what about 30 years without question, they were my party I belonged to the party, a member, I belonged to a Union the GMB. Would I vote Tory not a hope in hell. will I vote Labour again no, so what will I do like many sit at home.

The fact is Labour has become a party which is run and owed by a group who cannot see past the rose tinted glasses. I was talking in Cardiff The conference and this Labour party  paid member said never in your life have you had it so good.

Unable to find NHS dentist, hospital has just closed it's only been open ten years, ambulance service at breaking point and will refuse to attend unless a doctor orders it. Post offices closed and then the main post office sold off.

doctors working less hours now and getting double wages for working less.

benefits at the lowest since 1948 in real terms, council tax are record levels while the service is the worse since it started. Told now we are thinking of taking the bins collection service out of council tax and charging £5 per bag or bin.

road surfaces are horrendous, fines for everything yet crime is going up and my streets look like a rubbish dump because of MC Donald's.

But the biggest problem for me I no longer trust Labour to tell me the truth.


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Mrs Middle England and Those Focus Groups | 9 comments (9 topical)