Abbott emerges as most popular Labour candidate


3:48 pm - May 25th 2010

by Sunny Hundal    


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Diane Abbott was the most popular candidate among a wide range of voters in a poll published today.

It underlines the view that much of the popularity is still defined by public recognition of the leadership contenders.

While Diane Abbott was not as popular among Labour supporters as David Miliband, she was far more popular among Conservative and Libdem voters, a survey by PoliticsHome found.

Only 29% of all voters found the Labour leadership contest ‘inspiring’, with 62% finding it ‘uninspiring’. The figures are almost reversed for Labour voters.

Update
I think it’s pretty cute that Tory bloggers think they’re representative of the population, and will try and skew votes deliberately, so let me explain what is happening here.

If Libdems and Tory voters deliberately wanted to skew votes then they would have voted David Miliband lower and John McDonnell a lot higher. But they didn’t because they aren’t thinking tactically.

Instead, my feeling is that they’re rating candidates based on their profile. Both D Miliband and Diane Abbott have a good profile in the media and hence they’re rated higher. (that isn’t to question Diane Abbott popularity generally of course.)

The obligatory Facebook group to support Diane is here.

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About the author
Sunny Hundal is editor of LC. Also: on Twitter, at Pickled Politics and Guardian CIF.
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Reader comments


1. cjcjc

How could anyone possibly find it “inspiring”?

They must have a pretty low inspiration threshold!

2. Jackart

Ask yourself why exactly she’s popular amongst opposition supporters…

3. Steven

I don’t understand why Diane Abbott would be popular among Tory voters?

4. Rich G

Suggest this article be re-titled “Diane Abbot emerges as most popular Labour candidate amongst people who want to see us die”

5. Adam Ramsay

Interesting.

Though of course, it’s fairly irrelevant – a poll of how popular the candidates are now is no measure of how popular they would be after 5 months, or 5 years, in the job.

I suppose it is a vaguely reasonable measure of those who have been in the spotlight a bit alreay – basically Abbot, and the Milibands. But the idea that enough people know enough about John McDonnell, say, to have formed a strong opion of him yet is difficult to argue.

It is, however, all interesting data – particularly the disparity between Abbott and Miliband between Lib Dem and Labour supporters.

Adam

6. Roger Mexico

These politicshome polls are a bit dodgy because they come from people who’ve opted to join their panel via the website. So it’s a poll of politics geeks – who are the people most likely to watch the Week in Politics; but also who know who the candidates are.

Having said that the figures are supported by the YouGov poll (of normal people) at the weekend, where Abbott had less but was still in second – and this was only just after she’d announced she was standing.

7. Sunny Hundal

I’ve updated the post to explain why I think she is rated that highly

8. Leon

Another way to look at this is only Diane can reach beyond the party core vote…;)

9. blanco

@Steven

Abbott would make Labour lurch so far to the left they’d be out of power for another decade if not more.

10. damon

Diane Abbott is 12 years younger than Menzies Campbell, who was getting a load of abuse a few years ago for being too old to be party leader.
And is about the same age now as when Margaret Thatcher became PM.

11. damon

Margaret Thatcher was 54 when she became prime minister.
Abbott is 56 now.

12. Darren Canning

If supporters of our opponents favour a candidate that may not be the best sign. Michael Portillo, who actually seems to rather like Diane Abbott, jokingly said he hoped she’d win as it would keep Labour out of Power for a decade. Lets let the Labour Party pick it’s leader.

13. Paul Sagar

Sunny Hundal at various points in recent weeks: post-election Labour must not slip into hard-left unelectability.

Sunny Hundal more recently: I am supporting Dianne Abbott.

(Just saying like…)

14. tommy

Abbott as leader is a fantasy.

15. louis vuitton sac

Can I just say what a aid to find somebody who actually is aware of what theyre speaking about on the internet. You undoubtedly know the way to bring a problem to mild and make it important. More individuals have to learn this and perceive this aspect of the story. I cant imagine youre not more fashionable because you positively have the gift.


Reactions: Twitter, blogs
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    RTlibcon Diana Abbott most popular Labour candidate with real people, but still no nominations yet! http://bit.ly/9ZXxW4

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