Ed Balls spanks Osborne in the polls
1:11 pm - June 13th 2012
| Tweet | Share on Tumblr |
The latest Ipsos Mori has this startling finding:
Prior to his Budget statement in the House of Commons, George Osborne and Ed Balls were neck-and-neck in the public’s eyes, but now 29% say they think Mr Osborne would make the most capable Chancellor compared to 37% who prefer Mr Balls.
This gives the Shadow Chancellor a lead of 8 points.
However, this lead comes more at the expense of Mr Osborne rather than significant gains by Mr Balls. Since March, Mr Osborne is down 7 points while people saying “neither” is up 7 points.
When asked whether they like Mr Osborne and/or his policies, just under half of the British public say they do not like George Osborne (47%) compared to around a third (36%) who say they do like him.
54% say they do not like Mr Osborne’s policies while only three in ten (29%) say they do like his policies.
Breaking it down, it found 31% of Conservative voters don’t like him now; same for 47% of Liberal Democrats.
| Tweet | Share on Tumblr |  |
Sunny Hundal is editor of LC. Also: on Twitter, at Pickled Politics and Guardian CIF.
· Other posts by Sunny Hundal
Story Filed Under: News
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
Reader comments
Did Ed commission this poll himself?
“Did Ed commission this poll himself?”
A classic example of denial in the face of an unwanted fact!
It was carried out for that famous hotbed of Labourism, the London Evening Standard. Although the commissioner doesn’t matter given that it was done by an independent organisation and the questions don’t appear loaded.
Or to put it another way, Osborne trails his party’s support by 2 points, while Balls trails his by 3. Hardly a ringing endorsement of either, I’d have thought.
The words Balls, spanks and Osborne are not words one wishes to see in a headline if queasiness is to be avoided
It is indeed a startling finding, because Balls is a singularly unappealing character regardless of his political views.
@ 4
“The words Balls, spanks and Osborne are not words one wishes to see in a headline if queasiness is to be avoided”
Seconded!
Anyone would look good next to George Osborne. Whenever Ed Balls says anything he always seems to be scoring party political points rather than saying anything of substance.
As UK Polling Report notes – this is not a particularly surprising result – with other polls (Yougov) finding similar scores.
Basically Balls has remained about steady but Osborne’s credibility has been falling following the botched budget and the ongoing economic collapse.
Lynne: HE’S THE FUCKING OPPOSITION, THAT’S HIS JOB.
Labour seem to have hit upon a good solution here. An unappealing but extremely point-scoring man goes up against an overpromoted dislikeable lightweight with all guns blazing, allowing the leader to look reasonably competent and statesmanlike by comparison. At the end of it, Balls wins Labour loyalty points that’ll keep him high up in the party for life, but ends up(/remains) too disliked to ever challenge for PM.
Osborne is a singularly terrible chancellor. Only post election euphoria and a spot of rightwing propaganda kept him above economist trained Balls in the polls.
Osborne always was clueless. The data now drowns out the diversionary mooing from his Tory fan club in the press.
I don’t think we can set much store by polls but this result must bruise Mr Osborne more than being spanked with a wet towel by a cocaine fuelled dominatrix.
Gideon is well matched by his Shadow Chancellor, they are both bl##dy hideous.
Osborne is a singularly terrible chancellor.
Hardly. History is liberally scattered with dismal chancellors – Lamont, Barber, Maudling, Selwyn Lloyd & Churchill to name only the most prominent Tories.
The Tories are scared of Balls. That is why they tried their hardest to defeat him at the last election.
36% of people actually like George Osborne. Really, 36%!?!?!?!
That seems obscenely high. I could imagine George Osborne family and friends almost liking him, but that’s not 36% of the country.
I knew it that’s the problem with politics the dam leaders go around spanking each other.
Reactions: Twitter, blogs
-
Lee Hyde
Ed Balls Spanks Osborne in the [not with a, that's important] Polls http://t.co/vfMnhQgT /by @sunny_hundal via @libcon ft @edballsmp
-
Jonny Taylor
OH MY MIND'S EYE RT @sunny_hundal Ed Balls is now spanking Osborne in the polls http://t.co/OacP0LiS
-
sunny hundal
From the afternoon: Ed Balls spanks George Osborne in a new public poll http://t.co/PaVCIQg5
-
Pete Phillips
From the afternoon: Ed Balls spanks George Osborne in a new public poll http://t.co/PaVCIQg5
-
House Of Twits
RT @sunny_hundal From the afternoon: Ed Balls spanks George Osborne in a new public poll http://t.co/oUpBEYti
-
Foxy52
From the afternoon: Ed Balls spanks George Osborne in a new public poll http://t.co/PaVCIQg5
-
Clive Burgess
From the afternoon: Ed Balls spanks George Osborne in a new public poll http://t.co/PaVCIQg5
-
BevR
From the afternoon: Ed Balls spanks George Osborne in a new public poll http://t.co/PaVCIQg5
-
Martin Steel
From the afternoon: Ed Balls spanks George Osborne in a new public poll http://t.co/PaVCIQg5
-
Diane Hain
Amazing – Ed Balls is now spanking Osborne in the polls http://t.co/B7s7obAA
-
Cllr Krupesh Hirani
From the afternoon: Ed Balls spanks George Osborne in a new public poll http://t.co/PaVCIQg5
-
Andrew Ajayi
Amazing – Ed Balls is now spanking Osborne in the polls http://t.co/B7s7obAA
-
Aaron Murray
Confused about Cameron focusing on Balls. Polls show he's preferred to Osborne http://t.co/z9UItwn6
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
