The full results of Ipsos MORI’s latest poll are now available here. We’ve all seen the topline figures by now.
Approval ratings remain pretty much the same – there has been no further slump in government or Brown’s ratings (in fact Brown’s dire net rating of minus 45 is the best he’s had for a couple of months), not any real change in Nick Clegg’s rating. There is even some sympathy for Brown – asked if he is “doing a reasonable job in difficult circumstances” 51% of people agreed.
The most interesting and unusual questions in the survey were a series of open ended questions asking people to say in their own words what they liked or disliked about David Cameron and Gordon Brown. Only 45% of people could find anything at all positive to say about Brown, and the most common positive was his experience – cited by 10% of people, followed by sound judgement (5%), honesty, being a family man, being a strong leader or statesman or his personality, all named by 4% of people.
On the negative front, 79% of people found something to say. The most common criticisms were that he is untrustworthy (13%), indecisive and dithering (12%), being a poor leader (10%), doesn’t keep his promises (7%), don’t like his style (7%), incompetence (6%) and being out of touch (6%). 5% said they disliked everything about him.
Turning to David Cameron, 60% of people managed to think of something positive about him. These were mainly his youth and personality (both cited by 9%), being a family man, ordinary and in touch and being a good speaker (all 8%), being a modern fresh view, offering a change (7%), his image (6%) and being a good leader or a kind and caring man (both 5%).
Turning to Cameron’s negatives, 57% of people found something to criticise. As with Gordon Brown, the most common criticism was that he was untrustworthy (9%), followed by his image, making promises he can’t keep and his “poshness” – all mentioned by 5% of people. After that, 4% thought he was smarmy, 4% pompous and 4% indecisive.
There is nothing particularly surprising in the figures – the images are largely those we would expect (Gordon Brown is seen as an experienced, solid, decent figure… who has made a poor, indecisive leader who people don’t trust and think is incompetent and out of touch. David Cameron is seen as a young, fresh, modern family man… but one who is a bit smarmy and posh) it is always valuable though to have proper open ended questions to get real views, rather than those the fit into the boxes the interviewer offers.