Lord Ashcroft Polls

By Lord Ashcroft

I always enjoy Peter Oborne’s writing. Part of the fun is that you never know what he is going to say next. His latest theory, which he expounds in today’s Telegraph, is that I am using my vast power single-handedly to push the Conservative Party to the right and undermine the workings of the coalition government. Flattering though this portrayal is in some ways (“one of the most influential and potent figures in the wider Conservative movement”, no less), I must point out one or two flaws in his argument.
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By Lord Ashcroft

If you were to ask a representative sample of 1,000 children aged between 11 and 18 when the Second World War began, what proportion do you think would be able to name the right year? How many do you think would know that the Battle of Britain was fought in the air, rather than on land or at sea?

On 28 June, the Queen will unveil a new memorial to honour the 55,573 men of Bomber Command who lost their lives in the Second World War. The prospect of this event prompted me to find out how well we are doing at ensuring that younger generations know about crucial events in their country’s recent history. Some of the results are quite startling.

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By Lord Ashcroft

David Cameron is falling in voters’ estimation. Last weekend YouGov found his net satisfaction rating – the number thinking he is doing well, minus the (rather greater) number who think he is doing badly – is the same as Ed Miliband’s. No survey has put Miliband ahead on the question of who would make the best prime minister. Nevertheless, the latest figures are causing angst in Tory circles.

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