Labour party leader Ed Miliband is still unpopular despite his party's standings in the polls.

Why do people hate Ed Miliband?

Tuesday, September 18, 2012
11:11 AM

On the face of it, the Populus poll carried in The Times today seems like it should be good news for Labour. It put the party 15 points ahead on 45pc, with the Tories hitting a new low on 30pc.

But there was a not so hidden sting in the results; despite the huge amount of dissatisfaction with the government, people still don’t like Ed Miliband.

When forced to choose between the two, 31pc wanted Miliband to replace Cameron at No10, but 60pc wanted Cameron to remain – a four point increase for the PM on a similar survey taken in June.

Of those wanting Cameron to stay 23pc said it was because they were happy with his performance. The other 37pc weren’t satisfied, but said they still preferred him in the top job to Miliband.

Labour might hide behind the headline figures, but this is a serious issue for them. A lot of people vote based on who they want as prime minister, and as it gets closer to an election voters will think more carefully about who they want for the future, rather then just acting on anger with the government.

That suggests that Labour’s lead will soften. Meanwhile the economy will start to recover at some point between now and 2015, which will also start to eat into the Labour lead.

It makes it all the more important for the Labour leader to make this year’s conference, while he has people’s ears, one in which he lays down a marker.

He needs to bring forward some solid policies that people can think about. Otherwise his opposition will continue to be based on his own personality and government unpopularity, neither of which will deliver his party electoral victory.

12 comments

So good I said it thrice!.........sorry!

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Mellow_Yellow

Friday, September 21, 2012
Labour have no solid policies of their own. Miliband, Balls, and co. appear to do very little other than attempt to point score against the coalition. Also Milibands nasal tones have a habit of grating on me....

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Mellow_Yellow

Friday, September 21, 2012
Labour have no solid policies of their own. Miliband, Balls, and co. appear to do very little other than attempt to point score against the coalition. Also Milibands nasal tones have a habit of grating on me....

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Mellow_Yellow

Friday, September 21, 2012
Labour have no solid policies of their own. Miliband, Balls, and co. appear to do very little other than attempt to point score against the coalition. Also Milibands nasal tones have a habit of grating on me....

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Mellow_Yellow

Friday, September 21, 2012
I don't think "hate" is the right word. Miliband beats Cameron in the “understand people like me” factor and was judged best to protect British jobs. If people hated him his party would be nowhere and he would not win in any of these stakes.

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omnishambles

Friday, September 21, 2012
I don't think "hate" is the right word. Miliband beats Cameron in the “understand people like me” factor and was judged best to protect British jobs. If he people hated him his party would be nowhere and he would not win in any of these stakes.

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omnishambles

Friday, September 21, 2012
Milliband is perceived as Old Labour;to may that has connotations of a party dominated by the unions. He's also perceived as having betrayed his own brother over the Labour leadership & therefore not to be trusted

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Paul Radbourne

Thursday, September 20, 2012
Hate is the wrong word to use, we don't like Milliband because he is the Labour "leader". We endured 13 years of his inept predecessors ruining our country and economy we have no desire to repeat that, as a general rule you should never reward stupidity. I moved to Norfolk thinking that "Labour" was illegal here, clearly I am uncharacteristically, wrong!

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Windless

Wednesday, September 19, 2012
I think the term 'hate' in the by-line here is inappropriate. People may not have confidence in him, or may not like him -- but that's not the same as hating him. The issues are more complex that that.

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Trevor Ashwin

Tuesday, September 18, 2012
How long have you got! The trouble with Labour is that there are too many people, including Ed Miliband, still on the front bench who were part of the last administration. Of course people don`t like the Coalition. But Miliband & Co come with too much baggage and Labour needs to find new talent if it is going to succeed at the next election. They also need to set out real policies that don`t try to be all things to everyone. My money is on a minority government. I don`t think Labour or the Tories would want to trust working with the Lib Dems again.

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BG

Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Nice words, political awareness, it comes in various forms. Once again, the EDP failed to mention the sample it was taken of and then attached the word hate in this party political game. A newspaper who has aligned itself to a government of speed dating minority parties, newbies with very little experience and much to hide.

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ingo wagenknecht

Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Has there ever been an opposition party behind in polls during a term out of office? This says more about the lack of political awareness of the average voter, than the popularity or otherwise of political parties or politicians.Little wonder voting requires only an 'X' - about all some voters are capable of.

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Sheila Blige

Tuesday, September 18, 2012