i: · web viewi2: so the first question. we want to start with the campaign and the first thing...

THE QUALITATIVE ELECTION STUDY OF BRITAIN 2015

Colchester Pre-election Focus Group 3 (full)conducted April 29th 2015

Transcribed Focus Groups Dataset

Version 1.0

Date of release: 5 July, 2016

Principal InvestigatorDr. Edzia Carvalho, University of Dundee

International Co-InvestigatorDr. Kristi Winters, GESIS, Cologne

Research AssistantMarcel Gehrke, GESIS, Cologne

Funded by British Academy and Leverhulme Trust Small Grant SG142740

and supported by Carnegie Corporation of New York, GESIS-Leibniz Institute (Cologne) and University of Dundee

QESB Contacts

[email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

www.qesb.info

‘QESB’qualesb2015 @qualesb

Colchester Focus Group 3

READ ME

Transcribed Focus Groups Dataset Version 1.0

On copyright and attribution

Copyright of this transcript belongs to Dr. Edzia Carvalho and Dr. Kristi Winters. Individuals may re-use this document/publication free of charge in any format for research, private study or internal circulation within an organisation. You must re-use it accurately and not present it in a misleading context. You must acknowledge the author, the QES Britain project title, and the source document/publication.

Recommended citation: Carvalho, E. and K. Winters. 2015. 'The Qualitative Election Study of Britain 2015 Dataset', version 1.0. Funded by British Academy and Leverhulme Small Grant SG142740 and supported by GESIS, Carnegie Corporation, and University of Dundee. Available at: http://wintersresearch.wordpress.com

On the transcription

All participants’ names have been changed and any direct or indirect identifiers removed to protect their anonymity

The transcripts in Version 1.0 do not have enhanced data recovery including non-verbal communication. It includes the basic transcription of words said by participants. The participants have been identified through attribution by the moderator or other participants and by an initial attribution by the investigators. Subsequent versions of the dataset will verify attribution of participants by video identification.

The transcripts in this version also do not include extensive instructions given to participants at the beginning of the groups, introductions by participants, and exchanges between participants and moderators during exercises.

Initial Transcription by: Just Write Secretarial Services, Belfast, Northern Ireland. Contact: [email protected]

Reporting conventions used

We have used ** to indicate words, phrases or sentences which we could not hear.

Italic font indicates we have taken a guess at a word/name etc.

Words in parentheses {} indicate physical gestures or what can be heard on the tape but cannot be clearly articulated into specific words.

Removal of direct and indirect identifiers are set off with + word +

2Transcribed by: Just Write Secretarial Services, Belfast, Northern Ireland. Contact: [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]


2015 Alias Sex

Special Category

Age group Supporter Party Strength Pre Group Post Group Constituency

2015 vote preference

Karl MUnemployed 34-41 N NA NA Colchester 3 Colchester 1 Colchester Y, and party

Patrick M Student 18-25 N NA NA Colchester 3 Colchester 1 Colchester Y, not which partyRobyn F N 18-25 N NA NA Colchester 3 Colchester 3 Colchester Y, not which partyLindsay F N 57-64 Y Labour 4 Colchester 3 Colchester 1 Harwich & North Essex Y, and partyTaylor F Retired 57-64 Y UKIP 4 Colchester 3 Colchester 3 Colchester Y, and partyFred M N 34-41 Y Tory 4 Colchester 3 No Colchester Y, and partyKim F N 42-48 Y Lib Dem 4 Colchester 3 Colchester 3 Harwich & North Essex Y, not which party

Date of focus group: 29 April 2015

Location: University of Essex, Wivenhoe

Moderator 1: Dr. Kristi Winters

Moderator 2: Dr. Edzia Carvalho

Participants:




Table of contentsCAMPAIGN IMPRESSIONS....................................................................................................................10

Robyn..............................................................................................................................................10

Taylor...............................................................................................................................................10

Taylor...............................................................................................................................................10

Taylor...............................................................................................................................................10

Patrick..............................................................................................................................................10

Kim...................................................................................................................................................11

Lindsay.............................................................................................................................................11

Fred.................................................................................................................................................11

Karl..................................................................................................................................................12

Karl..................................................................................................................................................12

MEDIA CONSUMPTION........................................................................................................................12

Patrick..............................................................................................................................................12

Fred.................................................................................................................................................13

Taylor...............................................................................................................................................13

Taylor...............................................................................................................................................13

PARTY LEADER HANDOUT...................................................................................................................13

Taylor...............................................................................................................................................13

Robyn..............................................................................................................................................13

Karl..................................................................................................................................................14

Fred.................................................................................................................................................14

Taylor...............................................................................................................................................14

Kim...................................................................................................................................................14

Lindsay.............................................................................................................................................14

Fred.................................................................................................................................................14

Taylor...............................................................................................................................................14

Taylor...............................................................................................................................................14

Robyn..............................................................................................................................................15

Fred.................................................................................................................................................15

Taylor...............................................................................................................................................15

Taylor...............................................................................................................................................15

Karl..................................................................................................................................................15




Robyn..............................................................................................................................................15

Lindsay.............................................................................................................................................15

Kim...................................................................................................................................................15

Fred.................................................................................................................................................15

Lindsay.............................................................................................................................................15

Robyn..............................................................................................................................................15

Robyn..............................................................................................................................................15

Lindsay.............................................................................................................................................15

Patrick..............................................................................................................................................15

Karl..................................................................................................................................................16

Taylor...............................................................................................................................................16

Lindsay.............................................................................................................................................16

Robyn..............................................................................................................................................16

Kim...................................................................................................................................................16

Robyn..............................................................................................................................................16

Taylor...............................................................................................................................................16

Karl..................................................................................................................................................16

Patrick..............................................................................................................................................16

Taylor...............................................................................................................................................16

Kim...................................................................................................................................................16

Fred.................................................................................................................................................16

Kim...................................................................................................................................................16

Lindsay.............................................................................................................................................16

Taylor...............................................................................................................................................17

Robyn..............................................................................................................................................17

Karl..................................................................................................................................................17

Fred.................................................................................................................................................17

Lindsay.............................................................................................................................................17

Lindsay.............................................................................................................................................17

Robyn..............................................................................................................................................17

Kim...................................................................................................................................................17

Kim...................................................................................................................................................17

Patrick..............................................................................................................................................17

Fred.................................................................................................................................................17




Robyn..............................................................................................................................................17

Robyn..............................................................................................................................................17

Robyn..............................................................................................................................................17

Taylor...............................................................................................................................................18

Fred.................................................................................................................................................18

Karl..................................................................................................................................................18

Taylor...............................................................................................................................................18

Fred.................................................................................................................................................18

Fred.................................................................................................................................................18

Lindsay.............................................................................................................................................18

Taylor...............................................................................................................................................18

Kim...................................................................................................................................................18

Fred.................................................................................................................................................18

Lindsay.............................................................................................................................................18

Lindsay.............................................................................................................................................18

Robyn..............................................................................................................................................18

Kim...................................................................................................................................................18

Lindsay.............................................................................................................................................18

Robyn..............................................................................................................................................18

Taylor...............................................................................................................................................18

Taylor...............................................................................................................................................19

Patrick..............................................................................................................................................19

Kim...................................................................................................................................................19

Fred.................................................................................................................................................19

Taylor...............................................................................................................................................19

Karl..................................................................................................................................................19

Kim...................................................................................................................................................19

Kim...................................................................................................................................................19

Taylor...............................................................................................................................................19

Fred.................................................................................................................................................19

Karl..................................................................................................................................................19

Karl..................................................................................................................................................19

Robyn..............................................................................................................................................19

Patrick..............................................................................................................................................19




Kim...................................................................................................................................................20

Taylor...............................................................................................................................................20

Patrick..............................................................................................................................................20

Taylor...............................................................................................................................................20

Patrick..............................................................................................................................................20

Taylor...............................................................................................................................................20

Karl..................................................................................................................................................20

Robyn..............................................................................................................................................20

Kim...................................................................................................................................................20

Lindsay.............................................................................................................................................20

Karl..................................................................................................................................................20

Fred.................................................................................................................................................20

Patrick..............................................................................................................................................20

TRAPPED IN A LIFT...............................................................................................................................21

Taylor...............................................................................................................................................21

Robyn..............................................................................................................................................21

Robyn..............................................................................................................................................21

Fred.................................................................................................................................................21

Karl..................................................................................................................................................21

Lindsay.............................................................................................................................................21

Taylor...............................................................................................................................................21

Karl..................................................................................................................................................21

Kim...................................................................................................................................................22

Karl..................................................................................................................................................22

Kim...................................................................................................................................................22

Karl..................................................................................................................................................22

Taylor...............................................................................................................................................22

Patrick..............................................................................................................................................22

Taylor...............................................................................................................................................22

Taylor...............................................................................................................................................22

Kim...................................................................................................................................................22

Kim...................................................................................................................................................22

Robyn..............................................................................................................................................22

Karl..................................................................................................................................................22




Fred.................................................................................................................................................23

Fred.................................................................................................................................................23

Fred.................................................................................................................................................23

Patrick..............................................................................................................................................23

Lindsay.............................................................................................................................................23

PARTY CONSIDER VOTING FOR HANDOUT..........................................................................................23

Karl..................................................................................................................................................23

Lindsay.............................................................................................................................................23

Robyn..............................................................................................................................................23

Lindsay.............................................................................................................................................24

Lindsay.............................................................................................................................................24

Lindsay.............................................................................................................................................24

Karl..................................................................................................................................................24

Karl..................................................................................................................................................24

Karl..................................................................................................................................................24

Robyn..............................................................................................................................................24

Kim...................................................................................................................................................25

Patrick..............................................................................................................................................25

Fred.................................................................................................................................................26

Taylor...............................................................................................................................................26

VOTE CHOICE CONSIDERATIONS.........................................................................................................27

Kim...................................................................................................................................................27

Kim...................................................................................................................................................27

Kim...................................................................................................................................................27

Karl..................................................................................................................................................27

Robyn..............................................................................................................................................27

Taylor...............................................................................................................................................28

Karl..................................................................................................................................................28

Taylor...............................................................................................................................................28

Robyn..............................................................................................................................................28

Taylor...............................................................................................................................................28

Patrick..............................................................................................................................................28

Taylor...............................................................................................................................................28

Lindsay.............................................................................................................................................28




Fred.................................................................................................................................................29

Fred.................................................................................................................................................29

DEBATES..............................................................................................................................................29

Fred.................................................................................................................................................29

Karl..................................................................................................................................................29

Karl..................................................................................................................................................29

Kim...................................................................................................................................................30

Robyn..............................................................................................................................................30

Karl..................................................................................................................................................30

Robyn..............................................................................................................................................30

Kim...................................................................................................................................................30

Fred.................................................................................................................................................30

Taylor...............................................................................................................................................31

Fred.................................................................................................................................................31

VOTER REGISTRATION.........................................................................................................................31

Robyn..............................................................................................................................................31

Robyn..............................................................................................................................................31

Robyn..............................................................................................................................................31

Fred.................................................................................................................................................31

Fred.................................................................................................................................................31

OUTCOME PREDICTIONS.....................................................................................................................31

Robyn..............................................................................................................................................32

Fred.................................................................................................................................................32

Taylor...............................................................................................................................................32

Fred.................................................................................................................................................32

Lindsay.............................................................................................................................................32

Robyn..............................................................................................................................................32

Robyn..............................................................................................................................................32

Karl..................................................................................................................................................32




CAMPAIGN IMPRESSIONS I2: So the first question. We want to start with the campaign and the first thing we want to know is what are your impressions of the campaign so far? So in the past we've had people talk about the literature that they have received through the post or people knocking on the door, we've had people talk about specific contact by the parties, the party members perhaps coming or standing in the street and so on, media coverage or maybe just having a conversation with a colleague around the water cooler. So it could be anything or everything. What we want to know is what are your impressions of the campaign so far? And perhaps we can start with Robyn?

Robyn: I suppose of the campaign so far, I can remember, I suppose, the last election and this election are the ones that... And this one in particular I have noticed the extra... You can definitely notice that people are perhaps more engaged because no one seems to know what the outcome is, you know, everyone that I talk to don't seem to remember this happening in a long, long time. So I suppose, I mean, it's difficult, because I have noticed a lot more in terms of election material, leaflets from pretty much all parties in the area. It's difficult because the place where I used to it was pretty much a very safe seat so I didn't really get anything so it's difficult compare, but, you know, having got election leaflets from all different parties, I think it just shows that kind of diversity ?? in this country in terms of the very different parties. So I think that's probably it for me.

I2: Thank you very much. Taylor?

Taylor: I've been a bit disappointed actually, because all I've found is leaflets coming through the door, and I would have thought because this election is so tight somebody might have been bothered to actually come and knock on the door and speak to you. That's what I've been waiting for but I don't think it's going to happen.

I: You've had nobody knock on the door?

Taylor: Nobody has knocked on the door. I just think leafleting, quite frankly, isn't good enough. So that's my feeling; it's quite simple but that's where I stand.

I: You'd like to see a real person?

Taylor: I would most certainly like to see a real person. There's been a lot of coverage and media and it appears, for some reason, I know David Cameron has made a flying visit to Colchester but most of the electioneering, as I see it, is concentrated in the north of the country. There doesn't appear to be very much down here. That's where you're getting the actual personal contact.

I2: Thank you. Patrick?

Patrick: It's kind of weird being a student because no one will knock on your door and you won't get any leaflets because you're student, and I don't watch TV, I don't have a telly because I'm student, so I don't see anything on that, and I don't read newspapers because I do enough reading as it is. So for me it's kind of weird. The only time I really see anything about the election, outside of people talking about academically, is when I go and I see a few billboards in town. I've seen a few posters. I went to the football yesterday and I saw two or three but nothing big. It's quite strange




because I grew up in Redding, which was a very marginal constituency, (constituency removed), and there you'd see a massive wash of colours when you were going around the town. But I haven't really seen that in Colchester. So for me, I was actually talking to someone today and it was like "have you seen very much about the election?" Unless you went and sought it out it didn't really seem like it was happening. Maybe that's more my fault for not been a very engaged person.

I2: It's your impression and that valid.

I: Some people have also been saying that as well so you're not alone; we've heard from a lot of people about the lacklustre, they thought as well.

I2: Thank you. Kim?

Kim: Yes, what have we had through our door? I live in a very, very small village. It's only got a church and a pub, a very rural area, so what I have seen is a lot of billboards set up in farmers' fields for the Conservative candidate, I have seen one or two posters, again in people's gardens, for UKIP. I haven't seen anything for any other party. I've not seen anything for Labour or the Greens or the Lib Dems. The only leaflets that we've had through the door were the Lib Dems, UKIP, and then I was on my doorstep having a conversation with a friend and someone who lives in the village was obviously leafleting for the Conservative candidate and he handed me the leaflet, but I think he twigged we were having a conversation. That's the only human contact. I suppose he would have knocked on the door, I don't know. I don't know whether he would have… I don't know what his role is, I don't know if he's allied to that particular party and he's going to canvass on people's behalf, I don't know. We were living in that house five years ago and we never had anyone knock on the door, but we did get leaflets, I do remember that. And then really my impression is just from what I get that it seems to be wall-to-wall coverage on the BBC news. Every single programme seems to be something about the election. That's about it really.

I2: Thank you. Lindsay?

Lindsay: We've certainly had a lot of leaflets, a lot of leaflets. The village has got several signs up, one Conservative banner but most of them are Labour, and it's the Labour Party that have been going round, I've seen them out several nights. I've seen them out at least five times, and that's just being at the 06:41 at the right time, I think, and they look as if they're having a lovely time. The news has been insufferable, it's been very media... They've been managing the media but also the media have been managing the story, which is tedious. So I think I'd be more interested in party record and history than the rhetoric. It's the first time that I've ever noticed that the party leaders have been in the vicinity. You're right, David Cameron was here recently, Ed Miliband was in Ipswich, but I can't remember when party leaders have been near either of those places.

I2: Thank you very much. Fred, what about you?

Fred: I've seen a lovely face come through the door, like everyone else. I suppose around Colchester I'd say probably the Lib Dems are maybe slightly ahead in the amount of posters that I've seen up. There's a reasonable amount of Conservative and then Labour seems to be like sort of in limited areas. My street's got Tory and Lib Dem posters on it and I've had a visit from both, and it was Bob Russell who came to my door 08:27 (laughter) yeah, I know. When ?? so I spoke to him. So




yeah, that was the surprise. I suppose the media and the sort of campaigns by the parties seem to come out with fairly sort of concrete stuff dividing both of them, and I think as the campaign has gone on they've really concentrated on personalities. And then there's been these ad hoc sort of gimmicks. So the Conservatives today, they're going to have a law about what taxes they can't raise and the Lib Dems have sort of every other day announce a red line that they will negotiate, which is basically just relaunching their manifesto pledges again. So yeah, there's not much sort of actual engagement in the policy, no.

Karl: Like pretty much everyone else said, the leaflet situation has been pretty much overwhelming, to the point where I'm just picking them up and putting them to the side; I'm not even looking at them. When they first started I did take an interest in what they said. It's at a point now where it's just excessive, I think, and it's the same with the media as well, to the point where if it comes on then I'm off, whereas a week or two ago leading up to it, it was quite gentle, it was quite easy, but now I find it's just like a free for all, almost. I've had one visit from Labour, I know he was Labour because I saw his red rosette, but I couldn't get to him in time before he went, because I live in a flat et cetera and I was quite busy at the time. But he left a note to say he had called. But apart from that no other people. I do a little bit of barbering for a friend and there's a lot of talk about election at the moment and really everyone's along the same feeling, everyone's getting bombarded and everyone's just switching off. I think everyone has made up their mind by now. I think it's come to a time where everyone should just get on with their job instead of getting through the media and still carrying on hounding, hounding, hounding. They ain't got not even a week or whatever, a week, so it's crunch time and I think enough is enough sort of thing, just get on with their job. I can imagine the last week is going to be worse so I'm not really looking forward to the last week leading up to the election, to be honest with you. I think Netflix and other stuff is going to come into play, because I'm actually getting bored with it. It's overkill, I think, of information as well. For the average Joe there's a lot of information there.

I2: So for you it's an overkill in terms of just the contact, in terms of the leafleting?

Karl: Like I say, when I first got the leaflets, I started getting leaflets through, I took an interest in them and I was reading about them and I was reading what they had to say, and then it seems that the leaflets are getting more and more wordier and just more and more technical, if you like, and just more and more needy, almost, and I've switched off to it.

MEDIA CONSUMPTIONI2: That is really helpful; thank you very much. So some of you have mentioned the media, and one of the things we would like to know is how you are getting your information. We'll start with the digital media and then we'll go old school media. So in terms of digital media, let's start with the Internet. So by a show of hands how many people use the Internet, you go onto news sites on the Internet to get your news? (Robyn, Kim, Lindsay, Fred and Karl are raising their hands)

I: Patrick, if you happen to be online?

Patrick: It's more say, people on Facebook will make articles and I read them but I won't actually think 'oh, I'm going to go on the BBC today.'




I2: We're coming onto that. How many of you, when you're on these new sites, post comments? So you interact with the comment section? By a show of hands. (Fred raises his hand)

Fred: I want to but I never want to register, go through the rigmarole of giving email addresses and getting bombarded with emails from them. I've been there once, I think it was the BBC, and they bombarded me with 10 or 20 emails a day at least. So unsubscribe, thank you very much, I'll just not bother commenting on stuff in the future.

I2: Thank you. Going back to what Patrick highlighted then, how many of you use Facebook to access information regarding politics or regarding the election?

So if a friend posts a link then you click the link? By show of hands (Robyn, Patrick, Fred and Karl are raising their hands). And how many of you do the same thing with Twitter?

By a show of hands. So I think that's digital. So going now to print media, how many of you get your news from television? (Robyn, Kim, Lindsay and Karl raise their hands)

So not online television but just old school television, watching Newsnight or...? (Robyn, Kim, Lindsay and Karl raise their hands)

Taylor: A little bit.

I2: What about the radio, how many of you use radio for your news? (Taylor, Kim, Lindsay, Fred and Karl raise their hands) And then finally in terms of hardcopy newspapers, print newspapers, either free or bought, how many of you get your news from them? (Robyn, Kim and Lindsay are raising their hands)

Taylor: Can it just be occasional?

I: You could be on the train and see free paper and pick it up.

(several agree)

I2: Thank you very much.

PARTY LEADER HANDOUT I: Thank you for that; that was a great start. So what we'd like to do is continue in the greatness. This is an exercise, it's called First Impressions, it's got pictures of all the leaders, and we'll go through the names in case you can't remember. So there are the seven party leaders that were involved in the debates, the challengers' debate on the leaders' discussion, and what we are looking for is your impressions on this person. So you can respond to the photo, that's fine, but it's more to just… Sometimes people wouldn't know who Leanne Wood would be so we put photos on there. Before we start with the leaders let's do an exercise. So if I said the name Jeremy Paxman what kind of things about Jeremy Paxman pop to mind?

Taylor: Tough interviewer.

Robyn: Argumentative.




Karl: Aggressive

Fred: Abrasive

I: This is perfect. So you're kind of getting a feeling of your reactions to the person, and I think those are all accurate. So the next thing that we want is to also know whether you think these are positive things. So you might think... a good interviewer, obviously, would be positive but maybe you put it as a neutral because it's his standard job, he should be a good interviewer. Or if he's aggressive, you like him to be a little bit of a pit bull, but maybe you don't, so we would like you to tell us which are the positive associations, which ones are neutral and which ones are negative. So we'll give you a few minutes. And we do have a lot of new people, this sheet used to have three party leaders, in 2005 we had three party leaders too but now we've got Nicola Sturgeon for SNP, Leanne Wood from Plaid Cymru and Natalie Bennett, who is the party leader for the Greens.

I2: And it's okay if you don't have a lot to say about any of the party leaders, because we just want your impressions, don't struggle too much.

Taylor: Can you write anything down?

I2: Year, your first impressions.

I: Last time we had people write "who?" next to Nick Clegg but we won't get that this time, I don't think. So I think we'll make a start but you can keep adding things, if you have things that come up during the group and you want to add comments, and what we found is that no matter what your political position is people generally... Someone in the group will have something positive to say about someone, negative to say about everyone and neutral to say about everyone. So we're going to go through and see what your impressions are. We're going to start with the Prime Minister. For every leader we're going to go positive, neutral and negative, and just go ahead and throw out your comments. Obviously you don't have to say everything that's on your sheet, if there's something you prefer not to say in the group, don't feel like you have to. Sometimes what we might do is ask a bit more, can you expand on that, if we are wondering why you used a particular word. So in terms of David Cameron's positives, does anyone have positives that they would like to offer?

Kim: I think he's a good communicator.

Lindsay: He's very clever and he showed himself to be very competent before he came to office. Chris Mellon [??] talks about this upcoming young Conservative.

I: 18:00 Anyone else on positives for David Cameron? Neutrals?

Fred: I had 'gentry' down.

Taylor: I put 'true Tory boy.'

I: That's as a neutral for you because it's... It doesn't give you positive or negative, it's just a description.

Taylor: Yes, it's just a description.




I: Anyone else neutrals? Generally everyone has more negatives. Just as a group you can limit any of them to three on your first go around and let everyone else have a go and then we can always come back. Negatives for David Cameron?

Robyn: Smug. (Lindsay, Karl and Fred are nodding)

I: You had also smug?

Fred: Yeah.

Taylor: Has no idea of reality or how people live.

I: And in terms of the ordinary person, you feel like he's very distant?

Taylor: Absolutely, you don't relate to him at all.

Karl: He's got a kind of arrogance that comes across as negative sometimes, whereas in other people that would come across as just confident. But the little smiles, the little facial movements and stuff, he almost believes in himself too much.

Robyn: I've got 'self-important.'

Lindsay: I've got 'looks after his own.'

Kim: Yes. He moves in privileged circles; that's what he knows.

Fred: I had 'a PR industry.'

Lindsay: And I've also got 'not fussy about the company he keeps.' (Laughter) I'm thinking about the new... You know that 19:36

I: Thanks for that. Next is Ed Miliband, so positives for Ed.

Robyn: I'm not entirely sure, because I put it and then I kind of thought well... I think it's because it's changed as a campaign and everyone else thought he was 20:02 but I'll stick with it.

I: So it's a waning feeling with you, in principle?

Robyn: Yeah. The closer it gets he seems to ??

I: Other positives?

Lindsay: I think he's smart and I think he's got a good track record. As a very young man he was working with IPPR so he's done a lot of policy work before he got involved in politics.

I: Patrick, you were nodding?

Patrick: I think he comes across as a really intelligent guy, a smart bloke.




Karl: He's a bit of a tryer, he tries hard and he's kind of the kid at school who didn't get picked at PE but never really minded. (Laughter) It didn't really bother him; he just brushed it aside and got on with the job.

I: So neutrals for Ed Miliband?

Taylor: I put 'poor public image.'

Lindsay: I put 'ineffective.'

Robyn: I put 'awkward.'

I: Anyone else for neutrals? And then negatives Ed Miliband.

Kim: To me, he seems fake and he's using a persona, he's not genuine and he has a very cringing 21:28

Robyn: The phrase I put down was 'a wet fish.' I don't know if that makes sense.

I: Wet has come up before. Taylor?

Taylor: Cannot be trusted.

I: Other negatives?

Karl: Obviously having to listen to him day in and day out it's that ?? tone. It can be annoying; sorry, it can be.

I: Anyone else for negatives? Patrick, I saw you nodding your head but I wasn't sure if you want to share.

Patrick: I think he's got an untrustworthy side, I just don't find him very relatable.

I: Nick Clegg, positives for Nick?

Taylor: I don't know if this is a positive. I've put 'he's not afraid of the media and has performed well on 22:21 BC on a fortnightly basis.' Would that be a positive? Positive-ish, yeah.

I: Other positives for Nick?

Kim: He has integrity.

Fred: He's prepared to make unpopular decisions.

Kim: He has a heart and he would be a good leader of the country.

I: How about neutrals?

Lindsay: I think he's very clever. That's neutral.




Taylor: I've put 'I do not like policies but I feel that he interviews well,' which is probably a bit like what I said before.

I: Any other neutrals? Negatives?

Robyn: He's a bit of a flip-flopper.

Karl: I find him quite boring and bland, just boring.

Fred: I had 'over-promoted.'

Lindsay: I think he's opportunistic and not to be trusted.

I: Anyone else any negatives for Nick? So moving to the three ladies. So starting with Nicola Sturgeon, any positives for Nicola Sturgeon?

Lindsay: I think she's very quick minded, she's got a good mind and she's very competent.

Robyn: I put 'intelligent.'

Kim: Feisty

I: And that's positive for you?

Kim: Yes. And also 'hard.' I also put that as a positive.

I: Patrick?

Patrick: I put 'strong' which is kind of like the same sentiment, and relatable and quite gritty, that makes sense.

I: Fred?

Fred: I haven't got any positives.

I: Any final...? Neutrals for Nicola?

Robyn: I've got 'focused.'

I2: As a neutral?

Robyn: Yes.

I2: Because she supposed to be focused.

Robyn: Yeah, kind of. I think it's because I also, my other wording there was obsessive, which I put as a negative, and so I think sometimes it coincides... I gave her the benefit of the doubt and gave her focused as a neutral.

I: Then negatives? (Laughter)




Taylor: I've put 'cannot stand this person.' 25:25 'abrasive, anti-English.'

Fred: I had chippy, iconoclastic, crowd pleaser.'

Karl: I can't actually take her seriously, because when she first came onto the political scene a friend made a comment about her looking like Jimmy Cranky and since then every time I look at her there is a conversation about it and I don't actually get to watch the news... Jimmy Cranky comes out every time she's on the TV, "oh it's Jimmy Cranky again," and by that time the news article has passed and you've missed it.

I: Other negatives? Then Leanne Wood, positives for the leader of Plaid Cymru.

Taylor: I just put 'pleasant.'

Fred: Headmistress.

I: As a positive?

Fred: Yeah.

Lindsay: She seems clear in her thinking.

I: Any neutrals?

Taylor: I've put 'does not stand out and only represents Wales.'

Kim: I've put 'I've got no strong feelings about her either way.' (Laughter)

Fred: That's pretty neutral!

Lindsay: Poised.

I: Is that sort of graceful, are you thinking or...?

Lindsay: No, I think she seems to deal with the cut and thrust pretty well, keeps calm.

I: Negatives for Leanne?

Robyn: She's a bit boring

Kim: Yeah, the fact that she's not made an impression on me.

I: Any last negatives? Then moving on to Natalie Bennett, positives for Natalie?

Lindsay: She seems to know her stuff, she seems well informed and she seems sincere.

Robyn: I've got 'believes in what she believes in,' that makes sense.

I: And neutrals?

Taylor: I've put 'eccentric.'




I: Any more neutrals on Natalie? And then negatives?

Taylor: I've put 'gave a dreadful debate on 27:52. Has "head in the clouds" policies.'

Patrick: She seems a bit of an attention seeker, to me.

Kim: I've put 'she's a poor communicator, she sounds nervous, she looks like a startled rabbit.' She disappoints me because I want her to be better than she actually comes over, because I do consider her to be sincere but her performance, I'm always disappointed.

Fred: I had 'second rater and non-entity.' (Laughter) It just seems they got rid of Caroline Lucas, who was reasonably effective, just to give someone a try, which just personifies the Green woolly thinking, and that's the result, they've got a woolly thinking leader.

I: And then finally we're moving on to Nigel Farage. So positives for Nigel?

Taylor: I've put 'answers a straight question with an answer.'

Karl: Seems honest.

Kim: I've put 'very good communicator. He uses everyday language and not political rhetoric.' And I think he poses a threat, and I would see that as a positive.

I: To the establishment to the Conservative party?

Kim: I think to all of them. To be honest, I think he's "the cat amongst the pigeons."

Taylor: You're right.

I: Any other positives?

Fred: I've got 'in touch with his supporters.'

Karl: Represents the working better than most other parties, really.

I: Represents a more connected...

Karl: Yeah, more of the population, the general population, I'd say he represents more general population than any other party.

I: Neutrals?

Robyn: I put 'clever.'

Patrick: I put down 'he's a bit of a 29:56 from Thatcher,' because they know from everything I read, because I read lots of posts about Nigel Farage, because everyone always tells me he's the world's worst person but every now and then the amount of conversations I have about things that Nigel Farage has said, I find myself talking about Nigel Farage more than any other party leader. 30:22. Reading the Daily Mail, it's that kind of thing for me.




Kim: You're absolutely right, because you're not supposed to like him, and if you're an intelligent, politically aware person you're not supposed to like him and yet when he stands up and engages you think, 'do you know what? You've just...' He's not polished and practised and PR-ing like the others. It could be any of them, they all look the same, they all sound the same, they're all saying the same, and he stands there and you think 'oh, I can see why people like you.'

Taylor: I've put 'the media appear to be very negative towards him,' far more than any of the other leaders. They seem to really hone in on UKIP for everything. I think it's very unfair.

Patrick: I think that's 31:17

Taylor: So it might almost be doing him some good in a ?? sort of way.

Patrick: I find myself rooting for him.

Taylor: Yeah, exactly.

Karl: I think politics needed someone like him to come in and shake it up a little bit, and I think he's obviously done a lot of good for politics in general, because before he came along people weren't interested and now he's come along and a lot more people who weren't interested for 20 years ago... Suddenly the younger generation are now getting a lot more interested. Your ears prick up a little bit more when he comes along, because he says it like it is because of who he is, and I think he's got a lot more people's interest.

I: I just want to give one more opportunity, there's been a very good conversation so one final moment for positives before we move on to neutrals. That was neutrals, so then we'll finish off by negatives on Nigel Farage.

Robyn: I've put 'arrogant and loud mouth.' I suppose I would disagree with what you said, in that he comes across as relating… I can relate to him at all, in that his background is not, I don't know, I sort of see as ?? And actually I don't see him as being 32:42.

Kim: I've put that 'his views can be extreme' and I think for me that's a negative. Yeah, I see that as a negative.

Lindsay: I've written 'it's hard to believe he believes what he says.'

Karl: Aggressive, sometimes overly aggressive; I think he's a little bit of overkill in the aggressive part of it. 'I don't give a toss what you think,' kind of thing, that kind of attitude. I think he should tone it down a little bit.

I: Fred?

Fred: I've got him down as 'a reactionary and a pub bore.'

I: Is that it?

Patrick: I put down it's a bit simple, really. It's a bit 33:37, sorry.




TRAPPED IN A LIFTI: So we're going to wrap this up is by asking you another question. So thinking about the seven people whose photographs are sitting in front of you, you are trapped in an elevator for at least two hours, which of these people would you choose to be trapped in the elevator with? Just the one, you have to pick one and then I'll ask you who you would not want to be trapped with. But first, who would you want to spend at least two hours trapped in an elevator with?

Taylor: Would that be because you agree with them politically or because you don't?

I: Both ways. So I'm going to be very unhelpful and tell you either answer is acceptable.

Robyn: I'm going with Ed Miliband because there's a lot of things I would like him to answer that I think the Labour Party... ?? of never ever wanting to support the Labour Party as I believe they represent something, they say they represent something that they don't, and whilst things got better with Ed Miliband I just think there's so much more that they just want, that they're almost too afraid to do and he frustrates me so much that I just want to go why can't you just go for it?

I: You want to corner him for two hours?

Robyn: Yes, basically.

Fred: I suppose just for the entertainment value I'll go for Farage, just to get some conspiracy theories and stuff like that. But given that there's an election on I'd go for David Cameron because I think he's most likely to win and I'd want to bend his ear and say 'have you thought about doing this?' For two hours just grind him down.

Karl: Farage for, like Fred said, the entertainment value. Obviously you're in a lift with someone, you've got to... It's going to be boring otherwise. The conversation can get lost after five minutes. So I think he'd keep it up for two hours, but not just that, I think he'd be the least out of the whole lot of the crew to not be a vegetarian. Obviously you don't want to get stuck in a lift with a vegetarian. (Laughter) Meat-eater; he's a steak man!

Lindsay: I think Ed Miliband. He's got experience of government so I'd be quite interested. The thing you always want to know is what we know is you've got to make compromises, how do you work out those compromises?

I: Taylor?

Taylor: I wouldn't actually like to be stuck in a lift with any of them but David Cameron, not because I like him but because I would try and get across to him what it's been like for the last five years for the majority of people that he says he represents. As I say, I think he's got no idea. I'd want to speak to him about things like why has the average person in the street suffered far more than anybody else because of what happened in our policies? And things like food banks, I mean, the 21st century and we've got food banks. I just find that staggering and I just can't understand why there's not more coverage on things like that.

Karl: Your brave. I personally wouldn't want to do the time after! I'd be afraid of my own actions.




I: Thank you. So Kim and then we'll wrap up with Patrick.

Kim: Interestingly, and just from a personality point of view, it would be Nigel Farage because I think it would be very interesting to have a conversation with him and try and drill down and find out does he really believe some of the stuff. What is that? Is that maybe just a little bit of a gimmick? I don't know, I just think out of the lot of them, in terms of having a conversation with someone who is vaguely human, it would be Nigel Farage.

Karl: Try and figure him out a bit more?

Kim: Yeah.

Karl: That's what I've put. The jury is out, the jury is out on him.

Taylor: It's interesting, he's been more popular than anybody else.

Patrick: I've got Nick Clegg, because the thing about Nick Clegg is he's a strange creature, because you've got all of this spin on him, he's got years and years of PR training, and what I'd really like to do is try and get past that and try and understand what he actually thinks of things, because I actually feel, with the main three leaders, they're too polished. I've no trust in anything they say. That's mainly the reason I didn't watch any of the debates or anything else, because I thought these are things you probably practised for four days in a row with people playing the roles. You pay thousands of pounds for those PR people to say what they're saying. That isn't what you want to say, and I think that's why.

I: Who would you not want to be trapped in a lift with?

Taylor: Nicola Sturgeon

I: And just a few words why.

Taylor: I just honestly think I would probably hit her!

Kim: Ed Miliband, because I just think he's absolutely fake. I don't know what the true person is but he's...

I: You'd just be on your phone the whole time looking for something to do.

Kim: I think he'd just pretend to be just like me and he'd be using this weird language and 'hey, I know all about your life. 'Oh, I don't think you do actually.'

Robyn: David Cameron, just because I just... No one is that important, none of them are, but I just think he believes he is and I just can't cope with that.

Karl: Politics aside, I personally couldn't relate to someone in a lift for two hours, and Eton boy for two hours. I come from an inner-city East London estate and he's just so far from where I was that it's just… After 10 minutes, "do me a favour mate, shut up." That's what I tell them and it would be like I've got nothing… We don't relate. You've not walked in the same shoes and vice versa. That's politics aside. I mean, I'm not even going there, with the politics.




Fred: I guess, I don't know, I suppose Miliband or Natalie Bennett or Nicola Sturgeon.

I: You have to pick one.

Fred: I don't know, I suppose Leanne Wood would be the most boring. So maybe Leanne Wood because... Yeah.

I: But you're not that interested in Wales.

Fred: I am interested in Wales but, you know…

I: Patrick and Lindsay then we'll hand you back over to Edzia.

Patrick: I think Nigel Farage. I think the first five minutes would be excellent. I think the one hour and 55 minutes after that... (laughter)

Lindsay: I don't know, I'm torn. Cameron, okay, they're responsible for a lot of things that I would like them to rectify.

PARTY CONSIDER VOTING FOR HANDOUT I: Thank you guys; that was a really great discussion.

I2: So the next thing that we are going to do is to try and move on from the leaders into the whole issue about the campaign and about your vote and so on, and the way we do that is to try and get you to think about parties that you would consider voting for, and this is one of the sheets that we asked you to fill in at the beginning so if you could bring that up to the front. Essentially, it's about picturing yourself at the voting booth, and if you're at the voting booth at any of the elections, it could be the Westminster election, it could be a local election, which of the seven parties could you see yourself voting for?

Karl: On any election, not just specifically this one?

I2: Any election, and which ones would you see yourself not voting for. So it's a yes and a no. So is there anyone here who has down all seven parties that they would consider voting for? I just have to check; I don't want to skip that. What about six parties, is there anybody who thinks they might consider voting for six of the seven parties? Five? (Lindsay raises her hand) Lindsay, which five would you consider voting for?

Lindsay: The Green party, I would consider voting for, the Labour Party would consider voting for. Bob Russell is a good MP; whatever I think of his party leader, he's a good MP. So Liberal Democrats. Plaid Cymru and Scottish National party, not that I have no option but I think what they're doing locally is good for their people.

Robyn: I haven't put those two but I suppose... And I suppose it's difficult for me to answer one because it's like I'm only ever going to be able to vote for where I am, I suppose 44:19.

I2: And Lindsay, I think you mentioned the Green party and the Labour Party that you would consider voting for. Why them? Is there any specific reason?




Lindsay: I'm most comfortable with their policies, probably more comfortable with Green than Labour but... I'm not completely unstrategic.

I2: And you said you wouldn't consider voting for the Conservative party or UKIP.

Lindsay: No

I2: And again, why?

Lindsay: We've seen what the Conservatives have done for the people they think they're together with, and UKIP... no! (Laughter)

I2: So that was five parties. Anybody with four parties? (Karl raises his hand) Karl, which four would you consider voting for?

Karl: Definitely not the Conservatives, but the greens I've got down. I like some of the things they're about but then there's a lot I don't. But I'd still vote for them. The Labour Party, Lib Dems and UKIP.

I2: And why those three?

Karl: At some point in time I've liked a leader or constituent in that particular party. I'm going back years now. At the moment, obviously I wouldn't even think about voting for Labour but back in the day I might have done. Definitely not the other three. The bottom two, the Welsh and the Scottish, obviously mainly because I don't really get sort of affected by too much media concerning them. I don't read so much political stuff, I've got nothing to do with Wales or Scotland so I'm not really focused and on that. Obviously the rest of them have all tick some boxes at some point during my life.

I2: What about the Conservatives?

Karl: No. Once again, with the Conservatives it's the whole elitist thing. Maybe if I was alive back in the factory days it might have been a slightly different story, but it's just the whole elitist thing, the whole boys club thing, that you've got to be in my club and if you're not my club then you kind of suffer, and some of the things that they've done for the country, it's affected a lot of people I know, not so much me but a lot of people I know. No, definitely not, definitely not them just because of the amount of people that I know that they have affected, and I've seen a lot of rich people get richer as well.

I2: So we are down to three. Anybody with three? (Robyn and Kim are raising her hand) Robyn?

Robyn: So I put the Greens, Labour and Lib Dems. Greens, again, as people said, in terms of some of their policies, I'm probably closest to them in some of them. Are they realistic? No, not at the moment. And would I like 47:40 government? No, not at all. But I almost would like them to be lobbying to try and push forward their… Because sometimes yes, they are looking at the nicer side, thinking everything will be ideal, but perhaps it would be good if some people were pushing... I like the fact that it's 47:58 gender, I suppose. The Labour Party, I find it funny that I've actually ticked yes. Probably less than a year ago if you had asked me that I would have definitely said no. I always




used to see them as to kind of just… Especially under Blair, hateful and so I just never would have gone there. Probably through my boyfriend's, he's Labour Party so he keeps trying and I've said no I hate them, but he's broken them down probably a little bit and I probably would consider them, depending on the area I was in. I do think it certainly got better since Blair, I think it's better than that. The Liberal Democrats, I have voted the Liberal Democrats in the past and I wouldn't again particularly, but then again in this constituency, in Colchester, I probably may well end up voting but I'm undecided at the moment but that could well 49:04. It's kind of the lesser of two evils, I suppose. The 49:08 party, yeah. I come from a pretty privileged background my parents always voted Tory and I've just got a lot of arguments with them about it. It hasn't helped me and I've come from a privileged background, what is it like for people that have come from not privileged backgrounds? The inequality in this country is staggering, so no. And UKIP, I quite like immigrants so I'm not for UKIP, really. I'm okay with the immigration policy in this country so I'm not really… Yeah, no.

I2: And Kim, you had three as well.

Kim: I selected the Conservative party, Green party and Liberal Democrats. The Conservative party, that's one of those things where I'm sort of curious. I'm curious and I could see myself perhaps in certain circumstances voting Conservative mainly because I don't agree with the nanny state and overregulation of people's private lives and things like that. The Green party was the party I cast my first ever vote for and I have a lot of alliance with their general outlook. But in terms of them actually running the country, I don't know. And then the Liberal Democrats, which is my default position, is who I vote for. The Labour Party, no, I wouldn't vote for them at all. Plaid Cymru and Scottish nationalists, I can't vote for them so I just said no, and UKIP, no. I'm slightly curious but no. They are far too extreme, unfortunately. I think some of their little nuggets of common sense are few and far between; they couldn't run a country.

I2: Great, give very much. So that's three parties. I think we have Patrick and Taylor left, and Fred as well. So are you all two parties? Anybody for two parties? (Fred and Patrick are raising their hands) Patrick and Fred. So I shall start with Patrick, which two have you chosen?

Patrick: I've chosen the Labour Party and Liberal Democrats. Generally I'm really not excited about voting in the election. There's nothing that really stands out to me and I'm thinking I'm really, really happy to vote for either. I think the main reason I'm not voting Conservative is because I'm terrified of the prospect of an EU referendum. I think it would literally ruin my life, basically, if we left the European Union. The Green party, again I find them too… I feel like they're trying to get my attention with these really big ideas but they haven't thought them through. I think that's just really irresponsible. I think Labour Party, I don't think they have a really good acumen record, however they are offering a referendum which could kind of ruin the country so, you know, I probably shouldn't vote for them, I guess. Liberal Democrats, again, they're really strong EU. The European Union is really important to me. (Laughter) So yeah, I think they're probably 53:00. I've got big respect for their civil liberties, which is really important to me as an issue. I wouldn't really take Plaid or the SNP, I don't really know what they stand for. I find Nicola Sturgeon, I think she's interesting but I don't know very much about her. She's only come on the scene recently; she came across after the referendum or something. And UKIP, no. I like the EU. (Laughter)

I2: Fred, you have two parties as well.




Fred: Yeah, I've gone for the Conservative party and the Lib Dems. The Conservative party, I just see their role as being sort of cleaning up the mess after Labour and I'm sort of generally sceptical of the effectiveness of government. The Lib Dems, I suppose in the past, when some of the reactionary elements in the Conservative party were more predominant, I've been more liberal but since the stuff the Tories have done on gay marriage and stuff like that, it's sort of brought me round there. I like Bob Russell but I'm a bit disappointed with the Lib Dems that they haven't really taken any pride in being in government. They seem to have been kind of apologetic about what they've done and so I think for that reason, and also because I'm concerned about the Labour Party or a combination of the Labour and the others getting in so I don't think I vote Lib Dems this time. The Green party, definitely not. I'm an environmentalist but I just think their policies are just really devastating to the environment, as well as the economy. Labour, I just think they're about class war. For a while Blair sort of had me a little bit but I just think the way they went about Iraq, including Ed Miliband, who just conveniently wasn't in Parliament but was basically working in the government that was invading Iraq, I just think they're so mendacious. Plaid Cymru, I mean, as far as I can tell they don't actually want to break up the UK, they just want more devolution and that, so fair dues. Half my family are Scottish and I think the Scottish National party are a disaster. I'm really, really worried about their popularity. I really hope the Tories know what they're doing; they've been promoting them and that's slightly concerning for me. UKIP, I just think they're sort of reactionaries. I think they do articulate a view that's not often articulated in Parliament. I'd rather that view was articulated in Parliament and in places like that than [56:17] and people on the streets who can often mop up some of those voices if they're not done in a sort of civilised manner. I would never vote for them.

I2: That was brilliant; thank you very much. That leaves Taylor, you have one party.

Taylor: I'm going to be terribly unpopular, I've actually put down UKIP. And I'll tell you why. I should start by saying the last general election, I went down to vote, because I think that's very important, but actually spoiled the ballot paper and put "none of the above." My views haven't changed. I am so, so disillusioned with the three main parties. To me, they just blend into one and when I've listened to this campaign all they do is actually run one another down, they don't answer a question, they just ask another one. None of the policies of the main parties appeal to me, and I suppose I've put UKIP because they are like the new kids on the block. They've come, they're fresh, I know a lot of people don't like them but I do like Farage. As I said before, he answers a straight question. He's given the three main parties, if you'll excuse the expression, "a kick up the backside", and that's what we need in politics. I'm sorry Patrick but I'm not for Europe. I live in Britain, I want to be ruled by a British parliament, I don't want to be ruled by Brussels and all I see on a regular basis is more and more laws coming into Britain that are not what I voted for. Nobody asked me who I want to vote for in Brussels. So it might be unpopular but that's where I'm going.

I: Well, we had an open discussion space and I feel everybody… We had nodding heads so I don't think you need to feel excluded in any way.

I2: This is what we said at the beginning, we are looking for a diversity of opinion, and that's very, very important to us, because that's why we do this. So thank you very much, Taylor.




VOTE CHOICE CONSIDERATIONS I: Now thinking less specifically about parties 58:46 and thinking more about May 7, so thinking about when you're either going to do a postal ballot and you're going to make your mark or you're standing in the polling booth and you're going to make your mark, what are the considerations that it's going to come down to? Maybe you won't know but just try to imagine what you think is really going to be the thing that moves your hand in one direction? What are you going to be thinking about in terms of where you're going to place your vote? Yeah, go ahead Kim.

Kim: Competent in running the country. So the detail of policies aside, I would have to have confidence that they could actually run the country.

I: Are you thinking more about party or the leader, or a combination?

Kim: I suppose it comes down to the leader, actually, and you're right, in this country we don't vote for the leader, we vote for a party. I suppose actually, even though you've made me say it out loud, I would be looking at the leader and their qualities for running a country.

I: The leader of the party though?

Kim: Yes, even though you're right, we vote for a party.

I: Karl, you're nodding.

Karl: I would pretty much agree with that. I don't specifically go for a party basis, that's why I've got four down and any one of these four could swing me. It's the person in charge of the boat, basically, the captain of the ship. Would I trust that captain? Is he going to do a titanic and sink that ship, is he going to jump off and nick the first lifeboat, is he going to be one of them or is he going to save everyone involved, is he going to be that man that goes down with the rest of us, if it goes down? (Laughter) At the end of the day, can I trust that man? It's all about that man, it's about trust and what they're saying and everything, if they're saying something that they do it. So I look at the bigger picture. I think 'is it possible?' and if I don't think things are possible that they're saying they're going to do then, to me, they're not trustworthy. If you're going to come out with a load of blarney and you ain't going to come up with the goods at the end of the day... So at all about that particular person who is leading that party, so any of these could sway me.

I: So we have leaders, some people do MPs, some people do the party. How about you, Robyn?

Robyn: I think for me this time, coming from where I used to live was a very, very safe seat to one that is perhaps not so, I probably would just go on the 61:29 at the moment, because I have to say, I'm undecided. So I think that's what I've got to go on. There's a slight tactical nature to it in the sense that I would vote Lib Dems to keep the Tory candidate out. So perhaps a slight tactical nature to it though I'm not a huge fan of tactical voting, I have to say, per se, but I probably will end up… That's probably what will come to my mind, and also then probably just the MP for the area, who I think will do a good job. I just don't know, the country as a whole, I just don't know.

I: So Taylor, you kind of touched on it a little bit in the last one in terms of your expressing, but I don't want to skip you so if there's anything else you want to add?




Taylor: No, I suppose... You see, this is a tricky one, because Farage comes across as a strong character. Had it been a very weak person that was leading that party then I probably wouldn't have gone for them. I think it's been a desperate thing for me because I didn't want to have to go again to the voting, ballot box and do what I did last time, and one thing that does make me quite angry about things with UKIP is he is constantly on and on and on about anti-immigration. Nigel Farage is actually married to an immigrant, so I reject that. I just think people don't listen sometimes to what he says. I don't think he is anti-immigration, I just think he's trying to get a more sensible system in place, and what I will say is, I know it's going to be controversial but on a very practical basis you can't have 200,000 to 300,000 people a year, year-on-year, move into live in the UK without it affecting the services. It's got to affect housing, it's got to affect health, it's got to affect education. To me, that's not racist, that's facts.

Karl: It's a small island.

Taylor: Yes, it's a small island; that's what you've got in front of you. I can't understand why people get very upset and can't see the more practical side of things. I don't think he's saying don't come to the UK because you're from overseas, he's just looking at the effect on the services, and I think we are feeling that at the moment.

Robyn: It's not necessarily from him but perhaps from other members of his party.

Taylor: Some of them have been real fruit loops and you think 'oh my God...' No, I accept that; that's fair enough.

I: Patrick?

Patrick: It's not that I don't like the system but the way the coalition is put together, my problem with Lib Dems is I know they're still what I'm voting for. It's not like I can pick up a manifesto, they say these red lines but I don't understand how they work. I maybe wrongly believe that we should retain European membership, EU membership, so if I were to vote for them and they were to go to the Tories and one condition of the coalition was that they had a referendum, that's my vote gone. So I think I'd have to vote Labour just because I have so much uncertainty of how that bargaining process works.

Taylor: Can I ask you, why are you so pro-Europe?

I: Sorry, we've got to... We've got 10 minutes left. It is a fair question but just out of the scope of the election... So we've got Kim, Lindsay and Fred left. So let's just go in order. Lindsay, how about you?

Lindsay: Definitely party, I don't care about the leaders, they change, and you might be voting for one leader and find yourself with another. It's happened. So definitely party, definitely consistency of policy. I don't care about the manifesto. The last election the Lib Dems had a fabulous manifesto and they sold it down the river. So I don't care about the manifesto.

I: Fred?

Fred: I suppose I think the last election it just felt like was the economy stupid, kind of thing, and then this time round, I suppose that's still important but I guess I generally feel for the parties and




probably in some ways a negative, like I'd rather vote for this one than any of the others rather than necessarily I support all their policies. It's the least worst option.

I: Fred, you hit a nerve. I didn't want to cut you off.

Fred: I think that pretty much sums it up.

I: Did I miss anyone?

I2: So as Kristi said, we have nine minutes on the clock.

I: We can maybe got a little bit over, if you guys don't mind.

DEBATES I2: And we have a few questions so I thought we'd start with the debates, and I don't know how much you have watched. It's not important that you've watched it, what we want to know is what you think about the debates in general. So should debates continue being a part of the general election campaign, are they a good thing? So maybe, through a show of hands, those who think that the leaders debates are a good thing and should continue. So two (Kim and Karl) and a half (Robyn), and the rest I'm guessing don't think that the leaders debate should continue.

Fred: Or ambivalent [67:47]

I2: Okay, let's start with Karl, and Kim I think you raised your hand. Why you think the debates are a good thing, and then we'll come to Robyn.

Karl: It's another channel to get the word out there. For the normal guys in front of the TV and nothing on the box, "what's on?" "Oh, there's a debate on." And if he's sitting on the fence about a lot of things... There's a lot of my friends go to work day-to-day, they don't care about politics day-to-day, they don't care, they'll know that we're going to get hurt some way or another, it's going to be the lesser of two evils, like Dan said. So I think, yeah...

I2: It's easy for them to access politics?

Karl: Access politics, yeah. It's one media. A lot of people don't pick up newspapers these days because they've got the Internet. I used to buy newspapers back in the day, for years, for many years, the Internet came along, it's all on my phone now. Even though I don't read the newspapers on my phone it's all sorts of other media channels, because we've got access to it. So I don't really read newspaper so much these days so I would watch a debate, and my friends are pretty much like that, because it's easy, it's there and you can watch it with your tea, do it when you're having your dinner, they always put on around that sort of time as well, so it easy listening and it's easy to digest and you can digest a lot from it.

I: How many people agree with that, just by show of hands? (Robyn raises her hand)

I2: Kim, what about you?

Kim: I find it interesting to have them all in the same location at the same time answering the same questions, because I think it threw up, in stark relief actually, the differences and similarities




between the leaders. You saw the ones who stuck out and who were a surprise, like Farage, and then you saw the ones who were all very similar. No, I think they're useful, I find them very interesting and very useful, because otherwise, I mean, I watch things like Newsnight and Question Time and they very rarely battle with each other. You may get Farage on Question Time with a sprinkling of other people but to have him in the same room with the same questions up against all the others, his peers, I suppose, I found that more interesting to watch, actually.

I2: Robyn?

Robyn: I agree with what they both said there, I think it does help working people to engage and things 70:50. I was pretty bored by the last one, ?? I would be happy for just one. Personally I would quite like to see more of them in terms of hearing them ?? actually out and about in the country but it doesn't seem to be they do that anymore. I seem to have missed that era, unfortunately. It would have been nice for that, but I suppose as the second-best, I do think it does bring people in towards that and at the very least I think it makes people talk about it. I certainly know that any of my friends, even people I know who aren't particularly engaged, they go 'well, I switched it on for five minutes and then I switched it off.' And another one would go 'why did you switch it off?' And they would go... At least they're talking about it, to some extent, more than perhaps they would have done.

Karl: It brings it into the front room, doesn't it?

Robyn: Yeah.

Kim: But I agree that you probably only need one; you don't need to keep rehashing it.

I2: And for those of you who didn't think that the debates were a good thing?

I: I know I'm American, you can say presidential... (laughter)

Fred: I was going to say, the Nixon Kennedy one where Nixon forgot to put any make up on and lost, no one's ever really lost or won a debate because they are so attritional. Basically, the whole goal is just not to say anything wrong. I suppose Nick Clegg got a vague "I agree with Nick" thing last time round didn't really count for much in terms of votes, and I think you've got the Prime Minister's question time once a week, you've got the adversarial Houses of Parliament where there is plenty of room for debate and discussion. I agree with Robyn, the older, when he had John Major on his soapbox, John Prescott punching people, Kinnock in his Sheffield rally going crazy, I thought those kind of elections... Or what they do in the States with the town hall meetings and I think from the states where they do primaries for each.. I'd much rather see something like that we could have a primary for your MP. I know it costs a lot but I think that would be a much better way of having more local hustings and stuff like that. It's a night of TV, I suppose. I was literally out for all of them and I wasn't bothered, I didn't tape them or anything. So I don't think they're really adding much value to the election.

I: Can I ask, if the debates were the party leaders have to stand there and defend the policies or the manifestos, answer specific questions about how does your manifesto pledge your policy on this, solve the problem, and they had to speak, not just on whatever they wanted to, they couldn't go off




script, they had to actually defend what was in their platforms, would you be more interested in hearing all seven positions on funding for the NHS?

Taylor: Yes, absolutely.

I: We'll go yes first and then no. So people who would like to hear a manifesto? ( Robyn, Patrick, Kim, Lindsay and Karl are raising their hands) And then no? (Taylor and Fred are raising their hands)

Fred: I think it would be dry and I think it would just be so contested as well, because even if they say 'you claim you're going to do this,' and they'll say 'what did I say on this?' I just think it would just be too contested. You'd need a judge.

VOTER REGISTRATION I: Did anyone have the experience of using new voter registration system? We're working with the Electoral Commission, because it implemented a new individual level registration online.

Robyn: I think I kind of did, because I moved. Yeah, I must have done.

I: Did you get a letter?

Robyn: Yeah, I did. I wasn't really aware of it because I ticked a box and just sent an email and it was just so easy that I'm not really aware if I did. I assume I must have done because I registered when I moved.

I: So no big problems that you remember, obviously?

Robyn: No.

Fred: I've always been registered at my address, was I there for the previous general? But I've voted in local or European elections at that address and then all of a sudden get an envelope through saying 'no one is registered at this address.' And I'm like 'that seems strange.' It was just a case of filling the thing in again and then sending it off and then I got my polling card. But I don't know if that was part of...

I: But you didn't do it online?

Fred: No, I just filled it in and... I think... I forget now. But I thought it was strange that I had to be unregistered, because that must have disenfranchised people, I would have thought.

OUTCOME PREDICTIONSI: It's the morning of May 8 you're about to turn on the television, or you've been up all night. We want you to put on your prediction hat, your fortune-teller hat and think about what government or what's going to end up after this election. So the most popular ones are some kind of conservative led, either coalition or supply and confidence, or a Labour led coalition or supply and confidence. So just by a show of hands who here thinks that it's going to be the Conservatives...

Robyn: Can I just check, is this what we think is going to happen or what we want?




I: What you think, yes. If you had put money, few had put a tenner on it...

Fred: That's what I was going to say, because I reckon I'll have an outside bet on a Tory five seat majority if you get the odds, but if it's even money I'd go for a Tory Lib Dem coalition or supply and confidence. It depends what odds I'm being offered.

I: Anyone else for the Conservatives? (Taylor, Patrick, Kim, Fred and Karl are raising their hands)

Taylor: I think they might have to go back to the country again later in the year.

Fred: They won't be able to though, will they, because they'll have a fixed term Parliament.

I: But if the government collapses... People who think it will be some kind of Labour led coalition? (Robyn and Lindsay are raising their hands) Lindsay, you're looking pensive, you look like you want to say something.

Lindsay: No. Maybe I just know too many people who are unfortunate, but there's a lot of strong feeling and I think it will get people to the polls.

Robyn: Yeah, that's what I think, although I really don't think there's going to be 78:22. I think if it is Labour ??

I: ??

Robyn: I think there really will be not very much in it and it will be a minority, at best.

Karl: Yeah, they're not going to walk it. No one is going to walk it, I don't think anyone's going to walk it ever again in any election. I think everything's just too tight. For quite a few years everything's just been far too tight.

I: Well, we hope you've enjoyed the night, and we're going to do a post-election focus group so you'll be able to see how accurate you were and your fellow focus groupers were.



i: · web viewi2: so the first question. we want to start with the campaign and the first thing...

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