David Cameron now needs to win over the support of male voters
Posted by Ellee on Nov 7, 2006 in Uncategorized | 18 commentsWinning the hearts of women voters was a tremendous achievement for David Cameron. Latest polls show that 42% of women would vote 
Conservative compared to 30% for Labour if an election was held in three or four years. Men, however, favour Labour under Gordon Brown by 37% to 34% for Tories.
Does this now indicate that it is time to focus more on winning over a larger share of the male vote? Has too much emphasis been given on winning the female vote at the expense of men’s votes?
Will Tony Blair – or his expected heir Gordon Brown – be able to win back female support at the ballot box? Or have they lost their trust for good?
I believe it was the right for David Cameron to appeal to more women. You can certainly never underestimate the power of women and their desire to be heard and listened to. And when they want to be heard, they know how to maximise on this – like the feisty WI women who heckled Blair and the outraged mother Marie Hutchings who challenged him about special school closures.
Tony Blair and Cherie have only themselves to blame for failing to connect with women voters. They ignored their genuine concerns and fears about the safety of MMR, they refused to say whether their baby son Leo had been given this triple vaccine on the grounds of retaining their privacy – despite being the most public couple in the land. It was sheer arrogance and indifference.
Having more women MPs is essential for the Conservative Party’s new bloodline, but it’s only one solution. Women also want to see tough and workable policies which will transform our struggling NHS, failing schools, crime and anti-social behaviour, and and inadequate pensions.They want value for their taxes, affordable homes and, perhaps most challenging of all, a society that is decent and respectful.
I’m confident David Cameron will maintain his increase of women’s votes, particularly if the dour Gordon Brown becomes leader of the Labour Party, a cold and distant politician.
David Cameron now needs to focus on getting more votes from men, who may not buy his line about “hugging a hoodie”, however well intentioned it is. He needs to appear tougher and become a man’s man.
His general appeal will fade away as voters realise that ‘The Emperor isn’t wearing any clothes’.
It’ll be interesting how he can convince men, when one of his first decisions as Leader was to specifically tell hundreds of people (via the A List) they could not be a Tory MP because they were men!
One thing to remember is that there is no block vote for men, women or any other group – and it is dangerous to assume that all women are interested in education or childcare. Having said that, policy areas Cameron needs to work on are those which probably appeal to the ‘male’ voter – foreign policy, which is alsmot a tory-free zone at the moment, as well as tax and spend. I’m sure Tax and spend will come more into focus as the election nears, but we really do need to establish a convincingly Conservative, national interest-centred foreign policy to compete with both Labour’s ‘toughness’ and the Lib Dems’ ‘principles’.
Hi Ellee,
Sorry I’ve not commented in a while.
In chatting to non-political friends I have found that girls love Cameron, but guys do have a harder time liking him.
I’m too young to remember, but weren’t guys hot for Thatcher in the 80s and girls not so?
Mike
Elle, can we expect to see Dave driving around in a Gas guzzler shortly or surrounded by a bevy of buxom blondes!?!
But seriously, Cameron should be more concerned that the Conservatives attract so few voters aged between 25 and 40 rather than try to chase the elusive ‘male’ vote!
I take a pretty neutral political stand, but I think that there is a big consensus that Mr Brown has done a pretty awesome job as Chancellor.
Anything that Gordon has actually done himself (with the exception of BOE independence) as opposed to that which he inherited or gained from outside influence, has been a disaster.
Economic growth has been based on the following foundations:
1) A very healthy economy in 1997
2) Very rapid globalisation – with it falling prices and therefore low interest rates
3) Rapidly growing work force, due to immigration
4) Massive consumer debt, based on low interest rates
5) Spendthrift consumers, banking on rising house prices.
Apart from not completely screwing up, its difficult to see where Gordon deserves credit for this.
Meanwhile, what has he done? Doubled the amount of tax legislation, screwed poor families with complex tax credits and totally mortgaged our future, by destroying our pension system.
Istanbul Tory, yes but you’re biased, you’re speaking as a self-confessed Tory! I’m a neutral! The term “stealth tax” is an emotive term dreamed up to sound scary! The Tories would have to pay for things too – taxes are inevitable! I think when push comes to shove, voters will think of their job security, mortages (interest rate going up admittedly but still very low) and inflation.
I think another generation needs to elapse before the fiasco of Black Monday and the Tories pathetic handling of the economy can be forgotten.
Nonsense. There is absolutely no consensus that “Mr Brown has done a pretty awesome job as Chancellor”.
Explain the deep failures in public services despite Broon taxing and borrowing more? After more than 80 stealth tax rises so far, why are there one million people on hospital waiting lists?The public finances recorded their largest deficit for the first half of a fiscal year since 1993 thanks to a surge in government spending, official figures showed at the end of October. The Treasury borrowed £7.0bn in September 2006, the largest shortfall in funding for a September since modern records began.
And there’s the Council tax. According to the Institute for Fiscal Studies, council tax was the fastest rising tax over Labour’s first two terms.
Remember too that the Chancellor sold 395 tonnes of Britain’s gold reserves between 1999 and 2002, generating $3.5 billion. At current values, he would have generated more than $7 billion (£4 billion).
I look forward to seeing Mr Brown in No 10. I really do…
Welshcakes, you almost make my point for me! I think it is now more or less accepted that on the key issues (health, education, law & order, etc.) there is now very little policy difference bewteen the main parties as they both struggle to gain this notional “centre ground”. So the electorate are obliged to make judgements on ‘image’ and eloquence, as they see it from Prime Minister’s Questions, or sound bytes on the TV.
So would you rather “yawn” at a leader who is competant, or be charmed and scintillated by one who turns out to be useless?
I take a pretty neutral political stand, but I think that there is a big consensus that Mr Brown has done a pretty awesome job as Chancellor.
Personally I think William Hague would have made the best Tory PM in recent years, but he became Leader when Labour was on the crest of a wave and he didn’t stand a chance.
I think women may be more interested in image, which DC is good at projecting, however men want to see more firmness; this can be shown by tackling Blair and Brown in a tough manner where it hurts them.
…You can certainly never underestimate the power of women and their desire to be heard and listened to. And when they want to be heard, they know how to maximise on this…
So true, Ellee. And Jim’s comment above is also true.
I am very pleased that that Mr Cameron’s rebranding of Tory priorities is making a difference. Women were more likely than men to vote Labour in the last three general elections. We desperately needed to turn that figure around. I can’t see the male vote falling for Gordo’s grim political charms. Ah, male voters will not easily forgive the Brown “economic miracle”.
Viewing it all from another country, it’s hard to know what to think. I do remember being immensely proud that it was a group of women – the WI, as you remind us, Ellee – who first saw through Blair publicly. I yawn at the very thought of a Brown government! It would be interesting to know what the men really think of Cameron.
Nigel – excellent point. I do believe that to be the case with the possibility of x marks the spot on that all important day.
I just feel that cameron is a little bit too touchy feely at the minute. I’d like to see him having abit more gumption and generally more presence about him.
Although, it is a long race to the finish and I’m sure the opinion polls will fluctuate many times before the Elections. I think Cameron has some time on his side to get this right but, should really think about making a start on it sooner rather than later. A bit of bull in his muscle is called for I think.
Perhaps this is a polling effect where men won’t openly say they agree with Cameron as he is not seen to be a man’s man but down deep when they have to put a cross on a ballot paper they will vote Tory?
I don’t think men are as interested in “personality” as are women. Women seem to be more influenced by charm than policies. At the end of the day, when the chips are down, and it comes to the crunch, men will vote for whom they trust with the economy. My money is on Gordon Brown (NOT because of any personal political affiliation) for at least one term.
John, Those were my views about policies which women are interested in.
You have picked up on my point, which issues are men concerned about that gives Blair/Brown the lead? Should we rely on a female lead? I imagine our polling data is not genderised (is there such a word?) I do not know of any specific policy areas which men feel David Cameron should follow up on, maybe they do not feel feel it is necessary.
I find it unbelievable that men could prefer Brown – but then that’s probably just my own prejudices coming through.
It would be interesting to find out what the top issues are for men – your analysis suggests that one is crime. But then Gordon Brown has said or done hardly anything on this area of policy so it seems unlikely that he is in the lead because of that.
Is there any polling data out there that tells us what men are actually concerned about, and which explains why Brown might be doing better?