How Conservative Members Rate Coalition Cabinet Ministers

It is common lore at Westminster and beyond that David Cameron and Nick Clegg face more significant problems from their own parties than from their partners in coalition.  This is, of course, because their parties comprise committed activists who tend to be on the more aggressive (or extreme) wing, fighting for policies that are more ideologically pure than any government, coalition or not, can really produce.  One regular indicator of David Cameron’s backyard problems is the Conservative Home website, which today publishes one of its regular Cabinet ‘fan’ tables, where Conservative activists vote on who their favourite minister is.

The top two places go to William Hague and Iain Duncan Smith, two clearly definable right-wingers (although whether the online poll was before or after Hague’s less than welcome recent publicity I’m unsure).  Cameron himself is a mere third place.  Riding high just behind him are Michael Gove, author of the ‘free schools’ policy beloved of the right; George Osborne, presumably as a reward for his more forthright approach to spending cuts; Eric Pickles, increasingly a favourite of the right for taking on the town halls; and, a little more mysteriously, Theresa May.  Ken Clarke, meanwhile, has slid well down the monthly rankings, while his liberal stance on prison reform has become the most unpopular policy amongst Tory activists.  Of the Liberal Democrat Cabinet members, Nick Clegg does well to hold on just below half way, but his four colleagues all languish at the bottom of the table.

The poll is, of course, unscientific and self-selecting – it derives from those who bothered to respond to Conservative Home editor Tim Montgomerie’s email.  Nevertheless, added to the recalcitrant behaviour of Tory backbenchers when voting for the Alternative Vote referendum bill recently, and in the run-up to what may well be difficult party conferences for both party leaders, it makes for an interesting ‘sign of the times’.  Along all of the deep media analysis, such indicators also serve to keep politics students abreast of the wider political conversation both in and between the coalition partners.

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