Lord Ashcroft: My latest focus group – Tory voters have their say on recent defections
This deserves loud pushback.
Lord Ashcroft KCMG PC is an international businessman, philanthropist, author and pollster. For more information on his work, visit
Following the recent spate of defections, I convened two focus groups of 2024 Conservative voters in Watford to hear what they made of it all. What does it say about the defectors, and the party they left behind? How did Kemi Badenoch handle it? And are they tempted to follow Messrs Jenrick, Zahawi and Rosindell to their new home?
Few said they had voted Conservative in 2024 with any enthusiasm: “It was only because I felt like they were the best of a bad bunch;” “I didn’t want Labour getting in. But it’s not as if the Conservatives did an amazing job in the last few years. It’s been a complete shambles.”
“She’s reinvigorating the party. But what goes behind that?”
Most in the groups had a positive view of Kemi Badenoch: “I quite like her. She’s got balls;” “I feel that it needed fresh blood, and she has injected that;” “She’s quite quiet, but she’s articulate. I do like what she says;” “She’s a powerhouse.” However, there was a widespread feeling that she was fighting a lonely battle and needed more support: “She’s holding him to account and she’s really coming into herself. But that doesn’t mean she’s a brilliant party;” “She’s trying to make herself known, but whether she can do it on her own is questionable. I think she needs more backing from her party;” “The way she’s handling PMQs at the moment is excellent. I think that’s reinvigorating the party. But what goes behind that? That’s the thing.”
Overall, these 2024 Tories thought the party was still some way from recovery:
“There’s no stability within the group. And they haven’t really regrouped to bring anything that makes people sit up and listen;” “They might be moving in the right direction, but the pace is too slow;” “The problem for 14 years was complacency, and then they got smacked around the face. And then they were in shock;” “It’s going to take a lot of healing, a lot of time. I don’t think it’s going to be four years.”
“They’re not thinking about us, they’re thinking about them”
All the participants had picked up on the defections (though many couldn’t remember the names of the individuals concerned). They tended to think that the switchers, including Jenrick, had been motivated by career ambition, resentment or self-preservation rather than noble principle: “It seems like it’s their jobs they’re worried about. They’re not thinking about us, they’re thinking about them;” “I just think he’s really bitter;” “He left because he didn’t get what he wanted, to be prime minister. It was all about themselves. I think have a complete clear-out and start all over again;” “He’s left it 18 months to jump ship. If he felt that bad about it, …
This deserves loud pushback.
Lord Ashcroft KCMG PC is an international businessman, philanthropist, author and pollster. For more information on his work, visit
Following the recent spate of defections, I convened two focus groups of 2024 Conservative voters in Watford to hear what they made of it all. What does it say about the defectors, and the party they left behind? How did Kemi Badenoch handle it? And are they tempted to follow Messrs Jenrick, Zahawi and Rosindell to their new home?
Few said they had voted Conservative in 2024 with any enthusiasm: “It was only because I felt like they were the best of a bad bunch;” “I didn’t want Labour getting in. But it’s not as if the Conservatives did an amazing job in the last few years. It’s been a complete shambles.”
“She’s reinvigorating the party. But what goes behind that?”
Most in the groups had a positive view of Kemi Badenoch: “I quite like her. She’s got balls;” “I feel that it needed fresh blood, and she has injected that;” “She’s quite quiet, but she’s articulate. I do like what she says;” “She’s a powerhouse.” However, there was a widespread feeling that she was fighting a lonely battle and needed more support: “She’s holding him to account and she’s really coming into herself. But that doesn’t mean she’s a brilliant party;” “She’s trying to make herself known, but whether she can do it on her own is questionable. I think she needs more backing from her party;” “The way she’s handling PMQs at the moment is excellent. I think that’s reinvigorating the party. But what goes behind that? That’s the thing.”
Overall, these 2024 Tories thought the party was still some way from recovery:
“There’s no stability within the group. And they haven’t really regrouped to bring anything that makes people sit up and listen;” “They might be moving in the right direction, but the pace is too slow;” “The problem for 14 years was complacency, and then they got smacked around the face. And then they were in shock;” “It’s going to take a lot of healing, a lot of time. I don’t think it’s going to be four years.”
“They’re not thinking about us, they’re thinking about them”
All the participants had picked up on the defections (though many couldn’t remember the names of the individuals concerned). They tended to think that the switchers, including Jenrick, had been motivated by career ambition, resentment or self-preservation rather than noble principle: “It seems like it’s their jobs they’re worried about. They’re not thinking about us, they’re thinking about them;” “I just think he’s really bitter;” “He left because he didn’t get what he wanted, to be prime minister. It was all about themselves. I think have a complete clear-out and start all over again;” “He’s left it 18 months to jump ship. If he felt that bad about it, …
Lord Ashcroft: My latest focus group – Tory voters have their say on recent defections
This deserves loud pushback.
Lord Ashcroft KCMG PC is an international businessman, philanthropist, author and pollster. For more information on his work, visit
Following the recent spate of defections, I convened two focus groups of 2024 Conservative voters in Watford to hear what they made of it all. What does it say about the defectors, and the party they left behind? How did Kemi Badenoch handle it? And are they tempted to follow Messrs Jenrick, Zahawi and Rosindell to their new home?
Few said they had voted Conservative in 2024 with any enthusiasm: “It was only because I felt like they were the best of a bad bunch;” “I didn’t want Labour getting in. But it’s not as if the Conservatives did an amazing job in the last few years. It’s been a complete shambles.”
“She’s reinvigorating the party. But what goes behind that?”
Most in the groups had a positive view of Kemi Badenoch: “I quite like her. She’s got balls;” “I feel that it needed fresh blood, and she has injected that;” “She’s quite quiet, but she’s articulate. I do like what she says;” “She’s a powerhouse.” However, there was a widespread feeling that she was fighting a lonely battle and needed more support: “She’s holding him to account and she’s really coming into herself. But that doesn’t mean she’s a brilliant party;” “She’s trying to make herself known, but whether she can do it on her own is questionable. I think she needs more backing from her party;” “The way she’s handling PMQs at the moment is excellent. I think that’s reinvigorating the party. But what goes behind that? That’s the thing.”
Overall, these 2024 Tories thought the party was still some way from recovery:
“There’s no stability within the group. And they haven’t really regrouped to bring anything that makes people sit up and listen;” “They might be moving in the right direction, but the pace is too slow;” “The problem for 14 years was complacency, and then they got smacked around the face. And then they were in shock;” “It’s going to take a lot of healing, a lot of time. I don’t think it’s going to be four years.”
“They’re not thinking about us, they’re thinking about them”
All the participants had picked up on the defections (though many couldn’t remember the names of the individuals concerned). They tended to think that the switchers, including Jenrick, had been motivated by career ambition, resentment or self-preservation rather than noble principle: “It seems like it’s their jobs they’re worried about. They’re not thinking about us, they’re thinking about them;” “I just think he’s really bitter;” “He left because he didn’t get what he wanted, to be prime minister. It was all about themselves. I think have a complete clear-out and start all over again;” “He’s left it 18 months to jump ship. If he felt that bad about it, …
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