wintersresearch.files.wordpress.com · web viewmoderator 2: i'll start at the very beginning...

Glasgow Pre 2

THE QUALITATIVE ELECTION STUDY OF BRITAIN 2015

Glasgow Pre-Election Leaders Debate Focus Group 2conducted May 5th 2015

Transcribed Focus Groups Dataset

Version 1.0

Date of release: 5 January 2015

Principal InvestigatorDr. Edzia Carvalho, University of Dundee

International Co-InvestigatorDr. Kristi Winters, 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 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

1Transcribed by: Just Write Secretarial Services, Belfast, Northern Ireland. Contact: [email protected]

‘QESB’qualesb2015 @qualesb

mailto:[email protected]

Glasgow Pre 2

2015 Alias Sex

Special Category

Age group Supporter

Party Strength Pre Group Post Group Constituency

2015 vote preference

2014 Indyref

Zachary M N 34-41 N NA NA Glasgow 2 Glasgow Glasgow South Y, and party YesLuke M N 42-48 N NA NA Glasgow 2 No Renfrewshire East Y, and party YesThomas M N 18-25 Y SNP 3 Glasgow 2 Glasgow Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock Y, and party YesUna F Student 34-41 Y SNP 4 Glasgow 2 Glasgow Glasgow North Y, and party Yes



Glasgow Pre 2

ContentsCAMPAIGN IMPRESSIONS......................................................................................................................8

Zachary..............................................................................................................................................8

Thomas..............................................................................................................................................8

Thomas..............................................................................................................................................8

Luke...................................................................................................................................................9

Thomas..............................................................................................................................................9

Luke...................................................................................................................................................9

Una....................................................................................................................................................9

Luke...................................................................................................................................................9

Una....................................................................................................................................................9

Luke...................................................................................................................................................9

Thomas..............................................................................................................................................9

Luke...................................................................................................................................................9

Thomas..............................................................................................................................................9

Una..................................................................................................................................................10

MEDIA CONSUMPTION........................................................................................................................10

Thomas............................................................................................................................................10

Luke.................................................................................................................................................10

Una..................................................................................................................................................10

Una..................................................................................................................................................10

Una..................................................................................................................................................11

Thomas............................................................................................................................................11

Una..................................................................................................................................................11

Una..................................................................................................................................................11

Luke.................................................................................................................................................11

Zachary............................................................................................................................................11

Thomas............................................................................................................................................11

PARTY LEADER HANDOUT...................................................................................................................11

Thomas............................................................................................................................................11

Zachary............................................................................................................................................11

Una..................................................................................................................................................12

Thomas............................................................................................................................................12



Glasgow Pre 2

Una..................................................................................................................................................12

Thomas............................................................................................................................................12

Thomas............................................................................................................................................12

Thomas............................................................................................................................................12

Una..................................................................................................................................................12

Thomas............................................................................................................................................12

Luke.................................................................................................................................................12

Thomas............................................................................................................................................12

Thomas............................................................................................................................................12

Zachary............................................................................................................................................13

Una..................................................................................................................................................13

Una..................................................................................................................................................13

Zachary............................................................................................................................................13

Luke.................................................................................................................................................13

Zachary............................................................................................................................................13

Una..................................................................................................................................................13

Una..................................................................................................................................................13

Una..................................................................................................................................................13

Thomas............................................................................................................................................13

Thomas............................................................................................................................................13

Thomas............................................................................................................................................13

Una..................................................................................................................................................14

Zachary............................................................................................................................................14

Luke.................................................................................................................................................14

Una..................................................................................................................................................14

Zachary............................................................................................................................................14

Thomas............................................................................................................................................14

Zachary............................................................................................................................................14

Thomas............................................................................................................................................14

Zachary............................................................................................................................................14

Luke.................................................................................................................................................14

Thomas............................................................................................................................................14

Una..................................................................................................................................................14

Luke.................................................................................................................................................14



Glasgow Pre 2

Una..................................................................................................................................................14

Una..................................................................................................................................................14

Thomas............................................................................................................................................14

Luke.................................................................................................................................................15

Luke.................................................................................................................................................15

Zachary............................................................................................................................................15

Zachary............................................................................................................................................15

Una..................................................................................................................................................15

Luke.................................................................................................................................................15

Thomas............................................................................................................................................15

Luke.................................................................................................................................................15

Una..................................................................................................................................................15

Zachary............................................................................................................................................15

Thomas............................................................................................................................................15

Luke.................................................................................................................................................15

Luke.................................................................................................................................................16

Una..................................................................................................................................................16

Luke.................................................................................................................................................16

Una..................................................................................................................................................16

Una..................................................................................................................................................16

Thomas............................................................................................................................................16

Una..................................................................................................................................................16

Zachary............................................................................................................................................16

Una..................................................................................................................................................16

Luke.................................................................................................................................................16

Una..................................................................................................................................................16

Una..................................................................................................................................................16

Zachary............................................................................................................................................16

Luke.................................................................................................................................................17

Una..................................................................................................................................................17

Luke.................................................................................................................................................17

Thomas............................................................................................................................................17

Una..................................................................................................................................................17

Una..................................................................................................................................................17



Glasgow Pre 2

Una..................................................................................................................................................17

Zachary............................................................................................................................................17

Thomas............................................................................................................................................17

Una..................................................................................................................................................17

Luke.................................................................................................................................................17

Zachary............................................................................................................................................17

Una..................................................................................................................................................17

Luke.................................................................................................................................................17

Thomas............................................................................................................................................17

TRAPPED IN A LIFT...............................................................................................................................18

Una..................................................................................................................................................18

Thomas............................................................................................................................................18

Thomas............................................................................................................................................18

Thomas............................................................................................................................................18

Luke.................................................................................................................................................18

Luke.................................................................................................................................................18

Thomas............................................................................................................................................18

Luke.................................................................................................................................................18

Zachary............................................................................................................................................18

Una..................................................................................................................................................18

Una..................................................................................................................................................18

Una..................................................................................................................................................19

Luke.................................................................................................................................................19

Una..................................................................................................................................................19

Luke.................................................................................................................................................19

PARTY CONSIDER VOTING FOR HANDOUT..........................................................................................19

Zachary............................................................................................................................................19

Zachary............................................................................................................................................19

Zachary............................................................................................................................................19

Zachary............................................................................................................................................19

Zachary............................................................................................................................................19

Zachary............................................................................................................................................19

Una..................................................................................................................................................20

Thomas............................................................................................................................................20



Glasgow Pre 2

Thomas............................................................................................................................................20

Thomas............................................................................................................................................20

Thomas............................................................................................................................................20

Thomas............................................................................................................................................20

Thomas............................................................................................................................................20

Luke.................................................................................................................................................21

Luke.................................................................................................................................................21

Una..................................................................................................................................................21

Una..................................................................................................................................................21

VOTE CHOICE CONSIDERATIONS.........................................................................................................21

Una..................................................................................................................................................21

Thomas............................................................................................................................................22

Luke.................................................................................................................................................22

Zachary............................................................................................................................................22

SNP SWEEP..........................................................................................................................................22

Thomas............................................................................................................................................22

Luke.................................................................................................................................................22

Luke.................................................................................................................................................23

Thomas............................................................................................................................................23

Una..................................................................................................................................................23

Una..................................................................................................................................................23

Luke.................................................................................................................................................23

DEBATES..............................................................................................................................................23

Thomas............................................................................................................................................23

Thomas............................................................................................................................................24

Thomas............................................................................................................................................24

Una..................................................................................................................................................24

Zachary............................................................................................................................................24

Luke.................................................................................................................................................24

VOTER REGISTRATION.........................................................................................................................25

Zachary............................................................................................................................................25

Zachary............................................................................................................................................25

Zachary............................................................................................................................................25

Thomas............................................................................................................................................25



Glasgow Pre 2

Una..................................................................................................................................................25

Thomas............................................................................................................................................25

Zachary............................................................................................................................................25

Thomas............................................................................................................................................25

Zachary............................................................................................................................................25

OUTCOME PREDICTIONS.....................................................................................................................25

Zachary............................................................................................................................................25

Una..................................................................................................................................................26

CAMPAIGN IMPRESSIONS

Moderator 2: I'll start at the very beginning with your impressions of the campaign. So in the past when we've asked people "what are your impressions of the campaign?" we've had a range of responses. We've had people talk about the literature they've got in the post or the people coming knocking on the door, we've had people talking about the conversations that they've had with their family, with friends, with colleagues, we've had people talk about the media coverage of whatever is going on in the campaign, or certain campaign events, contact with the parties. So it can be anything or everything, but we want to know what your impressions of the campaign have been so far. It's fine if they're different or the same to everyone else around them. Maybe we'll start with Zachary?

Zachary: Overall, it seems that there's almost been two campaigns going, one in Scotland and one in the rest of the UK, because you have two completely different situations, I suppose, where here you've the SNP and Labour battling it out, but that seems to have been very difficult for people elsewhere in the UK to come to terms with. So it feels like we've almost been witnessing two elections going on at the same time, and that has been quite interesting to see. It's been a very negative campaign in lots of ways, I think. Although the SNP have been trying to create a sense of hope for people, I suppose, a lot of the campaigning from the other parties has been very negative; "don't vote for them because..." rather than "vote for us because..."

Thomas: I'd totally agree with that.

I: Thomas, what were your impressions? You agreed with some of what Zachary said as well?

Thomas: Yes, I definitely agree that it's been a very negative campaign. But without giving my party bias into it, I do feel that the SNP are trying to lead a very progressive campaign, and from the TV debates there was almost points when Nicola Sturgeon could have gone personal over the leaders, as if they kind of made a mistake and she could have gone for their throat but didn't, I thought anyway. For the overall campaign, I've not had anyone talk to me or anything so I feel it's been ... It's been there and it's been very obvious, through Facebook or whatever. Maybe from friends I get it, more so than any party.



Glasgow Pre 2

Moderator 1: Thank you. Luke?

Luke: I think it's been really long, it seem to have dragged on, it seems to have been going on for ages, and I think that I'll be glad when it's finished, in a way. I agree it has been really negative. I got a letter today, it was produced on behalf of Jim Murphy, which is the area that I live in, and it was a letter from a resident in the area and it was "Dear Neighbour," and it was urging me not to vote SNP. You didn't actually know that it was a Labour Party letter unless you looked at the footnote to see who had produced it.

Thomas: I totally agree with that. Everything has been... there's been a sense of urgency and doom and it's been "don't vote for the SNP” has been all the other parties, as opposed to "they're doing this but we're doing this so why don't you come and vote for us for that reason?" It's definitely been "vote for the SNP and things can go crazy." There's been a real... a lot of fear to it.

Luke: It was they threaten our pensions, our jobs...

Una: Is that what the letter...

Luke: That's what the letter said. There was three things, and I can't quite remember the third, I should have brought it along, but I'll scan it and send it to you.

Moderator 2: You keep it and give it to (academic) in the (university department), because they collect campaign...

Moderator 1: We'll be inviting you guys to the post-election group

Moderator 2: So you can bring it at the post-election group.

MR: Okay. Sorry, I've lost track of that now.

Moderator 2: The campaign, the letter that you got.

Una: The three negative things.

Luke: It was three negative things, jobs, pensions, there was definitely ... the referendum was mentioned in umpteen paragraphs, if I remember right. That was slightly different from earlier Murphy things where he had five pledges, so that has definitely changed over the course of it. I think when they exploited the zero hours contracts things started to go a bit pear shaped for them. I think Murphy at least stopped pledging things to people and just went on the anti SNP campaign.

Thomas: I don't think there's been any big pledges. Maybe I've missed them, been ignorant of the whole thing, but it feels that the big parties have nothing major to offer. The last election, the Lib Dems swept in and got a record number of seats on the free tuition thing, which they ultimately never done, but there's been nothing that would make me want to vote for any of the parties really.

Luke: Maybe they've killed the idea of pledges?

Thomas: Maybe. It's been more tribal in a sense, as opposed to "here's what we can do."



Glasgow Pre 2

Moderator 2: Una, what about you?

Una: Yeah, I kind of agree. I think it's quite interesting, the two election thing and how it's playing out in England. My sister lives in England and I keep asking her her view, she's not wildly political, and the fear there seems to be over the SNP, I find... amusing is a bit rude but, yes, I guess I find it a bit amusing. There seems to be a big fear. She'll talk about the SNP as an extremist party, I think she's partly trying to wind me up, because she knows that I postal voted SNP. But none the less, there's the Nats and the Nationalists, and my parents are English and sometimes they say "God, if they win they're going to be sent back to England in cattle trucks." Okay, they're joking. But for me, I think the specific nationalism that the SNP talked about in the referendum, and is talked about by the SNP, the civic nationality, if you're born here then you're Scottish, it's not a Scottish England, it's not a "we hate the English" and all that kind of thing, but I don't think that's fully come over England and I guess the parties in England don't exactly play that up. But yeah, that's my view. But also I think it's quite interesting, Nicola Sturgeon, how popular she was in those debates. I think that there's a gap for a really left party; people want that but they just don't have it.

MEDIA CONSUMPTIONModerator 2: Thank you for that. In terms of how you are getting information on the campaign, that's the other question that we want to know, how are you keeping up with the campaign, what are you using? Again, to save time, I'll give you a few options and you can raise your hand if you're using this to keep up with the campaign. I'll divide it into digital and non-digital. So, in terms of the digital media you have internet. So how many of you use news sites, online news sites, for information? Zachary, Luke, Una, Thomas raise their hands.

How many of you go to the news sites to get your information? Zachary, Luke, Una, Thomas raise their hands.

On these news sites how many of you either read comments or post comments, articles and so on? Zachary raises their hands.

Thomas: I just read the comments, I never post.

Luke: I'm the same, I don't post anything.

Moderator 2: Okay. Thank you. How many of you use Facebook to get information? So maybe your friend posts a link and you click on it and use it and so on. Zachary, Luke, Una, Thomas raise their hands.

What about Twitter? Zachary, Luke, Una, Thomas raise their hands.

Una: Sorry what am I doing, I don't use twitter.

Moderator 2: So that's digital. Then we have non-digital. How many of you use television, so you actually switch on the television and get your news or watch Newsnight or any other political programme? Una, Thomas raise their hands.

Una: I do.



Glasgow Pre 2

Moderator 2: What about the radio? Do you get your news and your political information, campaign information, from the radio? Zachary, Luke, Una, Thomas raise their hands.

Una: Sometimes

Moderator 2: Finally, newspapers. How many of you either buy a printed newspaper or you read the paper if it's for free? Zachary, Luke, Thomas raise their hands.

Thomas: Very occasionally I'll read a newspaper.

Una: I don’t, but I link to sites on Facebook, so obviously link to whichever...

Moderator 1: But you don't actually use the printed newspaper, the physical copy?

Una: No

Luke: I buy The National every day.

Zachary: Just occasionally.

Thomas: I'll buy one if I'm travelling or something but it's not a recurring thing.

Moderator 2: Thank you very much.

PARTY LEADER HANDOUT Moderator 1: The next bit is about the leaders, and we'd like your impressions of the various party leaders, and we found the best way to do this is what we call "The First Impressions Exercise." There are the people who participated in the seven way debates, and I'm looking for the words that come to mind, you might be reacting to the pictures but really it's more about the person, him or herself. If I said Jeremy Paxman, Thomas, what kind of things do you associate with Jeremy Paxman?

Thomas: Straight to the point, very official.

Moderator 1: There you go. Zachary, Paxman, what leaps to mind for you?

Zachary: Aggressive

Moderator 1: Exactly. So some people might consider that a positive, some people might consider it as a negative, some people might consider it as part of a job duty. In addition to those words that jump to mind, words or phrases, can you also indicate if you think they are a positive, a neutral or negative by giving an up or down arrow, or an asterisk, plus or minus, something that indicates. Then we're going to go through them one by one. So we'll start with David Cameron, ask if he has any positives, what people's neutral associations are, and then the negatives. Generally people have more negatives when it comes to politicians. I don't know why that is, but we want to give everyone a fair shot. So we're just going to give you about five minutes and you can just brainstorm. You do not have to have an opinion on everyone. It's fine not to have an opinion. You don't have to have a positive or negative or neutral, it's just what comes to mind first and how you associate that with the person.



Glasgow Pre 2

MR: Are we just doing one at a time, or what?

Moderator 1: Just do everyone. Brainstorm through them and then we'll go through them as a group. You can also add things as we're going through it too.

Moderator 2: We'll give you a couple of minutes more?

Una: Yes, sorry.

Moderator 1: That's okay. Seven party leaders is a lot. We usually try to give people 7 or 8 minutes to do it.

Moderator 1: We're going to start with the prime minister, as good a place to start as any, so let's start with David Cameron. First, positives; did anyone have positive impressions or associations with David Cameron?

Thomas: I'd say that he was quite calm and composed.

Una: That's a good one, I was trying to think of something nice to say about him. Can I add that?

Thomas: I'd say that he's well prepared, but I'll put that as a negative because he always seems to have the right thing to say but it seems very rehearsed.

Moderator 1: We'll get to negatives, but that's a nice sort of counter ...? Any positives? Okay, neutrals for David?

Thomas: He knows his audience as well. That's not a positive or a negative, but he knows who he's targeting.

Moderator 1: That's the impression of him that you have.

Thomas: It annoys me, I'd say it's a negative but I'm able to see it as a neutral, because 32:19 to other people as well.

Moderator 1: Any other neutrals? Okay. Negatives? You guys must have some, we've eliminated what all the other possible are ...

Una: I had 'scripted.'

Thomas: Yeah, I'd definitely say that.

Luke: You were saying he knows his audience, I've got patronising, I think that comes across, but it's like rehearsed. He does talk (over talking) it's like he is going through something that he has perhaps rehearsed in front of the mirror before he came out. He's got it down to a T. I mean, he's almost too perfect in some way.

Thomas: Mantras [Laughter]

Thomas: He is patronising in the sense that he's come out... he's not even trying that much, he just knows that he's going to get the Tory vote, and he's just not even trying, which is very patronising.



Glasgow Pre 2

Moderator 1: Zachary?

Zachary: I've really just gone for single words; 'posh and arrogant' were the two that came to mind.

Una: Yeah, I had 'privileged.'

Moderator 1: And that as a negative? Privileged?

Una: Yeah.

Moderator 1: How about Ed? Positives for Ed?

Zachary: I put, it's not a good way of putting it, but 'good values.' I think, ironically, as a leader of the labour party his values are more in the code with my own than the last two leaders, although I won't be voting for him. He seems to have good values; he's just not very good at putting them across.

Moderator 1: Thanks for that.

Luke: I have 'lacks confidence.' A lack of confidence, I think even in that picture he's not quite in the picture.

Zachary: I said 'awkward.'

Una: I have awkward.

MR: He's just not natural.

Una: I have awkward as a positive. [Laughter]

Moderator 1: And you had awkward as a positive. Why? What were you thinking, what was coming to mind?

Una: Why, because I'm being narcissistic, because I think that I'm awkward as well. I think that's a good quality. [laughter] I'm only joking. It's partially because, like Zachary was saying, it's like a sincerity if you're awkward. I mean, I feel like his awkwardness... I have 'geeky' as a positive. I think he doesn't put himself across brilliantly all the time but he is maybe sincere and....

Thomas: See if he went for it and just went "this is what I want..." But it's like he then tries to be almost David Cameron like. He's commanding the awkward moment and he's asked his advisors to polish him up to be what people want, which...

Moderator 1: We're going to focus on the positives and then...

Thomas: As a positive then I had 'he comes across as quite intelligent.' He seems to know his stuff.

Moderator 1: Neutrals for Ed? You guys blow hot or cold...

Thomas: I have 'lacks common sense,' but agree what Una was saying, awkward.



Glasgow Pre 2

Moderator 1: Okay. Negatives. We touched on some of them already but does anyone feel that there's anything that hasn't been said yet that you wanted to communicate? Otherwise we'll move on to Nick.

Una: I had 'scripted' as well, I think he's very scripted, like you said.

Zachary: 'Wooden,' but that's sort of the same thing as we've said.

Moderator 1: Okay, thank you. Nick Clegg, positives for Nick?

Luke: I don't know any. [laughter] I can't think of anything; I can't do it.

Moderator 1: Neutrals? It's more the impressions, so neutrals?

Una: Kind, let's have kind. Sorry that's such a 36:43 [laughter]

Moderator 1: Okay, so then negatives.

Zachary: I think it's interesting with Nick Clegg, because before the 2010 elections, for a brief period, he was the best leader in Britain...

Thomas: He was the best of the lot, he really was.

Zachary: And all of that has gone. He's so opportunistic.

Thomas: That's what I've got, 'a man out for himself.'

Zachary: And insincere.

Luke: I've got 'insincere' as well.

Thomas: Lacks conviction.'

Una: 'Tarnished,' but I guess that's what you're saying.

Luke: I think you're right, I think it's impossible to see him now outside the context of that pledge betrayal; you just can't see him.

Una: Also the fact that the coalition has ruined it for a lot of them.

Moderator 1: Thanks. Nicola, positives for Nicola?

Una: I've a sense that you have a table of SNP voters, although that wouldn't be representative, given that half the...

Thomas: Yeah. You see when you're saying say what comes to mind? I can't look at a picture of Nicola and not get really happy. [laughter] I've got loads of positives for her.

Moderator 1: Okay. Other positives?



Glasgow Pre 2

Luke: I had 'wiley.'

Moderator 1: And that's good?

Luke: Yeah, I meant in that sense. I thought she was... in the sense that she was political in the way she moved around the other players. I think she is good at doing that. I don't agree with everything she says but I think that she does think about how to play the other people, which I think is probably the way Westminster loves.

Zachary: I had very professional and friendly. She's good with people, very good.

Moderator 1: What about neutrals? Any neutrals for Nicola?

Zachary: I had 'all things to all people.' I think a lot of people seem to be able to invest their own values in her, which is a good thing for getting elected but can become a problem down the line.

Moderator 1: 39:00, right? How about negatives? Has anyone have any negatives associated with Nicola?

Una: I had 'nationalist,' which I see as a negative.

Luke: I put an arrow next to 'wiley.' I think it works against her, that situation where when they were announcing the moratorium on fracking that she just happened to be meeting Ineos at the time. So I think she wants to come across and that's all things to all people at times, and I think she's really worked that friendly card but she's Salmond's prodigy so she's bound to be ....I'll work on what she's bound to be.

Moderator 1: Thank you; that was really great.

Thomas: I can see that man as cunning in a way....

Luke: I think that can work for you as a politician and work against you sometimes as well.

Una: I had 'principled' as a good thing.

Moderator 1: Principled as a good thing. We'll add that to the positives. Next is Leanne Wood, leader of Plaid Cymru. Sorry, I didn't give you the cheat sheet. Yeah, Natalie Bennett, if you guys have seen the debates you might know. Leanne Wood and Natalie Bennett, the Greens and 40:10 to Wales. So any positives for Leanne?

Zachary: I don't feel that I know enough about her to say anything.

Thomas: I don't really know enough either, but I'd say strong, in that even just seeing her picture, I'm just seeing a woman in politics does... I feel as if they've been up against more and I feel that they're more likeable, for whatever reason that is.

Luke: Yes, I wrote Borgen, but I think that I meant strong.

Moderator 1: Borgen, what's that?



Glasgow Pre 2

Luke: A Danish television programme.

Una: Oh, I thought that was a word that I didn't know.

Luke: I put 'clever' as well, but it was just looking at that picture; I don't know her that well.

Moderator 1: It's impressions, perfect. Any other last minute positives for Leanne, otherwise we're moving on...

Una: I put 'left.'

Moderator 1: As a positive?

Una: Yeah.

Moderator 1: Neutrals? Okay. Any negatives?

Thomas: No

Moderator 1: That's fine. Then Natalie Bennett, positives for Natalie?

Una: Sincere.

Zachary: Principled.

Moderator 1: Principled, and your other one was?

Una: I was just saying you've got to be, to be a Green candidate, because you're unlikely to get elected. You may as well be.

Moderator 1: Good point. Other positives?

Luke I've got 'home grown,' because I couldn't quite think of the word I meant for someone who had come up through the ranks of the Green Party. I think she looks like someone who came in as a member, chapped at the door, delivered the leaflets. I just got that picture.

Moderator 1: Of course, thank you. Neutrals?

Una: Unknown.

Moderator 1: Fair enough.

Una: Though she is a bit more known now.

Moderator 1: And negatives?

Zachary: She's not a very good public speaker or interviewee. She seems less effective and overshadowed by Caroline Lucas.



Glasgow Pre 2

Luke: Can I put in another neutral? I've just written 'English,' and I just mean that she is the leader of the English Green Party and it's not Patrick Harvie, who is the leader of the Scottish Green Party and who we'd be effectively voting for.

Moderator 1: Fair enough. Yeah, it does say on our thing, "Natalie Bennett, the Green Party of England and Wales." We always put that in.

Una: I guess Patrick Harvie is very well known here, in a way that she's not, so.

Luke: I think you would have got different answers for a Green politician if you had put in Patrick Harvie.

Thomas: That's how I felt when I see the debates, she's just not Patrick. [laughter]

Una: Not our parochial Scots.

Moderator 1: The last person we're going on to is Nigel Farage. Any positives for Nigel?

Una: Oh I'm so sorry people, I'm going to give him 'funny,' obviously not on purpose, sometimes.

Moderator 1: We had one person who referred to him as his 'guilty pleasure.'

Una: Yeah, he's a Boris, isn't he, in a way?

Zachary: He's good with the media, you could look at it as a negative or a...

Thomas: Yeah, he plays that "blokey" card very well.

Una: I find him likeable. I mean, I wouldn't ever vote for him, I wouldn't want him in any position of power, but likeable in a way that your crazy uncle might be likeable, with his loopy ideas.

Luke: Who's best kept in the attic.

Moderator 1: What about neutrals for Nigel? Okay. Negatives?

Zachary: Bigoted. Opportunistic. I think that he appeals to people’s worst instincts.

Moderator 1: Thanks for that. Other negatives?

Una: I have 'populist,' which is the same, and 'confused.' He just didn't know what he was talking about, the HIV, tourist thing, that sounded... I thought "you've lost your way now, haven't you?"

Moderator 1: Last chance for negatives?

Luke: Reptilian.

Thomas: I put 'slimy.'



Glasgow Pre 2

TRAPPED IN A LIFTModerator 1: One question. Imagine you're trapped in a lift, and you've just called down to security and they said that it will be two hours. You turn around and there's a party leader standing in the lift with you that you'll be stuck with for the next two hours. Who would you want it to be, if you had to choose, and who would you absolutely not want to spend two hours in the lift with?

Una: I have a friend who has a version of this game, but it's if you're stuck in a lift and she tells the people and it's who would you shoot, and you're not allowed to shoot yourself...

Moderator 1: Thomas, do you have instincts? Who would you want to spend two hours with? Only choose one.

Thomas: Probably Nicola, just because I feel it would be an easy two hours, or maybe the woman from the Greens, I can't remember her name.

Moderator 1: Natalie

Thomas: Yeah, I might enjoy two hours with Natalie. [laughter]

Moderator 1: Who would you not want to spend two hours with?

Thomas: Definitely Nigel (over talking)

Moderator 1: Luke , how about you?

Luke: Nicola, but that's because I don't really know the other two. I'd be happy with the other two, but if I was to pick somebody. And him.

Moderator 1: Nigel.

Luke: Yeah.

Thomas: In a way as well, I quite like David Cameron, because it's two hours with the prime minister, in a sense. I'd like to see what he's thinking, in a way.

Luke: Just mantras rubbing off.

Moderator 1: Zachary?

Zachary: Possibly Nicola, although I fear that she might be quite boring as a human being. And David Cameron. I think that Nigel Farage would be quite entertaining; David Cameron wouldn't.

Una: I'd go Ed Miliband, actually,

Moderator 1: To be trapped with?

Una: Yes I would, because I'd ask him about his dad and other things, and I think he might be funny.

Moderator 1: And who wouldn't you want to be trapped with?



Glasgow Pre 2

Una: Whoever looks least funny? Probably Nick.

Luke: I think Nick. Can you imagine two hours of trying to be persuaded that he was actually decent?

Una: It would be a bit boring.

Luke: It would be murder.

PARTY CONSIDER VOTING FOR HANDOUT Moderator 2: Thank you for that. Moving on from the leaders, we're now trying to get a sense of where you stand with the parties. So one of the sheets that we asked you to fill in, and Thomas, perhaps you could fill it in while we're speaking, is a list of the seven parties and we ask you to consider which of these parties would you consider voting for. So in terms of your choices, what I'll do is I'll start with the seven parties and then work my way down. Is there anyone here who would consider voting for all seven parties? I have to ask in case there is somebody. Six parties? Five? Okay, which five would you consider voting for?

Zachary: I'd consider or have?

Moderator 2: Consider.

Zachary: Green, Labour, Lib Dem, Plaid Cymru is difficult, obviously if I lived in Wales, and SNP. And why? Obviously you've said why for Plaid Cymru, what about the others?

Moderator 2: And why

Zachary: Some of those based on values and some of them based on the fact that I have and would vote tactically, depending on where I was living at the time, and I can imagine the Dems being the least worst option. Most of my life I've lived in the safest Lib Dem seat in the country. They've not been great in power but I would consider voting for them.

Moderator 2: Would your consideration also be depending on which type of election you were looking at, so council, parliament?

Zachary: Yes.

Moderator 2: How would it change?

Zachary: Well, for instance, in the Scottish elections, because it's proportional then there's much less need to vote tactically. So you would tend to vote on your principles.

Moderator 2: The two that you haven't chosen, Conservative and UKip, why wouldn't you consider voting for them?

Zachary: Because they are so far my own principles that I couldn't.

Moderator 2: Thank you. So that was five. Four parties?



Glasgow Pre 2

Una: Sorry, now I'm like... he's influencing me. No, but it's a good... because I suppose I just saw Plaid Cymru and thought I'm never going to ...but I suppose if I was suddenly in Wales, but I'm not, I did not consider moving, which is a bit pathetic.

Moderator 1: No, people answer in different ways.

Moderator 2: There's no right or wrong.

Moderator 1: Some people would move to Wales and still not vote Plaid Cymru.

Moderator 2: So four parties?

Thomas: I've got four

MR: I've just thought of something, can I change?

Moderator 1: Of course, yeah.

Thomas: I've got four here.

Moderator 1: So Thomas, which four have you chosen?

Thomas: I've got the SNP, the Greens, but also Labour and the Conservatives.

Moderator 2: Why?

Thomas: Because right now, for this election, I was really between the SNP and the Greens, and that's where I stand and they reflect my values. I have voted both of them before. Labour and Conservatives, I'd never vote them at the moment but I would never say never, depending on how things go. As much as it pains me to say I would vote Tory, I would if I had to, for whatever reason, although I can't really foresee any reason why I wouldn't stick to my principles, and I said when I was 23 that I'd never vote Tory so, 20 years later I have never voted Tory.

Moderator 2: In terms of which election you would vote for these parties, so council election, parliament, do you see it changing?

Thomas: Yeah exactly. As Mark said, I'd vote Greens in the Scottish elections because you've got proportional representation. I thought about voting Greens again for this election, me and a few friends talked about it, because I don't like doing tactical voting, it feels... and a bunch of my friends were all "I want to vote Green but I feel that we have to vote SNP." And I was saying "enough of us have said this, maybe we should vote Green." But I feel the movement is too big and I want to be part of the SNP thing so I'm voting for them.

Moderator 1: And the parties that you haven't chosen?

Thomas: I'd never vote UKip, I'd never vote Liberal Democrats, just because they pissed me off the last time. I don't want to go I'd never vote Tory....screw the Lib Dems!

Moderator 2: Luke , you have four as well?



Glasgow Pre 2

Luke: Yeah. The Plaid Cymru one was only if I moved to Wales. And I've changed, the ones I've got just now are Greens, Labour, Plaid and SNP. I changed on Labour. It was my friends who live in a constituency where... they're independents people and their Labour MP reflects more their social values than their SNP candidate does. Their SNP candidate is quite over to the right. I think if I stayed in that constituency I would be tempted to vote for that Labour candidate. I wouldn't do it because that would also be a vote in favour of the British Labour party. So I would vote for Labour, depending on the candidate, but probably wouldn't do it if it was still the British Labour Party. I would vote Green in this election but there's no Green candidate in my area. So I've voted SNP before and I'm going to vote SNP.

Moderator 1: And the parties that you didn't choose? So that's Conservatives, UKIP and Lib Dem?

Luke: They're just not even on my radar.

Moderator 1: Thank you. Una?

Una: Yes, oh I don't know. I only had two down, because I thought it ridiculous, how you can have all those... but now I'm thinking, "mmm well, actually I suppose..." Maybe I would vote Labour if it was just ...If I was in England and it was Labour/ Conservative like in this election because you're not clearly a. you can vote SNP but also there's no point in voting... you know, in a two party system you're going to have to basically make your choice, so...It depends on the elections so obviously... I mean, I think I voted Green, because yeah, with the Scottish parliament, obviously it's proportional representation, it feel like it makes more sense.

Moderator 1: Which parties could you not see yourself voting for?

Una: Well apart from UKip, I was going to say nobody can... I suppose somebody will...The Conservatives would be unlikely. I mean, obviously in Scotland as well it's faintly pointless, even if you were...I mean, my mum is a Conservative voter, she's from the south of England, she's checking all the boxes, but I don't even think that she's bothering to vote Conservatives any more, I mean there's no point in voting Conservative up here. I don't know. Lib Dems, doesn't seem much point.

Moderator 2: Thank you very, very much; that was really insightful. Over to you, Kristi.

VOTE CHOICE CONSIDERATIONS Moderator 1: So the next question we have for you is about the 7th, the Thursday, now May 7th now is about two days away, and we're interested in when you're thinking about placing your vote on election day, what is that vote going to represent to you, what are you trying to express with it? Or, if you're not decided on how you're going to vote what are the things that you're weighing up in your mind? So Una can we maybe start with you, because you always go last and I want you to go first this time.

Una: I'm so easily influenced... Well, I voted SNP, postal voted, so I've already voted because ...I didn't vote Green because it's the UK elections, so I didn't see the point of voting Green for that. Also, like probably a lot of Scots, I'm excited at the idea that Westminster is going to hate the whole SNP surge, but more than that, that it's going drive whichever party gets in to the left, and so even if



Glasgow Pre 2

it were the Conservatives, it's still going to cause a lot trouble for them that it might keep some check on what they're up to. So, yeah, I guess it's to try and drag the politics of England to the left.

Moderator 1: Thank you, that's great. Thomas, what about you?

Thomas: Yeah, I'm going to vote for the SNP, largely for the same reason that Katy said. It feels like a very easy option for myself, ultimately. I thought about the Greens, but Nicola Sturgeon, she speaks well, she is very easy to like, easy to vote for, I think my vote's secure with her, she's doing very well. I feel as well that there's almost a movement in Scotland that I'm ready to get behind, I really am ready to send a bunch of MPs down to Westminster. Yeah, an easy decision for me.

Moderator 1: Thanks, appreciate it. Luke, how about you? What's going on with you?

Luke: The same reasons. I voted SNP many times before; that's quite an easy thing to do now. I think that it's an interesting thing that it's become easier for people. I wouldn't do it if there was a Green candidate, not because I'm particularly Green. I don't particularly like some of the SNP things in my local area. I'm not enamoured at the SNP, I do support independence, they're the only independent supporting party so there isn't much option in that sense, even though it's easy. And I live in Jim Murphy’s area so... and I'm torn, I want to see him beaten but I also wouldn't mind if he won and there was the only one or two MPs and he was the leader of a rump. So I'm kind of torn as to whether he wins or not, torment him either way. There is an anti-Murphy element, definitely.

Moderator 1: Appreciate that, thank you. Zachary?

Zachary: I've never voted SNP before but I will be voting SNP this time. It's maybe not as easy a decision, it's more a no alternative. I voted Yes last year and then... I have reservations, I have worries, I suppose, as to what will happen if there are 50 or more SNP MPs, but at the same time my overall feeling is that things need to be shaken up at Westminster, and if it brings on a constitutional crisis, so be it.

SNP SWEEPModerator 1: That leads very well onto the question that I want to ask now, which is, we see the polls predicting a very big SNP sweep, up to 44 to 1 put in every single seat, but when you see that in the newspapers or online what sort of emotions or feeling do you have when you see that. I think you touched on that a little, but yeah, how do you feel about that? Would you have one word or one phrase that sums that up?

Thomas: Not one word or one phrase, a certain amount of worry, but overall... maybe excitement, that's the word.

Moderator 1: Worry but excitement, two. That's great. Thank you. Luke, what about you? When you see those headlines what's your reaction?

Luke: I don't believe them. I find it hard to imagine that amount of people swinging to the SNP. I think there's... I won't analyse that. I don't believe that there's going to be 50 odd MPs. If there's a constitutional crisis as a result, yeah, bring it on. I'm quite happy if that happens. I'm quite happy about the whole situation, really.



Glasgow Pre 2

Moderator 1: Sceptical but you're open.

Luke: For the time being, yeah.

Moderator 1: That's all we're asking. Thomas, what is your reaction?

Thomas: I feel really empowered by it all, I feel great about it, although, as Luke says, very sceptical. But hearing that the SNP are doing so great does provide a big sense of empowerment, because everyone is so disillusioned with the Westminster establishment that after...for example, when I voted in the referendum, after I walked out, I think it was a Green candidate said to me "how do you feel?" He didn't know how I voted. I said "I feel totally magic, man!" I really did feel great, I'm getting goose bumps just thinking about it, really. That was the best I've ever felt voting; it was totally magic. I'm kind of feeling those feelings again, it's nice to be part of change in something that I was disillusioned with, I really don't like the way things are at the moment.

Moderator 1: Appreciate that, thanks. Una, how about you when you see the polls?

Una: It is kind of exciting. I don't know. I think everyone voted yes in the... you haven't obviously picked that up.

Moderator 1: So it's a safe space to talk.

Una: I would say, just really quickly, I'm not, I don't consider myself as a nationalist... I don't know what I'm trying to say. I actually am pleased that this whole civic nationalism that they talked about, I really don't consider myself a nationalist, but I think the SNP are being clever enough to get people like me, who are very turned off by nationalism. Just very quickly, we need another party, because there's no one...at some point if we get 50 odd MPs, there will need to be a check sometime on the SNP.

Luke: I'm involved in the Radical Independents and the Scottish Left project and there is discussion about forming some sort of left wing electoral alliance for the next Scottish election. I think the SNP were lucky that that wasn't in place after the referendum. I think a lot of the young left went to the SNP because there wasn't really anywhere else for them to go to. So thinking about that I get slightly concerned that there's going to be 50 SNP MPs to overcome and they will continue with that momentum and that new left wing party will find it difficult. But then again, you're right, they're bourgeois Nationalists and I think there is an attraction there for a party that represents a more class base politics.

DEBATES Moderator 2: Thank you very much. We've about ten minutes or so left before we would like to wrap up, I know time flies by when you're having fun. So there are two questions that we want to try to get into this time. The first one is about the debates, and some of you have mentioned the debates, so can I just have a quick show of hands, how many of you watched any of the debates during the campaign? (Thomas and Una raise their hands) Two of you.

Thomas: Not much.

Moderator 2: Not much, maybe one.



Glasgow Pre 2

Thomas: Yes

Moderator 2: So then in the sense of the debates, do you think that, moving forward, the debates are a good thing for the UK electoral process, so campaigning, for whatever reason, and obviously you can explain why you think the debates are a good thing. So again, by a show of hands, if you think that the debates are a good thing for UK election campaigns. Why do you think they are a good thing? And then a comment from Luke and Zachary, what your impressions are, why do you think the debates are a good thing for British campaigning? (Thomas and Una raise their hands)

Thomas: I feel that it's good to see everyone under stress, almost. I know they say that it's not reflective of whether you can do a good job as a prime minister is whether you're good at debating, but it is good to see them under the gun, getting hot and bothered, as opposed to...without that I feel that every 65:41 we saw all the leaders would have been from the party, from what they rehearsed, so it was good to see them in a way that they can't fully control.

Moderator 2: Una, what about you?

Una: I think, as far as I know, people wanted them. I don't know, polls or something. So in that sense it's probably a good thing. It's a bit scripted and things. I find them very boring but if it's going to help people be interested in politics I guess it probably...

Moderator 2: Luke and Zachary, you suggested that you might have a different opinion?

Zachary: I have mixed feelings. I can see the value in that partly they might reach out to some people who might otherwise might not be interested, but I think that it can become too much about the politics of personality and so you get situations like the Lib Dems in 2010 where somebody comes across really well in one debate and suddenly their influence goes out of all proportion to their importance. So, yes, it leads people away from maybe the values of the party and towards the personality of one individual.

Moderator 2: Luke?

Luke: Well, I didn't watch them because I don't have a television, and they didn't seem that interesting to watch on the iPlayer. I think they do certain things. I know what you meant when you said about seeing people under pressure, I think they play into a particular way that you're watching that, I don't think that people watch for the policies, or to take an interest in politics, I think they watch hoping that someone will make a right backside of themselves. And putting the principles onto the shoulders of that one person and making that one person responsible for a movement is... Well, that's kind of like sort of shaded [??] in a solidarity. I know there's a whole sort of other story going on there. But the way he was constructed as a celebrity, and then you pull the rug from underneath him the whole movement crashes down into that void. That sort of celebritisation of the thing doesn't appeal at all. I think it defines politics in a certain way as something that professionals do rather than ordinary people do in their everyday life.

Moderator 2: Thank you, that was insightful.



Glasgow Pre 2

VOTER REGISTRATION Moderator 1: We're working with the electoral commission to get some feedback on their new registration process. Did anybody here have to go through the signing up online?

Zachary: Sign up on line and go into the office, because it didn't work.

Moderator 1: It didn't work so you ended up having to go in person. So total failure for you. Was it that it just wasn't taking...?

Zachary: They said that they just couldn't find me in the system so I had to go in and prove my identity, and it took them about half an hour in the office to do it.

Moderator 1: Took time out of your day...

Zachary: So it was a faf

Thomas: A conspiracy, find out all the SNP voters.

Moderator 1: Did anyone else?

Una: I got a letter every three months or something asking me if I want to remain on the roll. I'm constantly saying, yeah, yeah.

Thomas: I got contacted saying that I wouldn't be on it and there was huge massive changes. I ignored it and I am on it. It just seemed like nothing changed.

Zachary: We still not got our poll cards.

Thomas: Have you not?

MR: We've had that for ages

Zachary: I've not had one, so maybe I won't be voting for SNP.

Moderator 1: Well we'll definitely get that information back so that they can make changes to the system or get feedback on those kinds of things.

OUTCOME PREDICTIONSThe last thing we want to do is have you do what I do as a psephologist, which is a fancy word for those who predict elections, and that is to predict what you think is going to be the outcome of the vote. You basically have two choices, conservative led something or other with David Cameron as prime minister is the easiest way, or a Labour led something or other with Ed Miliband. If you think that something else is going to happen you can certainly say. But just by a show of hands, how many people would expect, as a consequence of this election, that you're going to get a conservative led something or other with David Cameron as prime minister. One, okay. (Una)

Zachary: I'd think that it's more complicated. I suspect that the Tories will have the most MPs but they won't be able to put together a majority. So I suspect that it's going to be a mess.



Glasgow Pre 2

Una: I think it will be a hung parliament.

Moderator 1: I'm assuming that we're basically going to work from the polling and assume a hung parliament, and those think that's it going to be something or other Labour led coalition, supply in confidence... (over talking) Well, we're going to be back in 10 days’ time or something.

Moderator 2: Thursday I think, so a week from Election Day.

Moderator 1: We would love to have you back for the post-election. It will be £30 again. If you're interested we can contact you by emails with all the details, you can have first refusal for all the spots. On the leaders sheet that I handed out you can just yes to the post, or email me or something here.



wintersresearch.files.wordpress.com · web viewmoderator 2: i'll start at the very beginning...

Documents