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Clean Politics > Published by Daniel Elton, October 21st 2011 at 12:15 pm

Tories may care deeply about Europe, but no one else does

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While the Conservatives get themselves in a tizzy over the vote on whether there should be an in/out referendum on Europe, it is hard to overstate how irrelevant the vast majority of voters find the issue to their lives.

Over at Political Betting, Mike Smithson’s post on recent YouGov data shows that there are very few new votes for the Tories on the issue. Furthermore, looking at the Ipsos-Mori issues tracker data, it is clear that the general public simply don’t care about Europe.

As Smithson regularly points out, Ipsos-Mori provides particularly useful data, because it goes back decades, and respondents are asked “What would you say is the most important issue facing Britain today?” – without categories being provided. There is no ‘push to a given answer’.

Taking a look at four issues -  economy, unemployment, race relations/immigration and Europe, we can see that while over a third of those surveyed identified the economy, and both race relations/immigration score around ten per cent, the number of respondents who answer Europe is statistically insignificant:

What-would-you-say-is-the-most-important-issue-facing-Britain-today
It’s been that way for months:

What-would-you-say-is-the-most-important-issue-facing-Britain-today-Jan-2011-Sep-2011
There are good constitutional reasons for an in-out referendum on the EU: It is more than 30 years since the last one, the EU represents a significant transfer of power from Westminster and the situation is, everyone agrees, markedly different from that outlined in 1975.

However, as the Conservatives engage in turtuous internal wrangling over the issue, they may well just appear completely out of touch with what is worrying most people. Insisting all politics and policy lead back to Brussels – immigration and unemployment for example – will just make them look even more weird.

See also:

• How to create a Telegraph migration scare story – Matt Cavanagh, September 9th 2011

• Britain: Euroconfused not Eurosceptic – Joe Litobarski, March 17th 2011

• Labour policy review will consider case for an ‘in or out’ Europe referendum – Sunder Katwala, February 11th 2011

• Cameron misinformed on EU bailouts says top Tory – Chris Tarquini, December 17th 2010

• EU’s €3.4bn for diplomacy is value for money – Jon Worth, September 6th 2009

  • http://twitter.com/danpoxton/status/127370292539564033 DanielPoxton

    Tories may care deeply about Europe, but no one else does l Left Foot Forward – http://t.co/DcCApcQM

  • http://twitter.com/danielelton/status/127375103485935616 danielelton

    @wjdstraw @dlknowles @johnmcternan: why talking Europe is such a death spiral for Tories: http://t.co/xayUHKmG on @leftfootForward

  • http://twitter.com/danielelton/status/127375898260422657 danielelton

    Hey @anthonypainter, it's not just the left that don't understand the country it's in: http://t.co/xayUHKmG (also at @lisaansell)

  • http://twitter.com/danielelton/status/127376984031502336 danielelton

    @dlknowles fine here http://t.co/upu7Um4j

  • http://twitter.com/danielelton/status/127377824003796992 danielelton

    @johnmcdonnellMP @jeremycorbyn: we bombed Libya, now Tory wants Libya to pay for it: http://t.co/upu7Um4j on @leftfootfwd

  • http://twitter.com/danielelton/status/127377929482141696 danielelton

    @cateysmith @benfolley @CNDuk : we bombed Libya, now Tory wants Libya to pay for it: http://t.co/upu7Um4j on @leftfootfwd

  • http://twitter.com/dlknowles/status/127378411688701952 dlknowles

    People simply don't care about Europe: http://t.co/8jlsmm42 (via @danielelton

  • http://twitter.com/abelardinelli/status/127378919233036289 Alex Belardinelli

    RT @dlknowles: People simply don't care about Europe: http://t.co/Y78Ekf9E (via @danielelton) > #economystupid (or is that on #bannedlist?)

  • http://twitter.com/jonbradfield/status/127378934278000640 Jon Bradfield

    @adywilsn one for you kitten RT @dlknowles: People simply don't care about Europe: http://t.co/86nQSKKE

  • http://twitter.com/jeremywarneruk/status/127423035077693441 jeremy warner

    People simply don't care about Europe: http://t.co/8jlsmm42 (via @danielelton

  • Ed’s Talking Balls

    What the polls show is that Europe isn’t anyone’s top priority. They certainly don’t show that no-one cares about Europe as an issue. That’s nonsense and a very poor interpretation of the polls.

    And while you’re right that Europe is a long-standing thorn in the Tory side, it’s not entirely true to say that only Conservatives care about the issue. I’m pretty sure that there are member of Labour who object to Brussels diktats; at least, I would hope so, given that polling does suggest that the British people see problems in our relationship with the EU. Politicians are supposed to address the electorate’s concerns, not simply pretend they don’t exist.

  • Jim

    Muddling (or is it muddying) race relations and immigration here. For most activists, I’ve spoken with, who have a pro ‘British’ agenda there are two issues: A liveable wage and a job with prospects, and loss of community identity through cultural pressures. Its a subtle but interesting shift as it no longer relates to ‘race’ and ‘immigrants’ as such but the impression that ‘outsiders’ are ‘damaging’. These outsiders can be Eastern European, from another part of the UK or even just another class (gentrification of a working class estate through BTL or social housing in a new-build upper class block). The only option I have seen that does work is giving the capacity to the individual to make an informed decision as to work, home and lifestyle – very difficult during a recession etc.

  • Leon Wolfson

    No, they’re supposed to rule the country, not get sidetracked into diversions which ignore the far more urgent issues going on like the collapsing economy.

  • http://twitter.com/mjiphoto/status/127897607082213376 Mika I

    RT @leftfootfwd: Tories may care deeply about Europe, but no one else does http://t.co/r1iRdWPR

  • Ed’s Talking Balls

    Parliament never has dealt, and never will deal, with one issue at a time, thank goodness. Were it to do that, we’d never get anything done.

    The fact of the matter is that the requisite number of signatures have been collected and the debate should take place. Cameron shows serious weakness when he seeks to thwart the purpose of an initiative he himself put forward. All the party leaders are subverting the idea of these backbench debates by whipping the vote into oblivion.

    There are many MPs from all parties who have serious misgivings about our subservient relationship with Europe and there are a great many members of the public who are concerned and have been for years. Politicians shouldn’t ignore them, arrogantly telling the “little people” thay they should be seen but not heard.

    Instinctively, I feel we are better off in Europe but with a stronger voice. I agree with what the government is saying, i.e. that this debate can wait and that renegotiation is better than stand-off. The problem is that after so many broken promises on Europe from all politicians, I simply don’t believe a word they say. They’re merely trying to kick this into the long grass for the umpteenth time and they shouldn’t be allowed to get away with it again.

  • http://twitter.com/fredacowell/status/128392450166358017 Frederick Cowell

    its like 1993 all over again! @leftfootfwd: Tories may care deeply about Europe, but no one else does http://t.co/jaFHbEEA

  • http://twitter.com/love0ntoast/status/128399372533772288 Jo

    Are the public as obsessed with Europe as the Tories? Computer says no… http://t.co/ygibHj5R

  • http://twitter.com/pcs_gonw_branch/status/128400375320543233 Rep in the Region

    Are the public as obsessed with Europe as the Tories? Computer says no… http://t.co/ygibHj5R

  • http://twitter.com/djwomble/status/128402194524413952 Stewart Lochhead

    RT @leftfootfwd: R the public as obsessed w/ Europe as the Tories? cmputr says no… http://t.co/Q5YL64CF

  • http://twitter.com/jblresearch/status/128402226967355392 Dr John Lever

    Tories may care deeply about Europe, but no one else does http://t.co/qiPBQ7Jn

  • http://twitter.com/samanthaj494/status/128402872420417536 Samantha Johnston

    Are the public as obsessed with Europe as the Tories? Computer says no… http://t.co/ygibHj5R

  • http://twitter.com/natandoron/status/128405586206400512 Natan Doron

    Extraordinary for party of govt to fall-out over an issue of very little current concern to public. Tories are strange http://t.co/Lo6X6rPD

  • http://twitter.com/proudreader/status/128406801417895936 Dan

    Are the public as obsessed with Europe as the Tories? Computer says no… http://t.co/ygibHj5R

  • http://twitter.com/betapolitics/status/128420249543524352 Nick D

    @RtHonJon Polls also indicate that having a referendum on EU is not a priority http://t.co/52HboSvk In/Out is too simple a question.

  • http://twitter.com/macinpoole/status/128422400437133312 malcolm

    Are the public as obsessed with Europe as the Tories? Computer says no… http://t.co/ygibHj5R

  • http://www.leftfootforward.org/2011/10/public-attitudes-to-european-union-1990-2011/ Europe in or out – does the public really care? | Left Foot Forward

    [...] also: • Tories may care deeply about Europe, but no one else does – Daniel Elton, October 21st [...]

  • http://twitter.com/paul0evans1/status/128504116459732992 Paul Evans

    The Tories are oddly obsessed with the EU http://t.co/4QwRiCOw but 'good constitutional reasons for a referendum'? Er… what are they?

  • http://twitter.com/ingridjohanna66/status/128504647341195264 Ingrid Wolfe

    @martinmckee maybe not as many as it seems http://t.co/FSj6AGiV

  • http://twitter.com/glitterylou/status/128509760067747841 Louise Sian Gibbard

    As the Tories obsess over the EU referendum, guess how many of the public care. It's impossible to guess too low… http://t.co/ygibHj5R

  • http://twitter.com/ingridjohanna66/status/128512592913252353 Ingrid Wolfe

    @drphilhammond Pls retweet Child health and the NHS Bill http://t.co/FSj6AGiV

  • http://twitter.com/catherinbrunton/status/128514398343008256 Catherine Brunton

    As the Tories obsess over the EU referendum, guess how many of the public care. It's impossible to guess too low… http://t.co/ygibHj5R

  • http://twitter.com/drkimholt/status/128532704277962753 kim holt

    @drphilhammond Pls retweet Child health and the NHS Bill http://t.co/FSj6AGiV

  • http://twitter.com/robertcp/status/128567828692475904 Robert CP

    As the Tories obsess over the EU referendum, guess how many of the public care. It's impossible to guess too low… http://t.co/ygibHj5R

  • http://twitter.com/joinedu1/status/128603415868735488 Dee Speers

    @drphilhammond Pls retweet Child health and the NHS Bill http://t.co/FSj6AGiV

  • http://twitter.com/aliceblundrland/status/128613009026322432 Alice in Blunderland

    @drphilhammond Pls retweet Child health and the NHS Bill http://t.co/FSj6AGiV

  • http://twitter.com/allyyoungwatch/status/128628332941160448 Jackie

    As the Tories obsess over the EU referendum, guess how many of the public care. It's impossible to guess too low… http://t.co/ygibHj5R

  • http://www.leftfootforward.org/2011/10/majority-of-conservative-european-rebels-from-class-of-2010/ Trouble ahead for Cameron: Majority of Euro rebels were from class of 2010 | Left Foot Forward

    [...] Tories may care deeply about Europe, but no one else does – Daniel Elton, October 21st [...]

  • http://www.leftfootforward.org/2011/10/commons-european-vote-not-david-cameron-clause-iv-moment/ Five reasons why Commons Euro vote is not Cameron’s Clause IV moment | Left Foot Forward

    [...] Tories may care deeply about Europe, but no one else does – Daniel Elton, October 21st [...]