Blog Tracker
07-05-2015, 09:21
Visit The Pub Curmudgeon site (http://pubcurmudgeon.blogspot.com/2015/05/polling-station-then-pub.html)
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4vfFXPsK5h8/VUsa-2I_HUI/AAAAAAAAECs/jQ65og0VjOU/s1600/2015%2Bge%2Bpoll.jpg (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4vfFXPsK5h8/VUsa-2I_HUI/AAAAAAAAECs/jQ65og0VjOU/s1600/2015%2Bge%2Bpoll.jpg)
Well, here are the results of the Mudgie opinion poll for the 2015 General Election. I made a point of not sharing or promoting this anywhere else and so the results are more representative than the last one (http://pubcurmudgeon.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/decision-day.html).
As I said in the comments (http://poll.pollcode.com/46357848_result?v), there’s a clear dichotomy between the two contrasting demographics that the blog appeals to:
Smoking ban opponents and general advocates of “lifestyle liberty”, who are likely to be predominantly UKIP
The CAMRA/beer blogging community, who mainly have left-wing sympathies, either Labour or Green
There does seem to be a something of a cognitive dissonance on the last point, given Labour’s support for various anti-pub and anti-drink measures, such as the smoking ban and the duty escalator, and the Greens’ expressed desire to considerably increase alcohol duty. Obviously it’s a rather narrow view to cast your vote purely on the basis of the interests of the beer industry, but I do wonder how many genuinely believe that a Labour government would improve its prospects, and how many still vote Labour for other reasons despite that.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nYhU2Lu2PvY/VUsbKMaf2YI/AAAAAAAAEC0/SxB43NwhMh4/s1600/farage_pint.jpg (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nYhU2Lu2PvY/VUsbKMaf2YI/AAAAAAAAEC0/SxB43NwhMh4/s1600/farage_pint.jpg)
I’m not going to launch into a lengthy political diatribe, but I’m sure it will come as no surprise that locally I will be voting for this chap (http://www.stevenwoolfe.uk/), who is an excellent candidate. I will make a couple of further points, though:
A survey shows that the key feature distinguishing UKIP supporters from those of other parties is opposition to “lifestyle regulation” (http://www.conservativehome.com/the-deep-end/2015/04/the-true-nature-of-ukip-is-becoming-clear.html), something that goes much further than the smoking ban and represents a genuine undercurrent of anger and frustration at the ever-growing encroachment of the Nanny Bully State.
Last month, the Morning Advertiser carried out a Q & A session (http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/Legal/Legislation/Q-A-with-Tory-pubs-minister-Kris-Hopkins-and-shadow-Labour-minister-Toby-Perkins) with Pubs Minister Kris Hopkins and his shadow Toby Perkins. Read it and see what you think. But it takes a bit of brass neck for Perkins to say “we want to see a higher proportion of Britain’s alcohol drunk in pubs” when the last Labour government did more than any since Lloyd George to achieve the opposite.
As a general rule, most of what politicians say about pubs is self-serving, hypocritical bollocks. The best thing they could do is just to leave them alone, rather than indulge in misguided attempts to “save” them which may well end up having the opposite effect.
More... (http://pubcurmudgeon.blogspot.com/2015/05/polling-station-then-pub.html)
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4vfFXPsK5h8/VUsa-2I_HUI/AAAAAAAAECs/jQ65og0VjOU/s1600/2015%2Bge%2Bpoll.jpg (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4vfFXPsK5h8/VUsa-2I_HUI/AAAAAAAAECs/jQ65og0VjOU/s1600/2015%2Bge%2Bpoll.jpg)
Well, here are the results of the Mudgie opinion poll for the 2015 General Election. I made a point of not sharing or promoting this anywhere else and so the results are more representative than the last one (http://pubcurmudgeon.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/decision-day.html).
As I said in the comments (http://poll.pollcode.com/46357848_result?v), there’s a clear dichotomy between the two contrasting demographics that the blog appeals to:
Smoking ban opponents and general advocates of “lifestyle liberty”, who are likely to be predominantly UKIP
The CAMRA/beer blogging community, who mainly have left-wing sympathies, either Labour or Green
There does seem to be a something of a cognitive dissonance on the last point, given Labour’s support for various anti-pub and anti-drink measures, such as the smoking ban and the duty escalator, and the Greens’ expressed desire to considerably increase alcohol duty. Obviously it’s a rather narrow view to cast your vote purely on the basis of the interests of the beer industry, but I do wonder how many genuinely believe that a Labour government would improve its prospects, and how many still vote Labour for other reasons despite that.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nYhU2Lu2PvY/VUsbKMaf2YI/AAAAAAAAEC0/SxB43NwhMh4/s1600/farage_pint.jpg (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nYhU2Lu2PvY/VUsbKMaf2YI/AAAAAAAAEC0/SxB43NwhMh4/s1600/farage_pint.jpg)
I’m not going to launch into a lengthy political diatribe, but I’m sure it will come as no surprise that locally I will be voting for this chap (http://www.stevenwoolfe.uk/), who is an excellent candidate. I will make a couple of further points, though:
A survey shows that the key feature distinguishing UKIP supporters from those of other parties is opposition to “lifestyle regulation” (http://www.conservativehome.com/the-deep-end/2015/04/the-true-nature-of-ukip-is-becoming-clear.html), something that goes much further than the smoking ban and represents a genuine undercurrent of anger and frustration at the ever-growing encroachment of the Nanny Bully State.
Last month, the Morning Advertiser carried out a Q & A session (http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/Legal/Legislation/Q-A-with-Tory-pubs-minister-Kris-Hopkins-and-shadow-Labour-minister-Toby-Perkins) with Pubs Minister Kris Hopkins and his shadow Toby Perkins. Read it and see what you think. But it takes a bit of brass neck for Perkins to say “we want to see a higher proportion of Britain’s alcohol drunk in pubs” when the last Labour government did more than any since Lloyd George to achieve the opposite.
As a general rule, most of what politicians say about pubs is self-serving, hypocritical bollocks. The best thing they could do is just to leave them alone, rather than indulge in misguided attempts to “save” them which may well end up having the opposite effect.
More... (http://pubcurmudgeon.blogspot.com/2015/05/polling-station-then-pub.html)