Focus Groups Draw More Fire from Labour Hopeful

Jon Cruddas, a contender for Labour's deputy leadership, is one of the latest in a long line to criticise the government's 'over-reliance' on focus groups. Neither is he the first, we suspect, to dislike its 'direct marketing techniques'. But can he seriously be down on 'using research on the Internet' as well?

Cruddas, MP for Dagenham and the only person running who is not a minister, is seen by some as an outsider for the post but claims to be making headway with the bookmakers (coming in to 9-2), according to an interview on the BBC web site. In it he blames the Blair administration's search for the views of the elusive 'swing voter' for turning it into 'a caricature of itself, rather than an effective government'.

In a comment recently published on the Guardian web site, Cruddas said some activists work on the proposition that 'we can no longer win people over to a radical social democratic agenda, and therefore we have to swerve around those who wish us to pursue that agenda, define our policies by focus groups and then sell them using direct marketing techniques.'

Cruddas says on the one hand that 'citizens of modern Britain - not least swing voters - are no longer impressed by marketing', but on the other that Labour's need to change is due to 'the challenge of David Cameron - a new opponent who has learned to play virtual politics better than anyone else currently in the game.'

Ministers have to look at issues such as housing and immigration which are 'centre-stage in people's insecurities', but 'not through the prism of the swing voter', Cruddas told the BBC. He believes there is a 'rupture' between 'political strategy based around some people's concerns' and the 'real material concerns of people', and that it was concentrating on the latter that made Labour 'brilliant' in 1997.

Among the reasons Cruddas cites for deciding to run, is a conversation with a cabinet minister who suggested that the future lay in 'virtual politics' and 'using research on the Internet'. Such innovations, he suggests, are putting a distance between Labour and the public.

He concludes: 'There's a real latent energy. People want to feel like they have a party again. More of the same won't liberate them. We need change, but not through some stylised exercise with 120 people spread around the M25 marginal seats - Harlow, Kettering, Watford - that just doesn't fly.' [Hear hear, says DRNO – there are group discussion facilities in many other locations around the UK and ideally they should all be used heavily – see www.mrweb.com/viewing ].

Cruddas does indicate that talking to people 'locally and round the country' is the way to get at the crucial 'real material concerns', so whether it's groups or individual depth interviews he'll be using, researchers shouldn't lose too much sleep over his shortening odds.

Cruddas' campaign web site is at www.joncruddas.org.uk .The BBC interview can be found at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6383069.stm and the Guardian at www.guardian.co.uk .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.