Monday 28 February 2011

A Bit Too Much Honesty There, David?

David Miliband in CiF on the politics of division, and why it’s a dreadful thing only ever used by Tories, contains this startling little gem:

The centre of British politics are the "identity ambivalents" and "cultural integrationists". Cultural integrationists accept diversity as long as there is an integrated national culture, the rule of law, and respect for authority. This is the group to which David Cameron's call for a "muscular liberalism" is targeted. They are a quarter of the population. But the real swing voters are identity ambivalents (28%): economically insecure, worried about their local community, feeling threatened but open-minded and accepting of diversity – as long as their security is not threatened.



Labour's vote is more weighted towards this group than any other. More black and ethnic minority voters are to be found here

Are you sure you really want to imply that - for the modern Labour Party - the ethnic vote is most important to you?

Are you really sure, David?

Update: Via Edwin Greenwood, a definition of those categories from a commenter at Harry's Place.

9 comments:

Akvavitix said...

What is it with bloody Lefties that they can't just speak normally with a coherent vocabulary. They have to use a stack of words ending is "ists" and "ism" most of which were made up in some crappy focus group meeting. Arrgh!

Bliar said...

Far be it from me to spread rumours and gossip, etc, but hasn't Liebour always sought the immigrant/ethnic vote?

The suspicion is that most people native to these isles (at least the English area) can't be bought as easily as people who arrive grateful for a new chance. Either that or they haven't yet seen what a mess the lefties make of everything.

But as they say, I am sure there an "ism" for that.

Captain Haddock said...

Of course he's sure ..

Labour would canvass & woo a dessicated dog turd if it thought there might be a vote in it for them ..

Its called "Desperateism" ...

Lynne said...

I believe that all politicians are fraudulent, moronic fuckwits who should be strung up from the nearest lamp post so chalk me up in the identity ambivalent column then.

Evil laff.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a recipe for success.

Leave to fester for four years and serve cold just before an election.

Leg-iron said...

Well, they've alienated the working class white vote, the smoker vote, the drinker vote, the fat vote, the Christian vote, the taxpayer vote, the small business vote and the parent vote.

The 'Somalian refugee on permanent benefits' vote is all that's left.

He's just being realistic.

Anonymous said...

Lynne and Leg-Iron have it about right. Apparently, 48% of us would vote for an anti-immigration, let's get back to English values party, if there was one on offer we didn't think fascist. The Tories did this in the 50s and 60s - this time they will reform around this and a 'make it in Britain' set of propaganda. At least I think they'd have to do this if Milly wasn't going to take Labour down the toilet.

banned said...

Fantastic link to dogwash ta.

I'm clearly "Identity Ambivalents" (28%), happily the largest grouping and did take the opportunity to leave the area that I grew up in (alongside nearly everybody that I knew) as I saw it becoming ever more culturally enriched and diversified.

JuliaM said...

"The suspicion is that most people native to these isles (at least the English area) can't be bought as easily as people who arrive grateful for a new chance."

Sadly, I think the generation reared in comprehensive education can...

"He's just being realistic."

:D

"At least I think they'd have to do this if Milly wasn't going to take Labour down the toilet."

It's quite a feat to select a leader even less impressive than Brown, isn't it?