Part of the conventional wisdom about New Labour is that its leaders are obsessed with focus groups, and this is part of the reason why in the 1990s Labour shifted to the ‘centre ground’ and abandoned divisive ‘class warfare’ attacks on the rich and powerful.

As with so much of the conventional wisdom, it turns out that this is rubbish.

Stan Greenberg ran focus groups for the Labour Party between 1994 and 2005. Here’s a couple of excerpts from his book about what they found:

1994:

“Strategically, we knew we wanted it to be a ‘change election’, but we knew more: the cry for change was closely correlated with the feeling that the Tories “don’t care for the ordinary person” and are “on the side of the rich and powerful.” Change meant getting rid of a government which had failed ordinary people.”

2004:

“When Labour had lost its lead in 2004 over the Tories, I sat with Blair in his study in Chequers and dwelled on a single graph that illustrated the power of our message: “In a modern and uncertain world, hardworking people, not just the few, have the opportunity to make a better life.” It was 15 points stronger with the added reference to the privileged. But he felt it smacked of old and not the new politics that had opened Labour up to so many former Tories, though the data did not support that conclusion.”

*

New Labour ignored the data which showed that more people would support them if they governed for the majority and stood up to the rich and powerful, because many of its leaders had an ideological preference for a “One Nation” message and wanted Labour’s support to come equally from all sections of society. However laudable it seemed at the time, this approach has clearly failed.

So when self-styled moderates warn that Labour must not lurch to the left and must fight for the centre ground, they either mean that Labour should do more to take on the rich and powerful, or they are out of touch with what focus groups have been telling Labour for fifteen years.

1. Liberal Conspiracy
   

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3. Rupert Read
   

   http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2009/11/23/how-new-labour-ignored-the-focus-groups/ GREENS,by contrast,have the courage of our convictions

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   RT @GreenRupertRead: http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2009/11/23/how-new-labour-ignored-the-focus-groups/ GREENS,by contrast,have the co …

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6. Grahame Morris
   

   Labour's interests on the side of ordinary people against privilage » Interesting :New Labour ignored the focus groups http://bit.ly/5m3PMl

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9. neilrfoster
   

   Don P on why Labour should follow the focus groups and stand up against privilege at the next election http://tinyurl.com/yk8keqj

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