THE QUALITATIVE ELECTION STUDY OF BRITAIN 2015

Glasgow Pre-Election Leaders Debate Focus Group 1conducted May 5th 2015

Transcribed Focus Groups Dataset

Version 1.0

Date of release: 5 January 2015

Principal InvestigatorDr. Edzia Carvalho, University of Dundee

International Co-InvestigatorDr. Kristi Winters, GESIS, Cologne

Funded by British Academy and Leverhulme Trust Small Grant SG142740

and supported by Carnegie Corporation of New York, GESIS-Leibniz Institute (Cologne) and University of Dundee

QESB Contacts

qualesb@gmail.com e.carvalho@dundee.ac.uk kristi.winters@gesis.org

‘QESB’qualesb2015 @qualesb

Glasgow Pre FG 1

http://qesb.info

READ ME

Transcribed Focus Groups Dataset Version 1.0

On copyright and attribution

Copyright of this transcript belongs to Dr. Edzia Carvalho and Dr. Kristi Winters. Individuals may re-use this document/publication free of charge in any format for research, private study or internal circulation within an organisation. You must re-use it accurately and not present it in a misleading context. You must acknowledge the author, the QES Britain project title, and the source document/publication.

Recommended citation: Carvalho, E. and K. Winters. 2015. 'The Qualitative Election Study of Britain 2015 Dataset', version 1.0. Funded by British Academy and Leverhulme Small Grant SG142740 and supported by GESIS, Carnegie Corporation, and University of Dundee. Available at: http://wintersresearch.wordpress.com

On the transcription

All participants’ names have been changed and any direct or indirect identifiers removed to protect their anonymity

The transcripts in Version 1.0 do not have enhanced data recovery including non-verbal communication. It includes the basic transcription of words said by participants. The participants have been identified through attribution by the Moderator or other participants and by an initial attribution by the investigators. Subsequent versions of the dataset will verify attribution of participants by video identification.

The transcripts in this version also do not include extensive instructions given to participants at the beginning of the groups, introductions by participants, and exchanges between participants and Moderators during exercises.

Initial Transcription by: Just Write Secretarial Services, Belfast, Northern Ireland. Contact: m.mckillen@btopenworld.com

Reporting conventions used

We have used ** to indicate words, phrases or sentences which we could not hear.

Italic font indicates we have taken a guess at a word/name etc.

Words in parentheses {} indicate physical gestures or what can be heard on the tape but cannot be clearly articulated into specific words.

Removal of direct and indirect identifiers are set off with + word +

2

Date of focus group: 5 May 2015

Location: University of Strathclyde, Glasgow

Moderator 1: Dr. Edzia Carvalho

Moderator 2: Dr. Kristi Winters

Participants:

2015 Alias

Sex

Special Category

Age group Supporter Party

Strength Pre Group Post Group Constituency

2015 vote preference

2014 Indyref vote

Quentin M Student 18-25 N NA NA Glasgow 1 GlasgowGlasgow Central Y, and party didn’t vote

Floyd M Student 18-25 N NA NA Glasgow 1 Glasgow Edinburgh East Y, and party NoHarry M N 26-33 N NA NA Glasgow 1 Glasgow Glasgow South Y, and party YesRalston M Student 26-33 N NA NA Glasgow 1 No East Kilbride Y, and party NoFinn M N 42-48 N NA NA Glasgow 1 No Glasgow South Y, and party Yes

Edmund M N 34-41 N NA NA Glasgow 1 GlasgowGlasgow North West Y, not which party didn’t vote

Katie F N 42-48 Y SNP 5 Glasgow 1 Glasgow Glasgow North Y, and party Yes

Glasgow Pre FG 1

ContentsCAMPAIGN IMPRESSIONS......................................................................................................................7

Edmund.............................................................................................................................................7

Edmund.............................................................................................................................................7

Finn....................................................................................................................................................7

Quentin..............................................................................................................................................8

Floyd..................................................................................................................................................8

Katie...................................................................................................................................................8

Harry..................................................................................................................................................9

Ralston...............................................................................................................................................9

MEDIA CONSUMPTION........................................................................................................................10

Katie.................................................................................................................................................11

PARTY LEADER HANDOUT...................................................................................................................11

Ralston.............................................................................................................................................11

Floyd................................................................................................................................................11

Katie.................................................................................................................................................11

Katie.................................................................................................................................................12

Katie.................................................................................................................................................12

Katie.................................................................................................................................................13

Floyd................................................................................................................................................13

Katie.................................................................................................................................................13

Katie.................................................................................................................................................13

Katie.................................................................................................................................................13

Katie.................................................................................................................................................14

Katie.................................................................................................................................................15

Katie.................................................................................................................................................15

Katie.................................................................................................................................................15

Katie.................................................................................................................................................15

Floyd................................................................................................................................................16

Katie.................................................................................................................................................16

Edmund...........................................................................................................................................17

Katie.................................................................................................................................................17

Katie.................................................................................................................................................18

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Katie.................................................................................................................................................18

Katie.................................................................................................................................................18

Floyd................................................................................................................................................19

Edmund...........................................................................................................................................20

TRAPPED IN A LIFT...............................................................................................................................20

Katie.................................................................................................................................................20

Harry................................................................................................................................................20

Quentin............................................................................................................................................20

Floyd................................................................................................................................................21

Floyd................................................................................................................................................21

Finn..................................................................................................................................................21

Edmund...........................................................................................................................................21

Katie.................................................................................................................................................21

Katie.................................................................................................................................................21

PARTY CONSIDER VOTING FOR HANDOUT..........................................................................................22

Harry................................................................................................................................................23

Harry................................................................................................................................................23

Harry................................................................................................................................................23

Harry................................................................................................................................................23

Katie.................................................................................................................................................24

Floyd................................................................................................................................................24

Floyd................................................................................................................................................24

Floyd................................................................................................................................................24

Edmund...........................................................................................................................................25

Edmund...........................................................................................................................................25

Edmund...........................................................................................................................................25

Finn..................................................................................................................................................25

Finn..................................................................................................................................................25

Finn..................................................................................................................................................26

Finn..................................................................................................................................................26

Katie.................................................................................................................................................26

Katie.................................................................................................................................................26

Quentin............................................................................................................................................27

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Ralston.............................................................................................................................................27

Ralston.............................................................................................................................................27

Edmund...........................................................................................................................................28

Finn..................................................................................................................................................29

Quentin............................................................................................................................................29

Floyd................................................................................................................................................29

Katie.................................................................................................................................................29

Harry................................................................................................................................................29

Ralston.............................................................................................................................................30

SNP SWEEP..........................................................................................................................................30

Quentin............................................................................................................................................30

Floyd................................................................................................................................................31

Katie.................................................................................................................................................31

Harry................................................................................................................................................31

Ralston.............................................................................................................................................31

Edmund...........................................................................................................................................32

Finn..................................................................................................................................................32

VOTER REGISTRATION.........................................................................................................................33

Ralston.............................................................................................................................................34

DEBATES..............................................................................................................................................35

Katie.................................................................................................................................................35

Ralston.............................................................................................................................................36

OUTCOME PREDICTIONS.....................................................................................................................37

Katie.................................................................................................................................................38

Katie.................................................................................................................................................38

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CAMPAIGN IMPRESSIONS

Moderator 2: So welcome from me as well. As Kristi said, we want to start with your impressions of the campaign, and when we ask you what are your impressions of the campaign, in the past we’ve got responses based on the literature that has been posted through your door. So people have spoken about that, people have spoken about conversations they’ve had around the water cooler and in the staff room and so on, or people have spoken about what’s going on in the media, what’s going on locally. So it could be anything and everything. What has struck you about the campaign so far? Is it okay if I start with Edmund and go around the table?

Edmund: Sure. The first thing struck me about it is how close it looks like it’s going to be on Thursday and the fact that it’s unusual this time that it looks like because it is going to be so close it’s not going to be a straightforward outright majority for either of the two main parties anyway, so it will be down to the smaller parties to have more of a say as to what… possibly, depending on how it goes, as to might happen and how the next government might be formed on Thursday.

Moderator 2: Is there anything else about the campaign itself that kind of has remained with you?

Edmund: I thought it was a good point that there’s a lot more TV debates. I know it started in 2010 with just the three main parties. It’s good now that all the other parties have had a bit of air time, and I know there was a lot of controversy about who should be on each debate and trying to get some of them to take part in each debate was a bit of an ordeal for them as well.

Moderator 2: Thank you very much. Finn, what has struck you? What impressions of the campaign have been made on you?

Finn: I suppose the stand out for me is the way that the experience of the referendum last year has played into this particular campaign and fed it, to a great extent. I mean, obviously especially here in Scotland, the way that David Cameron is fighting his campaign, I’m just thinking from that point of view, in the respect that he seems fearless about whipping up resentment on both

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sides of the border in order to get into Number 10 again. So it seems an odd strategy to me, but the way that the referendum has set the spin on this particular campaign is interesting.

Moderator 2: Thank you. Quentin?

Quentin: I think definitely in this campaign people are more involved, I definitely think, especially 02:51 after the referendum youth seem to be interested. A lot of people said they voted in the referendum because it actually means something, whereas usually it wouldn’t really matter. Quite a lot of people are actually beginning to actually think and look into manifestos etc. and a lot of smaller parties are getting more votes because of that. I don't know, I think also maybe the style, the tactics that the major parties are using, the campaigns, such as Labour has recently sort of put their foot in it by saying they would rather have a Conservative government than an SMP coalition and it’s just interesting to see what’s actually driving their decision making and balancing out between trying to keep Scotland within Great Britain as well, just keeping people on the other side of the border happy.

Moderator 2: Thank you. Floyd?

Floyd: I agree with Finn about the referendum affecting. I think looking at Labour and the Conservatives, how they’re using that to generate votes, publicity votes, and Ed Miliband said he would rather have a Tory government than pair up with the SNP, and that’s quite interesting, and also being on social media and Twitter and things, it seems to have a lot more… you can vote now but your voting comes up in Channel 4 and things. So I think they’re using Twitter now, and Ed Miliband, I see quite a lot of him on Twitter and they’re using that as a further thing to reach out, as Quentin said, to the youth and things.

Moderator 2: Thank you. Katie?

Katie: Really just sort of, as Finn was saying, it’s that idea of how Westminster suddenly realises that Scotland exists and it seems like kind of since the referendum onwards there’s that whole idea that, you know, Scotland has become the bogey man in whatever we do. We were going to destroy the union in September and now it’s going to get destroyed again, so it

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doesn’t matter what Scotland does, and that’s really [jarring ??] with me, and what really annoys me is that argument that’s down there as “oh well, you know, you’re going to end up getting governed by a government you didn’t ask for, i.e. SNP” and you think well, that’s what it’s been like for us over the past so many years so, you know, suck it up, almost. I don't like… what’s happening is that it’s, and like you say, there is that perception down south that, you know, “those Scots are going to ruin it again.”

Moderator 2: Thank you. Harry?

Harry: I think one of the things that struck me is the level of denial on the main parties. They’ve been polling neck in neck for months now. It’s been quite clear that neither are in a majority and they keep going on, both of them seem to think they’re going to get the majority, which clearly isn’t going to happen and then also you get Ed Miliband saying, you know, if he runs a minority government he’s going to go in and he doesn’t want a Labour manifesto, and to me, that says I don't believe in democracy, you people have voted for a spread and I’m just going to plough ahead with what I think is best, which makes me not want to vote for him, basically. And I suppose it might be disappointing because whatever the outcome there’s going to be a larger proportion of society that couldn’t necessarily vote for it. But I suppose that’s what’s going to happen in many elections with the first past the post. But yeah, I think it’s like there’s a level of 06:54 that we seem to be getting and I would trust them more if they said “okay, we’re probably going to be a minority government or a coalition and this is how we’re going to sort it out. This is what we plan to do after the election but at this point we don't know.”

Moderator 2: Great, thank you very much. Ralston, you’re last.

Ralston: I 07:15 vote, to be honest. We don't actually get much discussion. The issues Tories seem to be taking on the economy, Labour and the NHS but almost every broadcaster I've watched or listened to there’s been some reference to, you know, if you vote… Well, David Cameron saying yesterday if you UKip you get Ed Miliband, and rather than exploring the virtues of their own party they seem to be trying to scare people, do you know what I mean, and saying if you vote for an alternative… I also think as well we haven’t really had much discussion of the proper issues other than the Tories talking about

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the economy, Labour talking about the NHS and, again, I wanted the referendum 08:00, I thought it was held in September and it’s came up again in this campaign when really it has nothing to do with it. I think also it’s drew attention to the voting system, because I just think first past the post had its day now but equally we could end up, or the UK could end up, you know, Labour might get the first crack of forming a government even though they don't win the most seats, which to me seems completely stupid, and it just seems negative, on the whole, and also the fact as well that I think the fact that the more minority, just to pick up on Edmund’s point, the fact that they’ve had more of a platform has been more informative. I would never really vote for 08:45 but I’d just be interested to hear what they think, because usually, unless they would get five minutes on a party political broadcast or you go to their website, they don't really get much of a stage.

MEDIA CONSUMPTION

Moderator 2: Great, thank you very much; that was really, really helpful and you've already foreshadowed some of the questions that we’re going to ask you later, that we can unpack some of the things that you have already mentioned. So in terms of attention to the campaign, one of the things we want to do is to find out where you’re getting your information from. So what sources are you using? So to make it easier for us and to kind of pack a lot of things in we’ll ask you essentially to just raise your hand if you’re using this particular kind of media during the election campaign, so right now, to get your information, to get your news. And so we’ll go from digital media and different types of digital media to more old school things. So in terms of digital media, how many of you are using the internet, especially news sites on the internet, for news?

Moderator 1: Everyone, really.

Moderator 2: And on these new sites, or other sites, how many of you actually use the comments section to post comments or to read comments?

MR: I read but don't post.

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Katie: Read.

Moderator 2: Thank you. What about Facebook, how many of you use Facebook for news? For example, your friend posts a link and you follow that up, or when you post a link and follow it up? Okay, thank you. And Twitter, the same thing. There seems to be a divide in the room. So that’s the digital stuff. In terms of non-digital, how many of you use the television for your news or for anything political? So not TV on demand but actually switching it on. Okay, great. And the radio? Sometimes, yeah. Okay, thank you. And then finally, newspapers that you buy or that are available for free that are physical copy newspapers. Thank you very much; that was really helpful.

PARTY LEADER HANDOUT

Moderator 1: So the next exercise, we want to pass some things out. For those of you who’ve done this before you’ll remember this was the basis of one of the articles we wrote from last time. We’re going to give you a piece of paper with images of all the party leaders and we want you to give your impressions of the leaders. Last time we did this we only had four, now we have seven. So let me give you an example of the kind of thing we’re looking for. If someone said to me Stephen Fry, things that would jump to mind would be quite interesting, very intelligent, maybe Black Adder, kind of thing. So they’re just impressions, associations that we leap to mind. So if I were to say Jeremy Paxman, Ralston, what kind of words leap to mind when Jeremy Paxman’s name is…?

Ralston: Growing.

Moderator 1: Anyone else? Floyd?

Floyd: I was just reading…

Moderator 1: Okay, that’s all right. Katie?

Katie: An idiot.

Moderator 1: Initial gut reactions could be a word or a phrase. Go ahead and just brain storm them down and then when you get done, or while you’re

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doing it, we want to know if it’s a positive association for you, because maybe you could think aggressive can be positive or negative. We don't want to make those decisions for you; we want you to do it. Negative with a down arrow, and if it doesn’t really affect you one way or the other, just an asterisk.

Katie: Impressions of the photograph or the person?

Moderator 1: The person

Katie: So it’s an impression of the person and not the photos?

Moderator 1: Yes, but if you have a reaction to the photo, you know… We used the party leaders’ images from their own websites, that’s where we get it, so we don't choose what presentation, we let the parties choose, and I think the last time David Cameron had a son behind him.

Moderator 2: He still has a son behind him.

Moderator 1: And so people would be like “Oh, I don't like that,” or some people talked about the wall behind Leanne Wood. So it’s not just the picture but if you want to react to the picture, and also just for those of you who might not have seen the debates obviously Nicola does not need explanation, but we use this in all three nations. Leanne Wood is leader of the Plaid Cymru and then you've got Natalie Bennett who is leader of the Green Party in England and Wales. And you don't have to have an opinion about someone; it’s perfectly fine to not have an opinion and not know enough. Believe it or not, last time when Nick Clegg was up people would write things like “who?” And we don't think we’ll get anybody saying that this time but…

MR: Maybe next time.

Moderator 1: We’ll give you a few minutes to do that. The way that we do this is we go through each leader, and we start with a positive and then we go through the neutrals and then we do the negatives. It seemed to be the case that people will have positives about every party leader and somebody will have negatives, usually there’s more negatives, if I’m honest, than anything but we like to go through positives and neutrals. And sometimes when you say something we want to unpack it a little bit more and ask can you explain a bit more about that. But really this part we’ve found can get, if people start talking

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it can get very interesting but with the time limit we want to try and keep it punchy. So if you have the floor and you have two or three and you want to just pile on and say I think X, Y and Z, you can do one or you can do all of them. You don't have to say something on the sheet, you can keep that private, for instance between us, or you can say it out loud, whatever you like. So starting with David Cameron and positives, do people have positives for David Cameron?

Katie: I had ‘knowledgeable.’

MR: I've got ‘prime ministerial, statesmanlike, knows what needs to be done, talks about and he’s realistic about the economy and tough.’

Moderator 1: Floyd, you were nodding your head.

Floyd: I agree with prime ministerial, he looks like he’s fitting for the role. I think he’s also quite good at debating in the debates, better than some of the other leaders.

Moderator 1: Thank you. Any other positives? Neutrals?

MR: I've got ‘confident/arrogant.’ I think it can be slightly positive and it can be slightly negative so I had that as a neutral.

Katie: I've got he’s confident as well.

Moderator 1: But as a neutral?

Katie: As a neutral.

MR: I've just added statesmanlike after it was mentioned there, but as a neutral because I think it cuts both ways.

Moderator 1: Other neutrals? Negatives?

Katie: Insincere.

MR: I've got that one too.

MR: I think I wrote down the word ‘slimy’ which I think is kind of meaning the same thing.

MR: I've got ‘can be arrogant’ as well, but as a negative.

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MR: Outdated.

MR: I had ‘delusional,’ going back to my comment on the fact that he seems to think he’s going to win a majority.

Moderator 1: Last chances for negatives.

MR: I've got ‘unscrupulous.’

Moderator 1: Thank you. So moving on to Ed Miliband, positives for Ed?

MR: I've go think ‘nice.’

Katie: Friendly.

MR: He’s intelligent.

MR: I've got that he believes in better. I’m not sure if he’ll deliver it but he believes in it!

MR: Good intentions.

MR: I would add intelligent, actually; it’s a good point.

MR: That’s interesting that has come up twice, because I put ‘unintelligent.’

Moderator 1: And it’s all about perceptions. Last chance for positives. Neutrals.

MR: I've got ‘means well.’

MR: I suppose he is very Labour, but he is cut from a Labour cloth.

Moderator 1: Negatives?

MR: I've got delusional for him, for the same reasons.

Moderator 1: For the majority, thinking that they’re going to get a majority, or pretending that they’re going to get a majority.

MR: I think that was a bit goofy, comical and a 17:22 encounter. I suppose that also shows he is a human, he’s not like Cameron and stuff who are all very…

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Katie: I've got ‘incompetent and insincere.’

MR: I've got ‘spineless.’

Moderator 1: Other negatives?

MR: I had ‘weak leadership.’ It was kind of thought before, a couple of months ago, that maybe he might be ousted or something might challenge him [?? 17:46]

Moderator 1: Yeah, that’s right.

MR: Weak, probably indecisive. As a negative I've put ‘wrong Miliband, too socialist,’ and I've also put ‘I don't see him as prime minister material.’

MR: I've put ‘oily’ as well. I nearly put that for David Cameron as well but I think it would mean a different thing and in the case of Ed Miliband I think he comes across as kind of overly polished by his PR people.

Katie: He tries too hard.

Moderator 1: Thanks for that. Moving on to Nick, positives for Nick Clegg.

MR: Realistic.

MR: I think he balances two voice of the two evils, do you know what I mean? I think he’s paced himself quite well as the hot in the head argument. That’s sort of run true with me, although I’d never vote for him. I've also put repentant, in that I've actually seen him apologise about the tuition fees. I've not heard Miliband apologise about the economy. He doesn’t shy away from the fact that he got it wrong, or people think he got it wrong.

Katie: But he’s only apologising because it’s an election; he didn’t apologise at the time.

Moderator 1: But that’s going to be more of a negative. But thanks.

MR: I put ‘honest’ and ‘humility, to a degree.’

MR: I put ‘well spoken.’

Katie: ‘Easy going.’

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Moderator 1: You’re nodding, Floyd.

Floyd: I would say ‘easy going.’ He’s more reliable than the other two leaders.

MR: I’m adding ‘intelligent’ because I think he is.

Moderator 1: Okay. So in terms of Nick’s neutrals, neutral words that you associate with him?

MR: He is a Liberal Democrat; he is the archetypal middle of the road. I don't think that’s positive or negative but it’s a quality.

Moderator 1: Negatives?

MR: Under achieving.

MR: He needs more backbone.

Moderator 1: You’re nodding

MR: I've got ‘spineless’ for him as well.

MR: 20:19 tuition fees.

MR: I've put ‘too power hungry’ and I've put ‘he’s talked too much about coalitions’ for my liking, rather than issues, rather than what we can do it’s like hot headed again.

MR: I've put ‘comfortable’ which I think is on a similar theme, because I think he wants to stay exactly where he is, in the calmness of… I think he’s just used to the calmness.

Moderator 1: Okay, moving on to Nicola, positives.

MR: I've got ‘patriotic.’

Katie: Hard working, honest, knowledgeable, friendly, approachable.

MR: I've got ‘strong and inspiring.’

MR: Strong and tenacious.

Moderator 1: Tenacious as a positive?

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MR: Yes

Moderator 1: Edmund?

Edmund: Clear, concise, well-spoken, down to earth and good leadership.

MR: I've got ‘principled and integrity.’

Moderator 1: Last chance for positives for Nicola. Then neutrals.

MR: She’s not quite as intelligent as maybe some of the other leaders.

Moderator 1: Other neutrals? Okay, then negatives.

MR: I've got ‘unrealistic in terms of the public finances, aggressive, goes back on her word in terms of once in a lifetime and now it seems to be once every five years and hell bent on independence 22:02

Moderator 1: Other negatives?

MR: I've also got aggressive.

Moderator 1: Moving on. Leanne Wood, positives for Leanne?

Katie: I've got ‘approachable.’

MR: She’s confident, in what I can see.

MR: I said ‘she believes in her policies.’

MR: Patriotic, again.

MR: Sincere and warm.

Moderator 1: Neutrals?

MR: Feminist.

MR: I put ‘less competent than Sturgeon.’

Moderator 1: Any other neutrals? Negatives for Leanne?

MR: She’s too anti-austerity for my liking.

MR: Lacks character.

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Moderator 1: So moving on to Natalie Bennett. Positives for Natalie.

MR: Principled.

MR: I said ‘she stands by her views.’

Katie: I didn’t have any.

Moderator 1: Any other positives for Natalie?

MR: She can act like she believes in what she’s saying.

Moderator 1: Neutrals?

MR: I put ‘getting better.’ I think at the start of this campaign she didn’t seem particularly confident or able but I think as it’s went on she’s appeared more confident and able.

Moderator 1: Other neutrals? And finally negatives.

MR: Sorry, I've got a neutral – feminist.

Moderator 1: Okay, then negatives for Natalie.

Katie: I think she kind of struggles to connect, and I don't know if that’s with her being Australian, that there is this kind of thing of a non British person being a leader of a major British political party.

MR: I've got ‘unrealistic.’ Her manifesto is wild. ‘Talks too much about green issues in every debate and every answer. I find her also a little bit rude. During the Miliband debate she did interrupt people, and unfortunately she’s a hippy!

Moderator 1: And that’s just your impressions, yeah. Other negatives?

MR: I've got ‘under qualified and distracted.’

Moderator 1: Is that mean because of her debate performance?

MR: I just get the impression she herself feels that she’s not the right person for the job.

Katie: I've said ‘out of her depth,’ that kind of feeling.

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MR: I actually quite like the woman but I just get the impression that part of her kind of lack of confidence comes from… I just get the impression that she thinks it should be somebody else.

Moderator 1: Floyd?

Floyd: I’ve said ‘not taking that seriously by the rest of them.’ I’m not sure she’s got that respect.

Moderator 1: Thank you everybody for that. And then finally Nigel Farage. Positives for Nigel?

MR: I’ll be the lone voice. I feel he’s patriotic, honest, that he’s the only one that seems to be offering that objective and a referendum. I think he’s realistic about 25:45. I like that he defends the armed forces and a lot of the manifesto’s been based on picking up from soldiers after they leave the army, which I feel is totally neglected, and I also think he’s one of the more realistic ones about the state of the economy.

Moderator 1: Yeah, it depends on where you are. Some places, like in England we get more positives, in Wales not so much, and here not so much. But some people do have positives; even I could probably find something nice to say about Mitt Romney. So we just want to give everyone a chance. So any other positives about Nigel?

MR: He’s actually got a bit of character. He’s quite comical in a sense, people sort of like him in a sense. He’s got a pipe in his hand, people like that. You can’t really see Ed Miliband doing that.

MR: I’m going to add ‘character-ful.’

Moderator 1: He is a character.

MR: I think that painting of the fag, that is a positive, because he’s not really scared to be seen. Nick Clegg hides the fact that he smokes. He’s not really pretentious that way. Thank you. Neutrals for Nigel? Okay, so now let’s hear the negatives.

MR: The paper wasn’t long enough!

MR: Untrustworthy.

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MR: I've got ‘divisive and informed and brings it all back to immigration.’ He seems to think it causes everything and he doesn’t have a solution that doesn’t involve something to do with immigration.

Moderator 1: Edmund?

Edmund: Outspoken, argumentative.

TRAPPED IN A LIFT

Moderator 1: Other negatives? This is your chance. Okay, we’ll leave it at that. The last thing I want to ask you, while you still have these people in front of you, imagine that you’re in the lift, it’s just broken down, you've called down and it’s going to be two hours before you’re going to be rescued. You turn around and there’s a party leader standing right next to you in the elevator. So who would you ant to be trapped in an elevator with for two hours and who would you not want to be trapped in an elevator with?

Katie: Nicola, and I don't want to be trapped with Nigel

MR: The same.

Moderator 1: Anyone else, Harry?

Harry: It’s too difficult. I wouldn’t mind being trapped in a lift with Nigel just to work out what the hell’s going on in his head. I probably wouldn’t enjoy that experience but…

MR: I think Nigel would be the most entertaining.

MR: 28:40 Nigel that’s who I would most…. and I’d maybe ask him for a job. The least, Sturgeon or Leanne Wood.

Moderator 1: Quentin, how about you?

Quentin: I’d probably like to be stuck in a lift with Nick Clegg because he’s a down to earth guy, and I probably wouldn’t want to be in a lift with Sturgeon or Cameron.

Moderator 1: Floyd, how about you?

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Floyd: I wouldn’t want to be in with Cameron.

Moderator 1: And who would you want to be with?

Floyd: I don't know, probably Nick Clegg, or Farage just for what he had to say [??]

Moderator 1: Finn, how about you?

Finn: I think the only one I wouldn’t want to be stuck with is Nigel Farage, just because he’s just vile. But the others, I mean, politicians are generally quite interesting people so I actually wouldn’t mind being stuck with any of the rest of them because they would probably be quite interesting to talk to. But from an entity point of view, maybe Ed or Nicola, maybe. Or Natalie.

Moderator 1: And Katie and Edmund, why Nicola and why not Nigel?

Edmund: Nicola comes across to me as probably being the more easy going, down to earth kind of politician of them all, the easiest one to get on with in a tight situation like that. I think Nigel Farage, one of us would end up killing the other!

Katie: Saying that, I quite like your point, I probably would work with any of them, because if they’re interesting, sort of, then you’d want to kind of be stuck in a lift with them.

MR: There would be an interesting argument with someone.

Katie: As long as they answered your questions and don't kind of just ignore it. I wouldn’t mind being stuck with Nigel because I could really get to grips with… you know, being the offspring of an immigrant, I think I would quite like to, you know…

Moderator 1: Get in there and find some stuff out. That was really great and I think if you guys are interested in what other people around the country are saying about the leaders then I would recommend, on our research blog we’ve put out a piece that talks about these impressions and you guys are right on with a lot of the other impressions around the country but I just preview that and you guys can have a look. I think you’ll recognise from this

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conversation where people fall on different dimensions. So you can see how that's actually really great information; thank you so much.

PARTY CONSIDER VOTING FOR HANDOUT

Moderator 2: So in connection with the leaders one of the things we want to know is the parties that they represent and how you are thinking in terms of voting for these parties. So one of the handouts that we’ve asked you to fill in at the beginning is a list of the seven parties and we asked you which of these parties would you consider voting for? So if you could perhaps bring that to the forefront. So it’s just a list of the parties and then it has a yes and a no option. So I’ll just give you a couple of minutes. So the idea behind this question is if you were in a voting booth and have the seven parties before you, which of these parties would you see yourself voting for, either in the coming election or in the future, and at any level? So it can be either the Scottish Parliament, at the council level, at a national level, which of these would you see yourself voting for? I’ll start with the seven, so if anybody has chosen all seven?

MR: Can I just ask a question, first of all, about Plaid? For technical reasons I've said no because I’m not in Wales. So is that the right approach?

Moderator 2: Yes, it’s how you decide, whether you think maybe…

MR: I was just wondering whether you meant in principle, if I were in Wales would I vote…

Moderator 1: But some people say I don't live there so I would never vote for them, that's also perfectly acceptable. It’s not a right or wrong, we just want to know…

MR: I suppose what I’m saying is her politics are not the issue for me, it’s technically where…

Moderator 2: That's perfectly fine.

Moderator 1: Completely valid answer.

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Moderator 1: So we’ll start with all seven, does anybody have all seven on their list? So they would consider voting for all seven parties at any point in time? Okay, six? Five? Harry, so which five have you chosen?

Harry: I've got the Green Party, Labour Party, Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru and Scottish National Party.

Moderator 2: And can you walk us through why you've chosen those five?

Harry: So, Plaid Cymru, if I happened to live in Wales, I think, you know, I do agree with their policies. It’s unlikely that I’m going to live in Wales. The Green Party, on the whole, I agree with their polices and I believe that the country needs to be moving towards a greener society. I can see myself working for them. The Labour Party, again, on the whole, the vast majority of their polices I agree with. I think I have voted for them in the past and I would potentially do so in the future. Liberal Democrats, a similar overlap with Labour, and the Scottish National Party, you know, I think at this point I probably am going to vote Scottish National Party because I think they’re the only people that are really standing up for Scotland at this point.

Moderator 2: Thank you. And the parties that you haven’t chosen, like Conservative and UKip?

Harry: So the Conservatives are just leading the other side of the centre from things I believe, although there are certain policies I agree with that the Conservatives have. I agree more with their stance than, say, the Labour Party but they’re few and far between compared to the bulk of where I stand on the policies. And UKip, I just don't think that all the problems are because of immigration, which his Nigel Farage seems to think. I think there’s different problems to be solved. I just don't agree with him.

Moderator 2: Can I also ask you if your choice would change at the different levels of election? So would you choose differently at Westminster, also at the 35:41 election and the parliament election and the council?

Harry: I’ll vote Scottish National Party in this election because I find that’s the best way of making my voice heard. I’ll probably vote for the Scottish Greens in the Scottish election, mainly because that’s proportional representation so that vote is actually counted. If it was proportional representation in this vote I

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might have voted Green, but it’s not, so… And I think the Labour Party in terms of council election, but the Labour council in Glasgow, I don't know, it’s probably not been any worse than any other council that we’ve ended up with, so…

Katie: We never get any other councils.

MR: Yeah, exactly. So, you know, I may or I may not vote for them at the council election and I might vote for them in a future general election should their policies align with me better.

Moderator 2: Thank you very much. Floyd, I think you had your hand up for five as well?

Floyd: Yes, five. I wouldn’t vote for Plaid Cymru because I’m not in Wales and I would never vote for UKIP. But I’d probably consider voting for the other five.

Moderator 2: And can you quickly run us through why?

Floyd: Well, Conservative, I picture myself voting Conservative for quite a while but I don't know, I've been told as people get older they tend to favour voting 37:03 in the family, just mainly because of… I don't know. The Green Party, I could always see myself voting for them. I do align myself more left, so… I’m not going to vote Conservative in this election, Labour, Liberal Democrats, the Green Party, I’d consider voting for them, and the Scottish National Party, in this election I would definitely consider voting for them because I think they would represent Scotland more than Labour would. Yeah, maybe I didn’t really express myself that well but yeah.

Moderator 2: Yeah, absolute absolutely. In terms of voting at different levels, so would you vote differently at the national level, at the parliament level, at the council level?

Floyd: I’d probably vote for the Scottish National Party in a Scottish election but in a general election I think they would be better… Yeah, I suppose for the rest of it, yeah.

Moderator 2: Great, thank you very much. Is there anybody else who has five? Okay, so the next one is four. Anybody with four choices? So we’ll start with Edmund.

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Edmund: I went for them all except for the Conservative Party, UKip and Plaid Cymru, and again, like Matt said about Plaid Cymru, it was only because I’m not in Wales. And for the Conservatives, there’s a few policies they have which are pretty good, I like, but overall I probably would never really go for them. I don't really think they’d have Scotland’s interests at heart. They’re more interested in winning overall. And for UKip I think it goes back to they blame everything… if it’s raining it’s because of immigrants.

Moderator 2: And in terms of the parties that you would consider voting for, why would you consider voting for them?

Edmund: I like some of the policies of the Green Party, Labour and the Liberal Democrats, and I’d probably consider them more so for any of the elections.

Moderator 2: And again, would your choice change depending on which level of election it was? So would you be more likely to vote for one party at one level?

Edmund: Probably not, I’d probably go for the one party.

Moderator 2: Thank you. Finn, you have four as well.

Finn: The same four. The Green Party I’ve voted for a number of times in the past and probably from purely am empathy point of view they’re probably closest to where I am in policy terms. I suppose they’ll lose my vote a lot of the time because of choosing about how effective to make to your vote. Actually that sounds terrible but…

Moderator 2: There’s a lot of people who are doing that. So yeah.

Finn: So they need more votes basically before I’ll vote for them, this is the problem they’ve got. I have voted for 40:00 in the past. The Labour Party I voted for a few times in the past as well. I mean, in terms of who can occupy Number 10, Downing Street, then I would certainly favour the Labour Party more than anybody else, although my concern at the moment is that they are far too close to the Tory Party and they really need to deal with the Scotland problem, which they’re not doing, and they’re going to have to imminently, probably in about a week. The Liberal Democrats, I think I did vote for in 2010 after the “I agree with Nick” stuff, and we know where that got us. So I can see

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me voting Lib Dem again at some point in the future but only under certain circumstances which, right at this very moment, I can’t imagine because I’m certainly not well disposed to them at the moment. Plaid Cymru, I’m not in Wales and I just don't know enough about them. Scottish National Party, I probably, in fact I’m certain I will vote for at this election and have done a few times in the last few years. Do you want the “nos”?

Moderator 2: Yes please

Finn: The Tories, I never have voted for and never would. It’s just not for me, it’s the politics of me first and the politics of selfishness and the politics of everything I can’t stand. I just don't think human beings should be like that to each other. And UKip is that much to the power of 10, so yeah.

Moderator 2: And just the question that I've been asking around the table, which is would your choice change, depending on which level of the election it was?

Finn: Tactically, yes, because it would depend on what the election was and how the cards were stacked, how I would choose to vote. As I say, I’m fairly well disposed towards the Green Party but they lose out for that reason a lot of the time.

Moderator 2: Thank you very much. Anyone else with four? Okay, so we have three? So we’ll start with Katie

Katie: I've got three, Green Party, Labour and Scottish National Party. Green Party, yeah, but again, it’s to do with what the election is, it’s what Harry said, you’re kind of seeing what’s the cause. Labour Party but not the current Labour Party, the Labour Party of old, as in John Smith and that kind of thing. It would have to become a lifeline party for me 42:54 voting for them again. But that is where my politics is. Scottish National Party because it’s only going to get Scotland heard in Westminster so…

Moderator 2: Thank you. And the parties that you haven’t chosen?

Katie: I’m not going to vote UKip, I’m not going to vote Conservative, Liberal Democrats are probably something that I would have had a bit of sympathy

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maybe about 10 or 15 years ago. It’s just spineless now. I don't actually see them representing or doing anything. Plaid Cymru, I’m not in Wales.

Moderator 2: Quentin?

Quentin: I would say yes to Green Party, Labour, Liberal Democrats and I was sort of 50/50 with Scottish National Party. I’d vote Green, I probably wouldn’t vote them in the national elections but maybe council, Europe, just because they’ve got good beliefs and they’ve got their heads in the right place. Labour Party, again, obviously slightly more left leaning. They have some good policies. I like their stance on Europe, because I don't believe most people in Britain are sort of informed enough about decisions that they make, probably 44:10 education ?? and I think it could go horribly wrong. Liberal Democrats, middle of the road. Although a lot of people see them as spineless I think they did keep the Tories under… they didn’t keep them under control but they did give them a barrier just to sort of keep them slightly towards the left. I think they did stop quite a lot of policies that the Tories wanted to go ahead with. I wouldn’t vote Plaid Cymru just because of Wales. UKip, I just don't agree with their politics. I've got a second constituency back in England, and people who want to vote UKip are stupid, quite frankly, and often are pretty much the cause of racists really. I think a lot of them are. I think they just use Europe as a way of sort of trying to get people more involved in the UK Independence Party. Conservatives, I've never really agreed with them, they’re just too right winged. They’re outdated; most of the people who run the party are all the Eton boys. I can’t relate to them in any way, shape or form.

Moderator 1 Thank you very much; that was very, very insightful. And I think… Ralston?

Ralston: I think I might be the exception to the rule here. Who do you want first, who I would vote for?

Moderator 2: Yes

Ralston: Sorry, you are not going to agree with this but I would vote Tory and UKip. I come from a Labour family, which goes against the grain, but anyway. It purely comes down to Europe. I’m not any form of racist, I’m usually quite tolerant, but I see things from sort of a business perspective and I also think

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that… I’m just concerned with the deficit, I mean, I’m really concerned. I've got a young nephew and I just don't feel that that generation should have to pay for the mistakes of this generation and I think they’re the only ones, realistically, who will take realistic action on the deficit. UKip, I just agree with in terms of settling 46:30 and I question ?? I wonder if anyone around this table had a chance to vote in the last EU referendum and I think, you know, if it’s the only way they’ll get it and settle it once and for all either way. And I do agree with what they stand for, for standing up for, not so much Scottish but British people. So the ones that I wouldn't vote for, the Green Party I just think are irrelevant, sorry if anyone disagrees. The Labour Party I wouldn't vote for in this election, I have voted them in the past but the prospect of them being steered by Sturgeon terrifies me. I might have voted for them in the past but not now. Plaid Cymru, purely technical and the Scottish National Party, I would maybe have voted the Scottish National Party had they left the referendum alone but I do think they want another one by the back door and I think they want to keep on repeating it until they get the result they want. So I wouldn't vote for them ever again.

Moderator 2: Thank you very much. I mean, you can see that there is quite a diversity of opinions, which is exactly what we want, because this kind of thing has no right and no wrong, we just want to know what you’re thinking about. So thank you very much for being so open and honest with us and telling us what your opinions were.

Moderator I: definitely, we really appreciate it. So the next thing, I guess we kind of touched a little bit about it in terms of this and where your political world is, but when you’re thinking about your vote on Thursday, when you put that mark down what is it that that mark means to you, or what are the thing that you’re wrestling with about where to put your mark? So it might be the local MP, it might be what’s going to happen the day after the election in terms of the coalition, it might be a party you've always voted for or things like this. So when it comes to the coming vote, when you’re putting down your mark what kind of things are you thinking about? So Edmund, can we start with you?

Edmund: Probably I’d be thinking which candidate belonged to which party or which party would party would probably put my… and my areas and constituencies, put their needs first and take that then to a national level and

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to a UK wide level. So I’d probably base my view on whichever party would be most likely to make my area, Glasgow and Scotland’s voice heard the most.

Moderator 1 Great, thank you. How about you, Finn?

Finn: I think it’s a combination of the tactical in the respect that I think they couldn’t win the constituency but also the empathy thing in the respect that I think the Scottish National Party at the moment just understand the Scottish psyche in a way that nobody else really does and they will do the best job for the constituency, and as Edmund says, at a local level will take an interest in the right kind of things.

Moderator I: Thank you. How about you Quentin?

Quentin: Partly tactical. I think a lot of the time it’s who I can relate to most, just reading about, just looking into a candidate who you’re actually voting for and seeing what their background is etc. I think that's quite important for me.

Moderator 1 Thank you. How about you, Floyd?

Floyd: I’d say mine could be really tactical on a constituency view and also on a national view. Whether you just waste your vote voting for a party that’s never going to actually win in your constituency and then on a party that will actually affect something at Westminster. I would say that’s all, yeah.

Moderator 1 How about you Katie?

Katie: Probably a combination of the two, looking at something that’s going to actually have some impact at Westminster and having a look at the kind of local candidate as well, but it’s the overall impact, I don't want to waste my vote.

Moderator 1 Harry?

Harry: I’m pretty much the same. It’s about making my voice heard and choosing the party that I think has got a good chance of winning a constituency and will make the constituents and this country’s voice heard in Westminster.

Moderator 1 And Ralston?

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Ralston: Sorry, I should have added in the last one that I would probably vote UKip locally and nationally. In terms of Thursday’s vote, I mean, you've got more chance seeing David Cameron walking down 51:21 than the Conservatives or UKip making an impact in Scotland. So I would probably just vote UKip to try and help them get their deposit back, because realistically UKip will not do anything but if it helps them…

Moderator 1: You’re not alone; there are other UKip voters in Scotland too. We met some of them! We’ve heard from some of them too and some of the same concerns. Great, thanks. So one question I do want to ask, because Scotland is very different from the other two nations in terms of what the polls are saying, and I am very curious.

SNP SWEEP

If we look at the polls it looks like a very big Scottish National Party sweep, so when you guys think about that, what the polling is saying about what it’s predicting, can you just give me a reaction, maybe one word or a phrase in terms of what does that make you feel like? Basically, how do you feel about the idea of a big SNP swing? It might be something like terrified, because we have heard that, we have heard that, to excited, or something in between, or confused or worried about the coalition. There might be a lot of emotions about that. So I’m just wondering though, because this is where it’s happening and people are going to be making the decision here that’s going to have very big ramifications. So I’m wondering as we approach the poling day what does the idea of a very massive SNP sweep, what does that make you feel? Quentin, can I start with you?

Quentin: Yeah. Nervous, I think SNP haven’t really had this important role as much in the past so it will be interesting to see if they can actually step up to the plate. They’re very good at pointing at flaws in the major parties but I think often they’re a bit too optimistic. I think they think Scotland’s a bit too perfect. In my opinion, I don't think it is. Yeah, it makes me a bit scared, because I would have voted no in the referendum, I don't want to break up the UK and I think SNP will push it. I think having them in Westminster is good because obviously Scotland needs to be represented and they will keep Labour under

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check but I think they will push it until they get what they want, even though they said they wouldn’t do that.

Moderator 1: Thank you. Floyd, how about you?

Floyd: Probably nervous, mainly, but I’m also quite interested and maybe a bit excited as regards to they actually can change anything, they have an influence on Westminster and all that. I’d say predominantly nervous.

Moderator 1: But a little tinge of excitement of interest about what’s going to happen?

MR: Yes

Moderator 1: How about you?

Katie: Excited. That’s all I have.

Moderator 1: Harry, how about you?

Harry: Excited as well, I think, about getting that representation and maybe giving a bit of a “fingers up” to sort of political class, as it were. You know, they haven’t listened and this is what you get when you don't listen.

Moderator 1: So we’ve had nervous, we’ve had excited, how about you, Ralston?

Ralston: Terrified, losing sleep. To back up, Quentin made the point and it is run true, they used the exact words “once in a generation” and I just don't feel they’ve ever got over it or let it go, and we’ve seen videos on YouTube of the deputy leader saying we’ll push, and push and push and I just don't feel they’ll ever get over it. I still think 99% of them can’t get over the fact that they lost, and by quite a big margin, and I just think they’ll keep pushing. And I also think they’re far too left wing. I mean, they just have no idea in terms of deficit and everything else and how you bring spending under control. I think their heart’s in the right place, but I’m more right than left, which sort of goes against the grain, but I really don't want it to happen. I would take another five years of the Tories rather than 55:36. I just don't want that. I suppose they’re suggesting that may happen so… and that’s the democratic will of the people.

Moderator 1: Yeah, thank you. How about you, Edmund?

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Edmund: I suppose interested and excited to see what will happen Friday after it’s all been done. And just to see… the way the polls are looking anyway, that no side is going to get anywhere near forming a government on their own. There’s going to be a lot of trading and negotiations to see what might happen.

MR: Dark rooms

MR: There’s no guarantee that any side is going to sway over anybody else yet. It could be a minority government so it’s hard to know what might happen.

Moderator 1: Finn, you’re last.

Finn: I think it’s thrilling but… at least I’m very thrilled, but not because of what it might imply about another referendum because I don't particularly want to see another referendum very soon, and I think Nicola Sturgeon is actually quite sincere when she says that they would need to be some kind of material change, because there was a democratic process last year and the vote was no and there really ought not to be one, at least until something changes sufficiently to have another one. But I think that something really interesting has happened during the time that the SNP has been in government in Scotland, which is it’s moved Scottishness onto the agenda in Scotland in a way that it hasn’t been in my lifetime and I think people have been on a very slow burn journey to get to grips with what Scottishness means to them and what it means to be a Scottish person in the 21st century and I think it is a slow burner and a long process and I think what happened last year was a big part of that process. But we’re still going through it and what’s happening at this election is another big part of that process and we need to get through it. Now, where the music will stop, I don't know. I don't necessarily want to see another referendum very soon but there is certainly a newly politicised Scotland and Scotland is very aware of itself, it has kind of woken up. I think that’s really interesting. I think it’s really exciting that the country that I live in has just been kind of accepting things dished out to them for my whole life is suddenly asking for a little bit more. Yeah, that's the reason.

Moderator 1: I’m really glad. We’ve never asked that question before. We were in Dundee last night and now I wish I had, but because this is really a very special and unique situation I really thought it would be important to hear how, as we’re approaching polling day, various emotional reactions and I think

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it really reflects the dialogue and the discourse that’s going on. So this is gold; you guys are giving us gold!

MR: It’s funny, because just to pick up on a very… Alex Salmond says almost the exact same thing in his memoirs that I’m reading right now, almost it’s as if you've just ghost written them for him.

MR: Don't tell anyone!

Moderator 1: So are you going to do voter registration?

VOTER REGISTRATION

Moderator 2: Yeah. So on a slightly different topic, we are collaborating with the UK Electoral Commission on a couple of things. So one of the things they want to know is if any of our participants have experienced the new voter registration system and, if they have, what their experience was. So just by a show of hands if anybody has used the new voter registration system. Okay, Edmund and Ralston. Can you give me an idea of what your experience was and how easy or how difficult it was?

MR: I thought it was fairly straightforward, fairly easy. You just go into the website and fill in your details. It’s very straightforward, I thought. It took them quite a while to reply back. I think there was a bit of a back log, but it’s to be expected.

Moderator 1: Were you nervous at all that it hadn’t gone through?

MR: I registered maybe a few months back so I was there probably in good time, but it took them a good while to come back to me so I was kind of wondering what happened. Other than that it was very good, straightforward.

Moderator 1: Would you have liked a confirmation email that you could print out and keep and say this was the detail and the date you did it?

MR: Yeah, that would have been good, just to give peace of mind that it had gone through.

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Moderator 2: Can I also ask how did you find out that you needed to go to the website?

MR: Just word of mouth.

Moderator 2: Thank you very much. Ralston?

Ralston: I had to actually go to the local electoral, because I've just moved area, so for some reason they were trying to tell me I wasn’t a UK citizen at one point, so I had to go with ID and proof of my new address, because I had literally only just moved to the area in January/February and I only registered to vote in March, because I had so much on I just forgot, and I thought March would still be plenty of time. And my national insurance, everything like that, you know, I even sent them… because they asked me for more information so I scanned and sent proof, official proof, and they still rejected it. I don't know if it’s because I’m a student or something, I don't know, but anyway it’s fine now. That confirmation email would have been fantastic, do you know what I mean, because when you buy something online and you get a really good deal you wait for the confirmation email, do you know what I mean? And I think even just to say it had been received, because a lot of people, I study social media, politics and social media, and quite a big thing was, “I don't know if it’s gone through.” There was a lot of people retweeting that. So yeah.

Moderator 1: We’ll definitely feed that back.

MR: I mean, it’s not complicated technology, if they’ve got your email address, do you know what I mean?

Moderator 2: Yeah, that’s really good feedback, thank you. Is there anyone who has experienced or heard of people who have used the online registration system, or the individual electoral registration system? So if you know anything second hand or third hand.

MR: My friend did it but his was totally smooth. He had just moved so he had to reregister. He stayed within the same sort of, I don't know, area. I moved within two different boundaries.

Moderator 2: Thank you very much.

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Moderator 1: We’ve got eight minutes and we’d like to get two questions in. We skipped one to ask about the idea of the SNP sweep. But it sounds like a lot of people here watched the debates. Can we have a show of hands?

DEBATES

Moderator 1 Okay. So one of the things that we’re trying to get some feedback on, because the debates, as you noticed, changed from 2010 to 2015, and we were wondering about impressions. Just, first of all, about the debates, the changes of the formats, would you think that they’re going in the right direction or going in the wrong direction, maybe I could ask it that way, and the other question we have is do you think these debates are generally a good thing or do you wish that they would just stop them entirely? So in terms of the changes that were made from 2010 when it was the three main party leaders, to this time around, do you think that the changes that were made are heading in the right direction or are they heading in the wrong direction. Just by a show of hands, people who think that the changes that the commission made are heading in the right direction? We know there’s problems with the debates, we understand that. Some of the things that make you feel that they’re going in the right direction would be?

Katie: Just great participation of the other sort of non main parties.

Moderator 1: People would agree with that?

MR: Yes.

MR: I didn’t like that. I thought that was a bit of a farce, to be honest.

Moderator 1: So that would be in the wrong direction?

MR: Yes

Moderator 1: Any other reasons why you think that they’re heading in the right direction?

MR: Sorry, I thought…

Moderator 1 That’s okay, that's fine.

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MR: The newest format where they don't all come out together, the last one with David Dimbleby.

MR: The Question Time one?

MR: Yeah, I thought it was better, not being able to argue and not being able to speak over, ask better questions.

Moderator 1: Can I ask, and this is maybe a leading question but it’s something that we’ve got from other participants, would you guys like to see more of a hustings style approach to these things rather than a presidentialisation of them? By a show of hands. Hustings, so more like a Question Time thing where it’s audience led and less presidential. And people who think they’re going in the wrong direction? Ralston, okay. And what are your concerns?

Ralston: Well, the Greens have only got one seat yet. They made a hell of a hoo-ha about getting on, and I think it should be only for people that can realistically be prime minister, to be honest, and I think they maybe have one seven way debate but I liked the 2010 because it had the three main parties. I didn’t think the seven way was a bad thing, it’s a one-off, so maybe have that at the start, but I still think the three of them, all the people that can be prime minister, should have… do you know what I mean, and the fact even as a natural sort of Tory supporter, the fact that Cameron wouldn’t do it with Miliband sort of … and the fact that there was so much crap about it in the news, do you know what I mean, and so much wrangling and everything else, you know, I just felt it almost became a side show to the actual event.

Moderator 1: So do you think if they had clear reasons as to why different formats with different parties with clear explanations that, like you said, we’re going to do seven way because we want representation but maybe then have Northern Irish parties in it as well. It seems like some people’s confusion is just like who got to get on stage, but it sounds also like what you’re saying is that if someone is going to be prime minister, the people who are going to be prime minister should also have a chance because they’re going to be the prime minister, so there should be something where they do their stuff so that you can see them as a leader.

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Glasgow Pre FG 1

MR: Especially an American, I like that style of debate better than… I like the presidential rather than the sort of… I prefer those because… I do vote on those.

Moderator 1: So in some ways perhaps a mix which is hustings style for the wider thing where you can get more interaction and see the parties, see the leaders and how they perform, but for the people who actually have a legitimate chance, like presidential candidates, see them up there and actually debating their policies back and forth.

MR: Yeah, almost like a job interview for the prime minister role.

MR: I think the combination of the different styles of debate set against each other is quite a good balance device because you get to see how they behave and the more conventional debate but I thought the hustings style, as we call it, was a really interesting thing to compare that with and how they deal with the more straight talking and on their own terms.

Moderator 1 Thank you. Edzia, do you want to do the last one?

OUTCOME PREDICTIONS

Moderator 2: yeah. So finally, when you wake up on the 8th what do you think is going to happen? Now, because we’re running out of time I’m going to give you a few options, and obviously this is not going to happen on May 8th, so sometime in the future, hopefully not too much in the future, we might have a government formed. So what kind of government do you think is going to form, and I have two options for you. The first is something that’s led by the Conservatives. So it can be a coalition, it can be a supply and confidence, whatever it is, something that’s led by the Conservative Party. How many of you think that’s going to happen?

MR: Think or hope?

Moderator 1 Think. If you had to put money on it.

Moderator 2: Yeah, if you had to put money on it.

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Glasgow Pre FG 1

Katie: This is a bit weird because you’re saying Friday morning but do you mean who’s going to form a government?

Moderator 2: Obviously that’s not going to happen on Friday morning, absolutely.

Katie: So okay, so the situation on Friday but that doesn’t mean whose forming government, because we might end up with, you know, the whole situation.

Moderator 2: Yeah, so say, in the next week or two, what do you think is going to happen? Do you think we’re going to have a Conservative led government of some sort?

MR: Yes.

MR: Is that without someone backing them up?

Moderator 2: Yeah, whatever. So David Cameron becomes prime minister, that will be the easy one. Okay, so the opposite of that, Ed Miliband becomes prime minister with whatever support. Great, so that was hard…

Moderator 1 That’s it. Other than your envelopes you can leave everything behind.

Moderator 2: Can you please make sure that you've signed your consent form, because without a signature we can’t use your work.

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