Fabian Society - Voters don't take their cue from newspapers

Wednesday, 27, Oct 2004 12:00

Sunder Katwala, general secretary of the Fabian Society, today told politics.co.uk that newspapers "aren't as important as is sometimes made out" in terms of influencing how their readers vote. His comments followed Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger's suggestion that the paper might turn its back on the Labour Party and support the Liberal Democrats at the next General Election.

Mr Katwala maintained that while readers might choose a newspaper "for their politics" it was unlikely that their views would be formed by that paper. He suggested that a newspaper's stance was "more of a symbol". The Guardian editor's comments were indicative of the current "ambivalence about the Government". But, Mr Katwala maintained: "Readers certainly don't take their cue on how to vote from newspapers."