Despite David Cameron's efforts to broaden the party's appeal, only 16% of ethnic minority voters supported the Conservatives in 2010. Lord Ashcroft's report, Degrees of Separation: Ethnic Minority Voters And The Conservative Party, explores minority voters' perceptions of the party, and the barriers that need to be overcome if they are to be attracted in greater numbers.
The research found a widespread view that Conservatives do not understand, or are even hostile to minority communities, that the party does not stand for fairness or equal opportunity, that it does not share the values of many people from minority backgrounds, and that it is not on the side of ordinary people. While Labour were seen as the party that had helped immigrant communities establish themselves in Britain, the Tories were in many cases associated with historic examples of prejudice - though David Cameron himself was better regarded than the party as a whole.
Degrees of Separation is based on a unique programme of research, including a 10,000-sample poll and discussion groups with voters from black African, black Caribbean, Muslim, Hindu and Sikh backgrounds.
Lord Ashcroft said: "The gulf between the Conservative Party and ethnic minority voters is a well-known feature of British politics but it is little understood, especially in Westminster. I hope the party will absorb these findings and act on them - not just because this problem is costing it seats, but because it is wrong that a large part of the community should feel that the Conservative Party has nothing to say to them."
A poll of 10,268 adults was conducted between 24 October and 4 December
2011. 20 focus groups of voters from black African, black Caribbean, Muslim, Hindu and
Sikh backgrounds were conducted between 31 January and 1 March 2012.
Further details of the research, please go to
http://www.lordashcroftpolls.com
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