Ed's Flashman Flop? |

Monday 16th May 2011 | 12:26

Ed's Flashman Flop?

Last Wednesday, Labour HQ launched their ‘Coalition Commemorative Calendar’, emblazoning their website with smiling photos of Nick Clegg and David Cameron, in a move that was seen by some in party circles not to be exactly the image of a malevolent ‘Tory-led government’ they want to project.

On the same day, Ed Miliband chose PMQs to resurrect his joke comparing David Cameron to Thomas Hughes and George MacDonald Fraser’s fictional character ‘Flashman’. The comparison is easy to make, with Cameron’s “calm down, dear” comments summoning up all the Bullingdon images of his youth.

Yesterday’s YouGov poll, however, shows the weakness of a joke that is quite culturally obscure. Like him or loathe him, Michael Winner's "calm down" must be near universally recognised. Thirty nine percent of YouGov respondents however, have never heard of ‘Flashman’, with 15% not knowing whether being compared with him is good or bad, and a further 5% actually seeing the comparison as positive. This leaves just 41% understanding what Ed Miliband is on about.

With nine of the twelve Flashman novels having been written more than twenty years ago, there is also a clear age divide. Just 25% of 18-24s and 19% of 25-39s understood the joke, while 57% of the over 65s did.

Even once understood, most respondents don’t think the joke works. Just 32% don’t think the comparison is fair, compared to 27% who do. The 41% who ‘don’t know’ are presumably exactly the same people who have no idea who the character is. Again, this breaks down on age lines, with just 15% of 25-39s agreeing with the premise of the joke.

In an age where humorous clips from PMQs have the capacity to go viral on YouTube, and get increasingly picked up by younger voters, Ed Miliband may want to reconsider his cultural references.

In better news for Ed, on perhaps a more important issue, there has been a 5-point jump in the number of respondents saying the Coalition's NHS reforms should be scrapped entirely – last month, continuing with them (including changing the plans to address criticisms) led ditching them by 50% to 34% - now that stands at 46% to 39%. A continuation of this trend could be a huge headache for Cameron.

Leave a comment...

Tom

13:11 |
16 May 2011
Recommended
5

better to call Cameron a P.R. man. Because that's all he is.

Andy Mayer

13:51 |
16 May 2011
Recommended
17

As part of the minority who got the reference it should also be noted that in the novels Flashman repeatedly comes across the virtuous individuals who bested him in Tom Brown's School Days. The author takes great relish in highlighting their less attractive sides as somewhat smug, self-righteous and sanctimonious characters. They invariably then meet gruesome fates whilst Flashman goes on to be lauded as the hero who saves the nation. Is this really the analogy Miliband's advisors feel he should be pushing?

Terrible but True

14:09 |
16 May 2011
Recommended
14

'This leaves just 41% understanding what Ed Miliband is on about' - beats the usual 90% trying to deal with his party's legacy who, the rest of the time, could probably care less

OfftoBedlam

22:45 |
16 May 2011
Recommended
5

Surely flashman is an anti-hero, which is cool?

Charles

23:20 |
16 May 2011
Recommended
3

He should be careful not to call him Dennis. I can't hear Ed without thinking of Walter the Softy.

Matt

07:12 |
17 May 2011
Recommended
5

A rather posh chap makes a posh chap joke at the expense of another posh chap. Yes, Ed. That will work. Just like the Life on Mars joke worked. Poor Ed doesn't get it, does he? He has all the gravitas of a member of a school second team debating society, desperately trying to attract the attention of the big boys in the first team.

Hollie

01:09 |
20 Jun 2011
0

Real brain power on display. Thanks for that aswenr!

kaskerino

00:46 |
27 Jun 2011
0

Check Insurance Rates :OOO home insurance >:-O

klownshoes

04:19 |
02 Jul 2011
0

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