Green leader Natalie Bennett faced new pressure to stand aside from live TV debates today after a poll found Caroline Lucas is seen as better able to put over their policies.
A YouGov survey found more Londoners think Ms Lucas, the MP for Brighton Pavilion, is “best suited to represent the Greens” in the live television event.
However, a majority of Londoners who expressed an opinion say Ms Bennett should go ahead, despite being less skilled.
The findings are mixed news for Ms Bennett who was embarrassed on live LBC radio when she had a “brain fade” and could not remember the cost of her own housing policy.
YouGov’s poll revealed a striking gender divide over Ms Bennett, with men much more likely to think Ms Lucas is better suited to TV debating. There is also an age divide, with Ms Bennett getting stronger support among young people.
Asked who would be best suited to represent the Greens in the debates, Ms Bennett was picked by 35 per cent, excluding don’t knows and those who replied “none of them”. Ms Lucas was chosen by 43 per cent.
Women were evenly divided between the pair, but among men, the gap was wide, with 48 per cent picking Ms Lucas and 34 per cent picking her leader.
Young people preferred Ms Bennett - by a 48 to 39 margin among the 18 to 25s - while older voters thought Ms Lucas was best, by a margin of 49 to 26 among the over-60s.
But asked which Green “should” do the debates, Ms Bennett was a clear winner among both men and women, and almost all age groups.
Tanya Abraham of YouGov: “Natalie Bennett’s recent performances in interviews is likely to have led Londoners to think Caroline Lucas would be better suited to make the case for the Greens in the debates. However, the public are clear – the leaders debates are for leaders so the Greens have to go with Natalie Bennett.”
The findings come with plans for the elections debates in crisis after David Cameron declared he would only do one, a seven-way debate including the Greens. Ed Miliband said yesterday he would pass laws if elected to ensure “fair and impartial” debates become a permanent fixture.
