Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has responded to a media report that his party has named a target demographic “Wokingham Waitrose woman”.
The Times reported how the party was internally referring to what is said was an important stand of the Lib Dem campaign, which relies on convincing Conservative voters to shift allegiances in dozens of constituencies.
It said “Wokingham Waitrose woman” is typically aged between 40 and 60, previously a lifelong Tory voter through family links or a professional background, and who has become fed-up with the “dysfunctional Conservative government” and the “trashing” of institutions such as the Church of England, National Trust and BBC.
It said this demographic also puts a large premium on their local environment, and is angered by the water companies and the pollution of local rivers and lakes.
Sir Ed Davey, talking to Wokingham Today on his visit to the constituency last Saturday, said that “Wokingham Waitrose woman” is one example of a section of society his party is targeting.
He said: “There’s a lot of former Conservatives, people who have always voted Conservatives, who are switching to us,
“They’ve started to notice our candidates, and they like our policies.
“The cost of living has gone up for them.
“They’ve noticed when they’re shopping in places like Waitrose that their bills have gone up, and they want change.”
A spokesperson for Waitrose told Wokingham Today: “We are a politically neutral business, so we’ll let ‘Wokingham Waitrose Woman’ speak for herself.”
