OnePoll (Newsnight)
Newsnight viewers want Clegg under the spotlight
Nick Clegg has been voted the MP Newsnight viewers take most pleasure from seeing grilled on the show according to a new survey.
The OnePoll survey of 3000 Newsnight viewers placed Clegg at the forefront of MPs viewers wanted to see interrogated with 17 per cent of the vote.
Ed Balls trailed second with 8 per cent of the vote, with Theresa May third (7 per cent) and Ed Miliband fourth (6 per cent). Other contenders included Michael Gove, David Willets and Tessa Jowell.
Viewers in the North East are especially keen to see Clegg go under the spotlight, where 25 per cent expressed how pleased they would be should the Deputy PM receive a Newsnight grilling. This sentiment was echoed by viewers in the North West (23 per cent) and Scotland (21 per cent).
In party political splits, Labour supporters voted overwhelmingly for Clegg as their favourite victim (31 per cent), while Conservative supporters favoured Ed Balls (17 per cent).
Liberal Democrat supporters prefer to see Theresa May grilled on Newsnight (20 per cent), but Nick Clegg polled highly even with supporters of his own party, of which 13 per cent like to see him get the full Paxman treatment.
When quizzed on the show’s presenters, viewers still consider Jeremy Paxman to be Newsnight’s talisman. 42 per cent voted Paxman their favourite Newsnight presenter, while 12 per cent would stop watching should Paxman retire.
Kirsty Wark was considered the natural successor to Paxman of the existing presenters, while 17 per cent of viewers would like to see Andrew Marr installed as the show’s anchor.
Only 5 per cent of viewers considered Emily Maitlis to be Paxman’s natural successor, while 8 per cent chose Gavin Esler. Other suggestions included Robert Peston (5 per cent) and John Sopel (3 per cent).
Esler is highly rated by Liberal Democrat supporters however, with 20 per cent willing him to take Paxman’s chair.
Labour Party supporters expressed a preference for Jeremy Paxman and Kirsty Wark as the show’s key presenters, whereas Conservative supporters backed Jeremy Paxman and Emily Maitlis.
Of these results, Daniel Drage, digital media analyst at OnePoll, said:
“With the introduction of Laura Kuenssberg to the show, and what seems to be a gradual fading out of Jeremy Paxman, these are fascinating times for Newsnight.
“Our data would suggest Kirsty Wark is the presenter that crosses gender, geographic and ideological boundaries within the show’s span of viewers, although she has a particularly strong following in Scotland and amongst Labour supporters.
“Clearly, Nick Clegg is the MP Newsnight viewers want answers from at present, and that sentiment unites all political persuasions.
“This is in stark contrast to the way the Newsnight audience views his colleagues Danny Alexander and Chris Huhne, who passed under their radar of wrath this time.”
Source: OnePoll
