If Boris Johnson wants to win the Waitrose woman, the mood among shoppers at a luxury supermarket branch suggests he’s done his job. In Fulham, West London, many women say they are Labor or Liberal Democrat voters, while even his fans are not entirely sure they would vote for him.
The Waitrose Woman is a new demographic group reported by conservatives as one that Johnson must win to stay firmly at number 10. According to their research, she is middle-class, southern and not a Brexit fan. or cultural wars.
Perhaps as proof of this, he gave an interview to Mumsnet this week, during which he was accused of being a “common liar”.
Outside the Fulham branch, located in the Fulham and Chelsea constituency of Conservative MP Greg Hands, Layla Powell, a chef, is about to enter with her Waitrose bag. Powell says that although she likes the prime minister and has met him, that doesn’t necessarily mean she’s voting for him.
“Honestly, when it comes to politics, I’m in the middle,” she said. “As a person, I like him. However, his policy has not been up to date lately. I am at a dead end. I am not a supporter of Labor and I am not a supporter of conservatives. “
Although she considers herself a middle class and someone who would benefit from the Conservative vote, she says the party is “not for the masses”. At the moment, she is not sure that one of the two main parties is better than the other, she said. “Maybe it’s time to look at different parties. Maybe the Liberal Democrats. “
A regular woman at Waitrose, she sees her buyers as “predictably conservative… Obviously the price is a bit higher than that of Tesco or Sainsbury.”
Jasmine Robinson, pictured with Nick Love, says Johnson “is not a very present prime minister.” Photo: Linda Nylind / Guardian
Leaving the store with her hands full of groceries, Yasmin Robinson, 25, is a Liberal Democrat voter and says she was “raised by a Waitrose woman.” But the Fulham sales manager doesn’t think most typical Waitrose buyers are likely to vote for Lib Dems.
She says Johnson is “not a very current prime minister” and describes herself as very disappointed with politics. In fact, she is so unhappy with the current government that she has been prevented from going into public service.
Her companion, 24-year-old Nick Love, says she knows many “modern mothers” conservatives who were recently removed from the party. “Many Tory mothers I know would not vote for Tories now,” said Love, a Sussex financier. “Because they care about Partygate.” But he is not sure if that will make them vote for another party. “We’ll have to see.”
Mark Jennings, 58, a Labor MP, restorer of antique lighting fixtures, and Ilona, 49, a sports massage therapist, say Johnson is a “liar” and a “disgrace.” “There’s nothing good about it,” says Ilona.
Amy Butcher, a 37-year-old Labor teacher, said of the Tories and Johnson: “We’re not their biggest fans, are we? I just think he only cares about himself and his friends.
But she believes Waitrose is the wrong place to start if she wants to increase support. “I think they have to go into the real world and see real people, go and talk to some people in the food banks. Talk to people who decide whether to heat or eat. ”
Hilde Rodriguez, 73, who is retired and lives in West Kensington, says she does not consider herself a “Waitrose woman”, but that as a conservative, Johnson has her support. “No problem will make me change my mind,” she added.
Stephanie Coleman: “I don’t want to do his job, someone has to do it.” Photo: Linda Nylind / Guardian
Stephanie Coleman, 51, who buys picnic ingredients and is “usually a co-op,” is also sympathetic to the prime minister. The hairdresser from the South West of England says: “I would not like to do his job, someone has to do it.”
She thinks Johnson is “shrewd” and “plays the fool pretty well when he has to,” and all the problems are due to his wider team. “It takes more than one person, doesn’t it?” she says.
She questioned the term “Waitrose woman”, adding: “She may be a Waitrose man, as the future goes. Maybe that’s what he needs to think about. “
A spokesman for number 10 said: “This government is focused on providing services to all sections of society, including women, from ensuring that women feel safe at night to ensuring that they receive the opportunities and pay they deserve. on work. Conservatives have also introduced mandatory pay gap reporting for large employers, as well as shared parental leave, and doubled free childcare for eligible parents.
A Waitrose spokesman said: “I understand that the Guardian has spoken to customers at our Fulham store, so we will let them speak for themselves.
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