Social media breakdown: Cameron and Clegg outmuscle rivals after conference speeches

David Cameron’s personal popularity gained 14% following his speech (Photo: Getty)

9 October 2014

Prime Minister David Cameron and his deputy Nick Clegg were the clear winners on social media as party conference season draws to a close.

Cameron and Clegg swung those commenting on them via social media while Labour and UKIP peers Ed Miliband and Nigel Farage received more negative comments following their speeches than prior to them, according to data from Talkwalker.

David Cameron

September 28 October 1

· Positive 8% Positive 20%

· Negative 62% Negative 42%

· 211,0000 mentions

Before his speech to the Conservative Party Conference, almost four times more people went on line to criticise David Cameron than to praise him. Immediately afterwards, opinion moved sharply in his favour and Cameron’s personal popularity gained 14%. Negative mentions fell by a significant 20%.

Nick Clegg

October 3 October 8

· Positive 8% Positive 20.1%

· Negative 47% Negative 32.1%

· 100,000 mentions

Before his speech almost six times more people went on line to criticise Nick Clegg than to praise him. After the conference Clegg’s personal popularity rose sharply from 8% to 20.1%. Negative commentary dropped by 15%.

Ed Miliband

September 20 September 24

· Positive 13% Positive 15%

· Negative 34% Negative 51%

Ed Miliband’s personal popularity hardly moved after his conference speech (up by 2%) with a sharp increase in negative commentary of 17%

Nigel Farage

September 24 September 28

· Positive 7% Positive 11%

· Negative 50% Negative 60%

Data: Talkwalker