Election Campaigns

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Election Campaigns

• Presentation by Dr Peter Jepson
• To be used in conjunction with Chapter 2 of
• AS UK Government Politics by Garnett Lynch.

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Requirements

• Read and précis notes will be checked.
• Annotate your PDF notes.
• Raise your hand if you have a question.
• Turn off your mobile.

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Funding

• Running a general election is expensive -
  advertising, manifestos press conference,
  polling, transport, telephone canvassing and
  rallies are all costly.
• In 1997 Conservatives spent 28.3m, Labour 25.7,
  and Liberal Democrats 3.5m. Spending Limits were
  enforced in 2001 so less spent.

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The cost of the party machine

• It is estimated (Garnett Lynch) that the two
  major parties both having running costs in excess
  of 20m a year. The Conservatives have had huge
  debts and Labour too has financial problems.
• How do these parties get funds?

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Sleaze

• Concern existed about wealthy donors - for
  example Asif Nadir donated 450,000 to the
  Conservative Party and then had to flee the UK
  amid fraud accusations. Likewise, the Labour
  Party and Bernie Ecclestone (Formula One).

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Standards in public life

• Following cases of sleaze the Committee on
  Standards in Public Life (Chaired by Lord Neill)
  was established which led to the Elections and
  Referendum Act 2000 and the following
  requirements

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Standards in public life

• Ceiling on national campaign expenditure (30,000
  per constituency).
• Parties must produce quarterly reports of large
  donations (5000 plus).
• Weekly donation reports during elections.
• Foreign Donations to UK parties banned -
  Electoral Commission overseas.

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(See page 34 of Garnett Lynch for details)
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Standards in public life

• Despite the 2000 Act donations to political
  parties continue. In the four months prior to the
  2001 election the Conservatives were given 6m,
  Labour 4m and Lib Dems 220,000.
• Some of these - like that of Richard Desmonds
  100,000 to the Labour Party (Express Newspapers)
  raised concerns - as did the TUs 6m (Should
  it?)

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State Funding of Parties

• The Neill Report and the two main parties
  rejected state funding of political parties.
• However, they do get money for postage of
  election leaflets and free hire of public
  buildings for meetings (Should the BNP get free
  use?).

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In Pressure Groups

• Discuss the arguments for and against the state
  funding of political parties (note the position
  of the Political Parties in 2002 - see page 35 of
  Garnett Lynch).

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What is a manifesto?

• Garnett and Lynch claim that The doctrine of a
  mandate has an important place in UK politics.
• What is a manifesto? What is a mandate and why is
  it important?
• Are five headline pledges equivalent to a mandate?

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Election Campaigns

• These have changed over the years and do vary
  according to where you live (in a safe seat) - if
  it is a general election etc.
• The main political parties run professional,
  choreographed general election campaigns.

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Election Campaigns

• Use is made of spin doctors - focus groups -
  television and an emphasis on personality.
• They use advertising agencies and opinion
  pollsters.
• Agenda setting is the key goal for election
  campaign managers (What is that?). Example of
  John Prescotts punch in 2001 upsetting such
  plans.

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Advertising

• The Labour isnt working poster campaign won
  for the Tories in 1979.
• Likewise Labours double whammy in 1992.
• Labour sent out text messages to young voters in
  2001 and telephone canvassing is now a major
  feature.

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Target seats

• Parties put effort into target seats and often do
  nominal work in safe or un-winnable seats.
• Fewer public debates - canvassing - leaflet
  delivery.

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National issues

• Most elections are won and/or lost on national
  issues. It is possible (but rare) for local
  issues to influence an outcome (e.g. Dr Richard
  Taylor save our hospital campaign in Wyre Forest
  in 2001).

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The media and elections

• TV coverage is required to be equal during an
  election campaign. They should ensure all
  candidates are covered and prefer none.
• However, this does not apply to NEWSPAPERS who
  often seem to be mouth pieces for a particular
  party. Labour has courted Rupert Murdock (The
  Sun, The Times etc).

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Break into Pressure Groups

• Discuss and the explain to class the influence on
  general election campaigns of
• Newspapers
• TV coverage and opinion polls.
• Traditional approaches - canvassing - leaflets,
  poster campaigns, public meetings.
• Use of the internet, telephone canvassing, text
  messaging.

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Who does an MP represent?

• Is an MP a delegate of his constituents or his
  party? Discuss this option openly in class.
• Should an MP, as per Edmund Burke MP (1729-97),
  be free to vote based upon their independent
  judgement based upon the merits of the issue?
  (Does this suggest an MP is better than his/her
  constituents?)

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Who does an MP represent?

• Shouldnt an MP represent his/her constituency
  party? They select him as the parties
  representative and as such he is accountable to
  them?

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Who does an MP represent?

• Or should an MP just follow the Party line?
  Should that Party mirror the society it
  represents? Labour the working class - Tories
  business?
• Look at the chart on page 48 of Garnett Lynch
  - should an MP reflect his background in
  Parliament?

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Gender issues

• Would more women MPs change Parliament? See
  Table on page 49 of Garnett Lynch.
• Do you agree with all-women shortlists?
• Why does Dr Jepson disagree with all
  women-shortlists? See http//www.peterjepson.com/n
  ew_page_18.htm and http//www.peterjepson.com/sex_
  discrimination.htm

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Break into Pressure groups

• One side arguing for all-women shortlists - the
  other against.

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