British Election Campaigning

[ComradeDavo]

Right, been meaning to start this thread since the weekend, and have just been promted to by having my Local MP knock on my door

The General Election campaign is in full swing, and I am curious to know how the campaigning is in your area. Sure, we've got all the politics on TV and everything, but what about actually out and about in the country?

On Sunday, me and a few friends drove down to Southampton and back (from Bath) and there was a particular thing I noticed:

Posters - I saw pleanty of Liberal Democrat posters, and several Tory ones, but 0 Labour ones. Yes Zero. It seems that in the South West, Labour just don't exist. The Lib Dems have alot of posters up,particulary in people's gardens and so on, whilst the Tory ones I spotted were mostly on the side of the Motorway. As I said, no Labour ones anywhere. I even spotted a UKIP one, but no Labour ones. Not too many here in Bath yet, but Lib Dems are knocking on doors giving them out etc so that looks set to change.

Billboard - have seen roughly the same amount of Lib Dem and Tory posters, but no Labour ones. Lib Dems ones tend to be positive (We oppose tution fee's, we propose cuttinmg student debt etc), and Tory's negative ('Immigration Bad' and so on).

Anyway, onto leaflets -

Have had several Lib Dem ones through the door (this is a Lib Dem seat so alot of support here), and one Labour one, one Tory one.

Finally - House callers

Well, about 15 mins ago local Bath MP Liberal Democrat Don Foster came and knocked on our door, shook hands and so on, we told him we were Lib Dem suppoorters so he gave us a poster and I also said about wanting to deliver leaflets so he took my number etc. Very pleased that he is taking the effort to make house calls (even with a majority of over 9000), none of the other parties have yet.

So, for the rest of you British Voters, how are the party's being represented in your area? How 'visual' are their campaigns?

And for those of you not in the UK, I am also curious to know if the campaign had been given any coverage in your country? Wondering whether it is seen as important or not.

 

[Mr. Do]

I got two Labour opsters in the mail today. They both say the same thing differently.

 

[Kafka2]

No Labour ones here at all. The LibDems are having a go, but it's a Tory safe seat (Liam Fox is the MP).

 

[nonconformist]

Poor Kafka

We're a LibDem stronghold-Labour has no presence here, Tories are straggling, and Dr. Evan Harris is our MP

 

[Yom]

What percentage of people are going to vote Liberal Democrat, New Labour, and Tory?

I've seen 21%, 39%, and 38%, respectively, but I'm not sure if those figures are accurate.

 

[Goober]

I have heard very little about it on my CBC news that I look at. Mainly because us Canucks are engrossed with out political scandal, over the sponsorships, and we might be facing an election very soon.

But no, I've heard little about it from my local news.

 

[EdwardTking]

It is all extremely boring.

There is very little difference between any of the three main parties here. Electioneering is confined to interviews with the party leaders who make nonsenscal promises that no one believes in and rubbish the other parties, while the press rubbish the party leaders and policy.

None of the big issues such as (a) Britain & Europe, (b) Iraq, (c) Resource Depletion (d) De-industrialisation (e) Long term funding of pensions (f) Steadily rising serious crime are even discussed.

I lie in a safe Labour seat; so local outcome quite clear. Baring accidents and asassinations, the national outcome is quite clear. Labour will win with a significant but reduced majority so Blair will step down for Brown as Prime Minister.

So far have had posted leaflets from Count Dracula, Torpid Bliar, am having a baby Kennedy so vote for me and the Greens.

Anyway am leaving the country for holiday, before forms for postal ballots are posted to us; so I will not even have a vote.

I was far more interested in the USA election. Sad to say, it seems that the outcome of that was more significant for us Brits than whatever comes out of our own election.

 

[Scuffer]

Cardiff central is a Labour marginal, just 600-odd votes more than LD. LD are very keen to capture it, being a capital city. I've recieved plenty of literature from both Labout and the Lib Dems. A couple of canvassers, but no canditates. I'd really like to meet them, because I could easily be swayed to the LD if they could explain a few important issues for me. Notably council tax. Although I earn less then the national average, because I share a houise with 2 others, I'm rather worried we'll end up paying more than we do now. I'm sure it's not their idea to tax more for young professionals who have to house share because property prices are so high, but they might end up doing it anyway.

I've been a bit annoyed by the LD literature, because they are trying to paint themselves as fighting a positivie campaign, less spin, dirty tricks. However, all the leaflets focus on why Labour is useless, and have graphs that bear no relation to the numbers on them. But that only makes them as bad as every one else.

 

[Panzerking]

In Burnley we have had leaflets through the door from Labour only. I was also a bit miffed (not being a Labour supporter) when my eldest son came home from Junior School sporting a "Vote Labour" sticker which the local concillor had been sticking on every child as they left school!! I expressed my disgust at this when a Labour representative came knocking at my door yesterday.
So far no other leaflets or visits from any other parties. However I have seen a Tory billboard in town and a huge "Vote BNP" board on the entrance to the M65 motorway.

 

[chunkymonkey]

Posters - From my experience, people who vote Tory are generally embarassed to admit it, and will not place posters in their gardens, which is why huge Tory posterboards are erected where nobody has claim to them.

Billboards - I absolutely despise the Tory billboard campaign ("Are you thinking what we're thinking" - do me a favour )

Leaflets - Generally, LDs deliver leaflets all year round, not just election time, whereas Lab and Tory (despite their huge budgets) only deliver at election time. I think this again due to the fact that people feel embarassed walking around, posting Tory leaflets, just in case they get collared. I'm not sure why Labour don't - they should - and the Labour leaflets I see are very poor quality (style and content)

Canvassing - Again, only happens to me at election time. Sometimes, I don't even get visits from Tory or Labour representatives, which is fine by me, since usually its a case of "Hi, I'm Joe Bloggs from the Tory Party, can I count on your vote?" . Oh... hi, why should I vote for you again?? LDs are happy to spend 10 minutes chatting to someone on the doorstep if they want to.

I'm obviously slightly biased, but I've been canvassing, delivering, electioneering for the LibDems, and we always get a more or less positive response from the residents. Why doesn't this ever translate onto Election Day??

 

[Mega Tsunami]

I have had no visitors and not even a single leaflet yet. Could be something to do with the fact I live in the largest constituency by area in England and also a fairly safe Tory seat. I am sure they'll get to us soon.

Cardiff central is a Labour marginal, just 600-odd votes more than LD. LD are very keen to capture it, being a capital city. I've recieved plenty of literature from both Labout and the Lib Dems. A couple of canvassers, but no canditates. I'd really like to meet them, because I could easily be swayed to the LD if they could explain a few important issues for me. Notably council tax. Although I earn less then the national average, because I share a houise with 2 others, I'm rather worried we'll end up paying more than we do now. I'm sure it's not their idea to tax more for young professionals who have to house share because property prices are so high, but they might end up doing it anyway.

The LibDems say that half the people will not be affected, a quarter better off and a quarter worse off. I would like to bet that three quarters of people asked will think they are bound to end up in the quarter worse off!

Did you see the Paxman interview of Kennedy the other night? He actually mentioned Cardiff central and took the example of a family of a Fireman(24K) and Nurse (20K) would be something like £450pa worse off with the local income tax. I assume 3 sharing (on 20-24K) might well be £675 worse off. (That’s my guess of course but it sounds a bit like the poll tax to me!).
In fact Paxman mentioned that in all the main LD target seats the above mentioned ‘average family’ would be worse off.

I'm obviously slightly biased, but I've been canvassing, delivering, electioneering for the LibDems, and we always get a more or less positive response from the residents. Why doesn't this ever translate onto Election Day??

When I am asked “Can I count on your vote?” I usually just say Yes, whoever it is. It is usually much easier to get rid of them that way

 

[Yom]

Can someone please answer my question?

 

[Britannia]

My area is a safe labour seat with a majority of around 14,000. So far I've had leaflets from labour and the lib dems, the labour one was actually quite funny, they had a picture of the back of Mr Blair walking away and in the front a picture of Doug Henderson and Brown shaking hands, they obviously dont think much of Blair.

A few days ago we had a debate between the three major parties and only about 80 people turned up, there was around 300 seats left empty! Suffice to say the politicians weren't best pleased but they went ahead and made speeches. We patiently listened to the Lib Dem speeches and labour both about how they were best for the North East economy and then the tory candidate got up and started speaking about asylum and immigration saying they would fix the system. And with that nearly the whole building started shouting out, saying "I bet you will", "how stupid do you think we are" and "WNP" (white nationalist party). Anyway the lib dems suppporters, labour and the rest of us all piled out within about 30 seconds leaving only about half a dozen tory supporters.
The tory candidate looked in shock and he actually started begging with people to stay! One of the funniest things I've saw in politics for a long time, it just goes to show you the pathetic state of the Tory party. I swear if anybody falls for their lies this time I'm going to jump off the Tyne Bridge.

You might be seeing it on the news soon, someones bound to have recorded it.

 

[Britannia]

Can someone please answer my question?

Current polls routinely show the Lib Dems on 21%, Labour on about 38% and the tories on 31-33%, so another Labour landslide.

 

[Mega Tsunami]

… it just goes to show you the pathetic state of the Tory party. I swear if anybody falls for their lies this time I'm going to jump off the Tyne Bridge.

If all BNP supporters promised that the Tories would walk the election

 

[Scuffer]

Did you see the Paxman interview of Kennedy the other night? He actually mentioned Cardiff central and took the example of a family of a Fireman(24K) and Nurse (20K) would be something like £450pa worse off with the local income tax. I assume 3 sharing (on 20-24K) might well be £675 worse off.

Missed it, but thanks for the info. Looks like I may be worse off under LD schemes, despite no pension, below national average wage, no house, no tax credits, no winter fuel allowance etc etc. I pay about £24 a month council tax, so it isn't going to take much to leave me worse off.

None of the parties seem remotely interested in offering people like me any incentive to vote for them, but are quite happy to take my limited income to pay incentives for others.

 

[Britannia]

If all BNP supporters promised that the Tories would walk the election

Another reason not to do it then.

 

[anarres]

Missed it, but thanks for the info. Looks like I may be worse off under LD schemes, despite no pension, below national average wage, no house, no tax credits, no winter fuel allowance etc etc. I pay about £24 a month council tax, so it isn't going to take much to leave me worse off.

None of the parties seem remotely interested in offering people like me any incentive to vote for them, but are quite happy to take my limited income to pay incentives for others.

I thought socialists were socially aware and responsible?

Of course when it comes down to it, it's often "how much better/worse off will I be".

But I do find it strange that you earn less than the average and yet you will pay more? Can you provide the figures please? The only way I can reconcile this is the huge numbers of low waged people (like the majority of people in the country) who currently pay as much as you do, but earn much less.

Do your principles mean that they should still pay the same as you even though they earn less, or is it the fact you may have to pay more that is more important?

"memememememememe" was the war-cry of Thatcher, I hope she didn't bleed our nation to the extent that we all think like that now...

FWIW I just got a £5k pay rise and I am sure to pay more under any progressive system. It's called what's best for the country, not for me.

 

[Mega Tsunami]

@anarres I suspect the amount you pay in the proposed local income tax has something to do with how many people in the household are earning. This was always the logic behind the poll tax, the difference here being if you earn very little you will pay little or no tax.

How this will be implemented by the LibDems is beyond me. What if Scuffer moves part way through the year into another shared house with say one person only and then into his own home etc. etc.

Sounds like a dog’s breakfast to me. Why don’t they just add a few pence to basic rate income tax and be done with it. Everyone will know where they are then.

 

[anarres]

Actually, implementation should be easy. They can take it through your earnings and it is related to income so it is irrelevent who you live with.