Today’s Labour Party has a formidable record in fighting and winning elections. Our general election victories in 1997 and 2001 were down to many factors – the appeal of our policies, the trust of the electorate, the shambolic state of the opposition and Labour’s record in office. But the mainstay of these two historic election victories was organisation on the ground. A modern election cannot be won by Labour on radio and TV. The party relies on a strong local presence and personal contact with the voters.
The role of the party is to develop a relationship with the electorate over years not weeks, so that when polling day comes around, the voters will give us their support. Labour’s campaigners have always argued that local campaigns make a difference – even though some have argued that canvassing, voter i/d, street activities and leafleting is a marginal activity. There are some solid academic studies which prove that in areas where Labour has run a lively and sustained campaign, the party’s vote is notably higher than is areas where local campaigns are not visible. Thirty years ago some Labour politicians were dismissing local campaigns as mere ritual. You don’t hear that anymore. In other words – campaigning makes a difference.
During Labour’s time in government we have sustained a truly amazing record of by-election success, and fought and won in council elections and elections for the Scottish parliament and Welsh assembly. The May elections will by another tough test of local Labour parties and their ability to organise effective campaigns to win votes. Our political enemies – the Tories, Liberals, nationalists, BNP and NF, and the ultra-left splinter groups – view these elections as their chance to bash Labour, distort our record, and unseat local Labour councillors. We must not let them succeed.
So don’t assume that Labour has got it in the bag, or that it’s too late to make a difference. Even with just a few weeks to go – your efforts can make a big difference. See box below.And here’s a few tips for making the most of your activists:
We’re not all the same
Some people love knocking on doors; some people hate it. Some people love telephone canvassing; others just cannot do it. Some people find data inputting on a PC easy; others cannot even find the ‘on’ switch. So remember to match people to tasks they’ll enjoy and do well. Send the fit youngsters out into the tower blocks. Let the veterans stay in the committee rooms stuffing envelopes or on the phones. Remember to allocate tasks that are appropriate – for example, don’t send women out after dark on their own.
Running committee rooms
The committee rooms must be a hive of orderly activity. The person running a committee room must stay calm and in control, even if computers crash or tea gets spilt. Ensure a ready supply of tea, coffee, soft drinks, biscuits and sandwiches to keep the activists going. Do not allow idlers and chatters – no one should be allowed to sit and gossip on polling day. Don’t send people out if they don’t know the way. Give people maps and send out teams where at least one person knows the way.
Thanks go a long way
All too often people’s efforts go unnoticed. A ‘thank you’ can go a long way to keeping people motivated and feeling like their efforts are worthwhile. Get the candidates to pin up a thank you note in the committee rooms. Write to people or email them to say thanks after a long day’s campaigning. Take everyone for a drink to unwind. ‘Thank you’ is all most people want to hear – and they’ll keep coming back to help some more.
Planning to win
All campaigns need a plan. Your campaign plan should answer the following questions:
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What is our aim? Do we want to win more seats on the council, and if so which ones should we target? Are we defending our existing seats? Is Labour looking to take control, or form part of an administration?
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Who can help? Assemble your campaign team and volunteers. Don’t just rely on the GC and the branch officers who you see all year round. Elections can bring members out of the woodwork. Some people prefer canvassing to meetings. What about other help – can the local unions help? Are there other Labour supporters who can be persuaded? You don’t have to be a member to help Labour in an election.
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How should we target? The fact is that Labour doesn’t have the resources or energy to go all out in all parts of the country. We have to target our efforts to get the best results. What are the key target wards? How can the campaign effort be maximised? How can we use the volunteers we have to best effect?
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What’s the message? Every campaigner needs to have the answer to the question ‘what’s Labour ever done for me?’ Be ready to argue the case for the national minimum wage, the fall in unemployment, the extra billions for public services, and improvements to local schools, hospitals, roads and services for young people. Be prepared to defend Labour’s record of achievement – our enemies will be attacking us at every turn.
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What are the best campaign tools? Leaflets? Posters? Newsletters? News releases? Telephone canvassing? Knocking on doors? Public meetings? Street stalls? Petitions? Blitzing? Stunts? The toolkit is full – you must decide what the best mix of activity is to get you noticed and to keep your campaign vibrant and lively.
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When is the best time? Common sense must reign. No knocking on doors when the local football team has a crunch match, or during Sunday lunch, or after 9pm. No telephone canvassing at 7am. No leafleting a railway station after the rush hour. Time your activities to reach the most people. 5 campaign tips
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Be clear about what you can realistically achieve and how to get there.
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Try ‘low cost – high impact’ activity like street stalls, blitzing and media work to get the message out.
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Don’t get drawn into long arguments on the doorstep about policy. Debating rail privatisation with a voter might be fun, but won’t get a street canvassed.
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Don’t abuse your volunteers’ good will – don’t assume people will do long hours with little thanks or a cup of tea.
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Celebrate afterwards with a party to say thanks and make the candidates write some ‘thank you’ notes to key helpers.