We all know that getting our message across when in opposition is difficult. Soundbites have a purpose and, when crafted and used properly, can be effective. But in Bristol North-west you’d be surprised how many people I speak with on the doorstep want to ditch the soundbite and talk about the detail. For a prospective member of parliament who seems to receive more briefings each day than hot meals, this is a welcome opportunity. But for our day-to-day activists and for our traditional approach to print and messaging it poses a different challenge.
The bad news is that, for some, hearing only ‘we will freeze energy prices’ or ‘we will increase childcare’ isn’t enough. This is especially true among the potential ‘switchers’ who perhaps voted Liberal Democrat in 2010 but fall in line with the polling that shows they see Labour as having the heart but the Tories as having the head. They know we mean well but they don’t believe we can deliver it (or at least not without increasing taxation or borrowing). Without them, we won’t win in Bristol North-west.
The good news is that when you explain the impact of a reformed regulator in addition to the temporary price freeze in the energy sector, or the fact that our childcare policies are cost-neutral and not paid for by increased spending or borrowing, the cynicism begins to melt away.
We do, however, still have a lot of work to do to persuade the switchers that they can trust Labour to get the best deal for Britain – that there is a better way than the current approach of austerity-driven inequality (or, as Ed might say, ‘Britain deserves better than this’!). Reminding people that around 80 per cent of the public earn under £40,000 a year and that the Tories’ tax cuts are for those that earn over £150,000 is important. Reciting the poem of priorities as often as possible – especially to the ‘middle classes’ – is crucial.
I passionately believe that we can win this argument. In fact, I know we can. The challenge before us is to be able to present that credibility – which absolutely exists – to the public in a way which isn’t a soundbite but in a way which instils confidence that Labour is the only party of government that can combine the power of head and heart to grow our country towards a better tomorrow.
If we get this right, we will win in constituencies like Bristol North-west, and if we win in Bristol North-west we will win back Britain.
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Darren Jones is the prospective parliamentary candidate for Bristol North-west, a seat in which Labour was in third place in 2010. He tweets @DarrenPJones
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