‘Insurgency’ is the coming term to describe the quality most needed in political campaigning.
First used by Peter Mandelson – ‘we must think like insurgents, not incumbents’ – it is now seen to sum up the anti-political sentiments of the European election campaign. There are lessons we need to learn.
Yet the three most insurgent politicians – Boris Johnson, Alex Salmond and Nigel Farage – are in many ways very conventional. White, middle-aged, male, well-educated, with well-paid traditional careers – journalism, civil servant, financial services – before becoming professional politicians.
What they managed was to shake off the opprobrium that attaches to the political elite – to which they also belong – to capture the public mood of anti-politics.
All three have set up in opposition to Westminster. Two of them left Westminster, only one completely willingly. It has been a big part of their appeal. In Scotland, interventions from Westminster have been used by Salmond to fuel the yes campaign. In the European campaign attacks from Westminster on Farage have been used to prove his point.
They have also tapped into the anti-political party sentiment. The Tories were smart to recognise that Boris’ rebellious political persona was essential to capturing the London mayoralty, and provided him with political space.
And they have managed to engage the attention of people who do not usually vote. People planning to switch to vote for the United Kingdom Independence party are predominantly coming from the Tory ranks, but many are people who have not previously voted, but who are energised at the idea that they can upset the political applecart. Their turnout could dramatically shift the political landscape.
The challenge to the established parties is to understand the depths of the disengagement with conventional politics. This means changing our political culture – not just about what happens in Westminster, but our understanding of the relationship between parliament and public.
With people no longer perceiving themselves to be dependent on government for services, now delivered through a range of arm’s-lengths providers, the old client relationship with politicians has finally gone. A good thing too, although arguably for the wrong reasons. An ability for everyone to engage in real-time public discussion through social media has killed off the notion that political fora are the locus of public debate. More tellingly, perhaps, from a survey in Northampton came a message from people who got through the recession with support from friends and family, without help from government.
After the European elections produce their predictable shock results, the challenge will be to capture the insurgency vote in the year that remains before the general election. For Labour it means being in but not of Westminster: we cannot act as incumbents-in-waiting.
It is challenging for a political culture that gives control of policy and structures to people who have the resources and stamina to endure meetings, and that has a strong sense of hierarchy. Yet the people who will decide the outcome of the next election are forming their ideas now through loose associations of interest, real or virtual, and have no sense of deference.
As a party Labour needs to throw off the routines and formalities of office – even opposition office – to develop the language and policies that will persuade a sceptical public that we are the insurgents now.
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Sally Keeble is a former minister and former member of the Treasury select committee. She is Labour’s parliamentary candidate for Northampton North
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