The David v Goliath campaign was launched a month ago to support Labour candidates in marginal seats who are being heavily outspent by Tory opponents who have strong financial backing from Lord Ashcroft and from Tory HQ.
Progress offered a prize of £1,000 to the candidate who attracted the most individual donors (not the largest sum raised), as the aim was to generate a large number of smaller donations in contrast to the massive sum £4 million sum that has been donated to Tories by Lord Ashcroft.
Nick Bent was declared the winner once the competition closed at Noon on Friday 30th April. In Warrington South (Tory Target Seat #74), Nick’s Tory opponent is a multi-millionaire and Nick estimates that the Tories are spending at least £150,000 on their campaign in Warrington South.
According to the Electoral Commission, the Tory candidate in Warrington South has already given over £80,000 from his own personal fortune to the local Conservative Association since 2007. The large Tory campaign office has paid staff, whereas the Labour office is tiny and the campaign relies entirely on volunteers.
Lord Ashcroft gave £5,000 to Warrington South Tories just a fortnight before the 2005 General Election – voters were not aware of it. Although Lord Ashcroft has not apparently given any money directly to Warrington South Conservative Association since 2005, Lord Ashcroft’s £4million donation to the Conservative Party has allowed Tory HQ to plaster Warrington South with Tory billboards and to bombard local voters with glossy mailshots from David Cameron.
Nick Bent plans to spend the £1,000 prize from Progress on a mailshot to first time voters in Warrington South and on campaign literature to persuade Labour supporters to get to the polling stations on Thursday.
Rt Hon David Miliband, who supported the competition, said: “I believe Nick Bent is an excellent candidate and will be a superb Labour MP for all the people of Warrington South. His energy and enthusiasm are more than a match for the money the Tories are throwing at this seat. People there are choosing the next Government, not just a new MP, and I believe they will stick with Labour.”
Nick Bent, Labour candidate in Warrington South, said: “This prize is a real boost both to me and to my dedicated team of volunteers in these final and crucial days. It will help us get our positive message out to thousands more voters in this very close race between Labour and the Tories here. I am confident that the strength of our volunteer effort here will keep the Tories out of Warrington South and out of Number Ten.”