Verdict on Political Junk

Since being emailed by him, I have been quite taken by the Stop Junk Mail blog, which highlights ways of stopping people like me from putting things through your door that you don't like. Actually, we could start a debate if election material is the "democractic process in work" or just junk mail but that isn't the purpose of this blog post.

In the recent posts, Junk Buster has been reviewing the election material that comes through his door. By far the most interesting thing is the taking of task of the LibDems for havign nothing but a tactical vote plea rather than focusing on policies. We've heard that time and again on the doorsteps. We actually met one LibDem today who wasn't voting because of their literature. Here are his summaries but take a look at the blog for the full info:

Greens:
All the texts are well-written, the photos are first class, it's free of negative campaigning, and it's the only leaflet so far that has been printed on recycled paper (and using non-GM vegetable-based inks). But, the leaflet contains too much information about Adrian Ramsay and too little about what the Green Party stands for.

Labour:
Politics is about making choices. During an election campaign candidates set out their stall, explain to voters what their priorities are (and aren't), and how they will deliver their promises. At the next the election the incumbent MP can then be held to account. Not so with Mr Clarke. Or at least in this 'election communication' we don't get a single example of what Mr Clarke has actually achieved for Norwich South since 1997, and his pledges are as vague as they can be.

LibDems:
I have a really good impression of Nick Clegg. I'm one of the many people who didn't really know him until a couple of weeks ago and never had much of an interest in the Lib Dems. Mr Clegg's performance during the election campaign has changed that. But what would he make of a leaflet like this - devoid of any content, of any positive reasons to vote for the Lib Dems? I expect 'election communications' to give information about policies, to tell me what a party stands for. Direct marketing can actually be quite useful for that; because it's written you don't have to fall back on soundbites and one-liners. This leaflet doesn't even start to answer the question on the front.

Conservatives:
The back of the leaflet actually contains information about what the Conservatives stand for. Crime and anti-social behaviour should be tacked, head teachers should have the power to exclude badly behaved pupils, and local services should provide value-for-money. What is good about the leaflet is that it almost solely talks about the Conservatives' policy ideas and that it doesn't just slag off the other parties. It's not glossy, fairly informative, contains no negative campaigning, the photos are alright, and apart from the small print its all very readable. Not too bad.

UPDATE: I removed the part about the use of info because it isn't true - we do not use personal details for anything other than the campaign in question (i.e. if you signed a petition you would only recieve a resposne about that and not about our activites generally etc.) and have not entered them onto any databases.

Campaign Diary - Days Nineteen & Twenty

I am almost too relaxed now to write this having had the whole day off campaigning to spend with the family. Needless to say the weather was naff the moment we left the house. Enjoyed a wander around a quieter-than-usual City, distracted by too many cafes. Got home and had one of those manic sorting out the house moments. Turned the place upside down in the name of simplifying our lives.

Yesterday was also a manic effort and I have to pay tributes to all those who helped us get out a constituency worth of letters to people voting by Post this year. In fact the support was so good we managed to grab a few hours of doorknocking around Eaton Rise and the Newmarket Road too, where the response was good - but the "outs" won by a country mile! Today I am glad to say that my team were more active than I was and our latest leaflet has started to make its way out across the constituency.

It made me wonder; people are handing back leaflets now - not because they aren't voting for us, but they say that have been saturated by them. I said recently that I recieved 2 different LibDem tabloid newspapers on one day and I am told they were delivering 3 things together yesterday too. Is this too much? Can you get "too many political leaflets"? Another resident told me that all 4 parties had delivered them on one day. We have done quite a lot of leaflets and letters in this campaign but we've been trying to balance this with doorknocking; other parties have chosen just to deliver literature. I suppose the result will tell us which strategy worked.

Does anyone out there have a view on how many political leaflets are "too many" in a General Election?

Mystery Solved!

Remember this story (click here) about me recieving what was pretty much a letter of abuse about a Tory leaflet which featured the NHS? Well, mystery solved because the original writter has responded with evidence of the leaflet enclosed - trouble is, the offending leaflet wasn't (as I suspected) a rouge Tory effort but the latest LibDem leaflet.

Glad we got that cleared up!

Anyone delivering Tory leaflets without telling me?

I recieved a letter today from a constituent saying that she had read our leaflet and wanted to disagree with our policy on the NHS.

Trouble is, we haven't put out a leaflet about the NHS ... which is a bit odd.

What should a candidate wear whilst leafleting?

An unusual exchange whilst out leafleting yesterday; and an admisison - I was wearing shorts and a t-shirt.

I came to a couple in their front garden and passed them the newsletter.

The gentleman said, "aren't you the Conservative candidate who wants to be our MP? You better smarten up your act if you want to get into power."

I was a little stunned; his wife quickly lept in: "Oh dear, you are always saying you want politicans to be more like ordinary people and look..."

And then it struck both of us at the same time - we were wearing pretty much the same shorts and t-shirt as each other.

We laughed, and the gentleman finished: "I am even dressing like a Tory now" - "Or," said his wife, "like a young person!"

Being 30 now, I enjoy being referred to as a young person...

Norwich Station, Bus Station, Council Meeting, Teaching, Liam Fox MP, Leaflets, Blogging & Home

I have tried to describe the entire day in a single blog title; and thought I did rather well.

It was an early start because a team of us, including myself and newly-election Bowthorpe County Councillor Paul Wells, were helping with the Conservative transport survey. With the threat of nationalisation on the Norwich line and continued concerns over the buses it was aptly timed. We were with Chloe Smith, our by-election candidate, and also Angela Browning MP. Commuters were certainly keen to give their views on what should be done with a fair mix of opinions. From the train station it was off to the bus station; where things were much busier indeed!

By 8.30am I was at the Council Group Leader's meeting - the contents are confidential. However I do wish people who think that all politicans do is argue and bicker could see these meetings where we get a great deal of consenus about moving the City forward.

Some A Level teaching and a massive pile of references to write for my Year 11 leavers next, and then onto the City Centre again to meet with Shadow Defence Secretary Liam Fox MP to see the War Memorial. The War Memorial is not only the biggest disgrace in Norwich politics but lucily it stands as amassive eyesore to remind everyone of why we ought to get a move on and deliver a tribute to our veterans that is truly fitting. Dr Fox was pretty shocked at it, as are all visiting politicans when they see it. There was also an amusing aside when a couple recognised Liam and stopped for a chat - they were from Gordon Brown's Scottish constituency!

Back to school (avoiding the rain) and more work - then home to find box upon box of our new leaflets which focuses on thanking residents for their support in the local elections and reporting on the recent Cameron Direct event. Bundling leaflets whilst watching Andy Murray - well, more watching Murray than bundling to be honest! A team sort them out for deliverers and then we start shuttling them around. This is a job I like doing because it gives me a chance to meet and thank our hard working delivery team. We have dozens of people in each ward who do this job; not glamerous but vital and I like to make sure they know how appreciated they are. Friends and members keen to help always makes me feel better.

Finally home to do a mass blog (see below) about my week; I'd aimed to do them each night but that hasn't worked out so far! A big sleep needed tonight because we're off to help in the Norwich North by-election tomorrow!

It's freezing cold and raining ... let's go out leafleting!

The planning stage was a nightmare, actually doing the delivery seemed like a sort of bizarre punishment but the end result did make us all feel good - yesterday and today, teams have been out delivering across the City in Thorpe Hamlet, Lakenham, Bowthorpe, Earlham, Eaton, Wensum, Mancroft and Nelson. Amazing level of activity in the constituency at the moment and I really do have to thank all those who are really making politics interesting in Norwich South at the moment. The thing that distinguishes this campaign from the last is the sheer number of people getting involved - without them, politics and the democratic process wouldn't work. I extend this thanks to all those across the political divide who give up cold weekends for political activity.

Today we also found time to go Christmas shopping to Norwich where the crowds seemingly failed to be. In the closing down sales - particularly in The Pier outside Chaplefield - it was pretty busy but the rest of the City was seemingly quite slow. After that it was off to see Santa at Notcutts - but only to fnd he was very busy! Well, it is that time of year ... we've said we'll take the girls to see him when there isn't a 90 minute queue (yes, ninety - our girls are good at standing in line, but not that good!).

I suppose I should mention reality TV too; X-Factor finally after many years got the right result - Alexandra Burke is amazing and talent-wise in a different league from the others. I am slightly disappointed in the choice of debut single but I am sure she'll have an amazing career. So too will JLS but I have this feeling Eoghan will die off into cable TV obscurity. The one thing ITV does very well is X-Factor finals.

Shame the same thing cannot be said for the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing last night - not my cup of tea but Louise and the girls like it. I did however watch the results show and if I had of voted last night (which I didn't) then I would have been mightly annoyed with the decision to put all 3 couples through; the BBC should have thought twice about that.

Anyway, I have a couple more blog posts to publish then I'm off out again in the cold ... all for democracy.

Teddy's Birthday

This week has certainly been the busiest in campaigning terms since the end of the local elections. I've been out helping with campaign teams in the City Centre and also Town Close this week; sadly missing out on the University stuff this morning. Plenty of leaflets to deliver and the people I spoke to as I went around seemed fairly determined that Labour are going to lose the next election. One gentleman who lived in a block of flats off Ber Street said to me that a Conservative government was the best thing that could happen to the country - because he was a Labour man and defeat was the only way to rid his party of Brown. Interesting stuff.

This afternoon was the Teddy Bear's Picnic as St. Albans Church Hall and it was really well done; face painting, games (which Emily won - cue parental pride) and a great afternoon. All put on free by our local church. Thank you and well done to all involved. We then had to have another picnic when we got home - the excuse? Apparently it's Teddy's birthday; congrats Teddy.

This evening we have been putting the final changes to the constituency campaign plan and also doing some preperation for an even we are putting in with Baroness Gillian Shephard in July. It's all go! And tomorrow is Father's Day ... and last year Emily bought Louise a "sweet shop" toy so goodness knows what her revenge on me will be!

And they're off ...

After a few weeks off from campaigning, my letterbox has now become the new frontline. Last week we recieved the latest Green newsletter, proclaiming victory on all fronts in Town Close (well done them); they got in first too. Then yesterday we recieved a copy of "Town Close Matters" Conservative leaflet - of course I'd seen it before but it's always nice to recieve something you agree with 100%. And today, MP Charles Clarke had a glossy leaflet come through the door, persumably by paid deliverer as it was bundled up with other leaflets. I note the subtle change from red to green printing colour ... a political message there by any chance?

Both Tory and Green leaflets led with the local election results; Clarke's was full of glossy words and pcitures of him around the City promoting government policy. No mention of VED or 42 days. I wonder why?

The Greens also covered the post office closures, 20mph zones, City college redevelopment and their failed plans for an all-party exec. The Conservative one also featured an article on unitary, law & order and the cost of living. Charles Clarke went on crime, CCTV, park rangers and cycle paths in Whittlingham. I'd be interested in your views if you have recieved these leaflets.

This evening I have been finishing the wording for a new Conservative campaigning project and tomorrow I am addressing a street meeting about crime and anti-social behaviour.

Labour say vote for the candidate who lives closest to Bowthorpe

During our walkabout this morning I was passed a copy of the latest Labour leaflet by a resident. In it, the following classic line appears:

"In the end she [ Chrissie Rumsby, the former Labour Councillor ] lost her seat to a Tory who lives miles away by just 9 votes."

Oh, so it's a competition to see who lives nearer to the ward is it then? We won't go into the fact that both remaining Labour councillors live miles from the ward themselves, but that this really is a stupid-bordering-on-hypocritical stance to take.

When I lived in the ward and stood against dear old Ron Borrett who lived "miles away" in New Costessey and then again when he lived "miles away" in Eaton, Labour urged people to vote for the long-distance councillor Ron Borrett.

And next year, when Dereham Road resident Niki George (who lives a minutes walk from the ward) stands against City Centre resident Brenda Ferris (who lives "miles away") I wonder whom they'll want people to vote for then?

I notice that the great Leader Steve Morphew has taken over as agent ... not a great start then Steve!

Relentlessly Negative

In the same week that David Cameron promises that the Conservatives will be "relentlessly positive" (apart from PMQs, I note) I recieved a rather irrate complaint from a Town Close resident about the LibDems latest leaflet.

Apart from the mathematically incorrect bar chart, portraying dodgy statistics without any explanation (a staple part of any LibDem leaflet) the newsletter has two stories pushing the tactical vote in Norwich. Two stories? Don't they have anything else to say? I haven't seen it but I am told it is negative from beginning to end. Do they ever learn? Why don't the LibDems link their negative campaigning with their electoral defeat in Norwich ... people want to vote for people who stand for something, as opposed to people who simply say "we aren't the other lot"!

I also urge the LibDems to read the election results, because the party that won certainly wasn't us and it certainly wasn't them...

Quiz Question

Of a LibDem election leaflet, who said:

"I do apologise"

"It was an embarrassment"

"I am ashamed"

"I had no idea what was going out"

"It should not have been put out in our name"

"I've not heard so much rubbish in all my life"

"If there is anything I have left out I apologise for that as well"

The answer?

Norwich LibDem Leader Cllr Hereward Cooke.

At least he's now said what the rest of us knew all along - the LibDem Focus leaflets are fiction at best and downright lies at worse. You can't just trust a word they say - or write.

How many horses are in the Bowthorpe race?

A few comments on the blog (which could, of course, be from one person) have said that Bowthorpe is a three horse race and that the Greens have lots of posters in the ward and are leafletting like mad.

Excuse me?

Having walked from one end of the ward to the other in the past 3 days, I have to ask where these posters are and who recieved these leaflets - because our members from Larkman to Three Score don't seem to have them. I don't see this as anything more than the usual Con-Lab tussle but I'd be interested in more information. The Greens will come a more solid third this time but that's it.

Oh and an A* to the witty resident, who shall remain nameless, who wrote to me asking if Green candidate Blair Campbell was a hybrid of Tony and Alastair!

A successful day then...

As I made my way around this morning, leafletting from house to house, a thought struck me. Who is going to read this leaflet today? The sun is shining, the lawns are being mown and families are getting together.

I took the most sensible decision of the whole campaign so far, which put me more in touch with the public than a thousand leaflets ever could.

I went home, collected my wife and kids ... and we all went to the beach.

Worst leaflet ever produced in Norwich (and perhaps the nation)

If only I could scan it in, I would be a very happy man!

On returning home I found a copy of the Labour Rose for Town Close Ward. Now, I used to be a real leaflet snob. I hated the Tory ones of the 90s, printed as they were in tight size 12 font but our more recent efforts I believe have been the best in the City. I loathed (and often still do) the Green ones, because the quantity of information presented is too much for an A4 sheet. However, thanks to photographs and lots (and lots) of adverts that seems to be less of a problem. I have, on the other hand, always admired the LibDem Focus sheet. It was pioneering in politics but I now wonder if a lot of the gimmicks (e.g. 2 horse race, bar charts etc) have had their day. I remember one old Lakenham Focus that looked as if it were done on a typewriter, but generally the standard and print is good. Labour have always struggled. They recently reluanched Labour Rose as an A4 booklet style including arty shots of various candidates and councillors. Some good, some bad and some very, very ugly.

Yesterday's was the worst (and I mean, the worst) I have ever seen. Tight text, no photos, the stories ran on between the pages and all of the stories were utterly boring. Devoid of content and shockingly bad to look at. I'd be surprised if anybody, let along large numbers, of people read this. A whole page deciated to a county council spokesman than not even I have heard of? That's gotta be desperate!

Come on Labour, we know you aren't serious about Town Close, but at least look at and learn from successful branches like University or Lakenham and see how they do it.

Do the LibDems know where Norwich South is?

Apparently not.

Now, before I go into this I should say that I did pledge to put less obvious point-scoring posts on my blog and focus more on the work of the council and national politics generally. I have failed miserably on this, and will continue to do so today.

The LibDems appear to have been delivering a newspaper - an awful one to boot - around the place and a neighbour kindly put one through my door this afternoon. Attached was a note which says:

"They don't know North from South and clearly their arse from their elbow."

And ringed on the front of the newspaper, amongst the places this was delivered to (which include Eaton, Bowthorpe, New Costessey etc.) was two words ... Mile Cross.

Oh, dear. Now for the uninitiated, Mile Cross falls into Norwich North, not Norwich South. You might have thought that this was a City wide newspaper then? Well, if that was the case then Catton, Sewell and Crome were mysteriously missing. Only Mile Cross made it into the wrong constituency.

As my laughter drew to a close, after some minutes, I am ready to draw one of two conclusions.

Either the LibDems don't know where the constituency boundary is or the LibDems are as fixated on Mile Cross as Steve Morphew is meant to be. We wonder why ...

Cheap party political point scoring over, begin the angry LibDem posts...