Start UKIPs campaign for the Local Elections!

Milo · 03-09-2005, 06:17 PM

This is one idear UKIP branches may want to consider. To start UKIPs campaign for the Local Elections, one good idear would be to start writing letters INTO phpbb_your local newspaper on issues that are affecting your community and maybe national one as well. Whenever your local UKIP branch has meeting, each one of the members should choose one issue each to write letters about in the local paper, stuff like what UKIP would do, or how badly the local authorities are dealing with it, and just keep doing that, say two letters a month per member. What do you think? 8)

Alex McKee · 03-09-2005, 06:18 PM

Hello, today I was at the Barton Fayre in Gloucester, where one of our premier candidates (for council elections) has just become the new mayor of the area. We held a stall with politics as the side-line, mainly concentrating on getting people to come over.

We were one of 4 political stalls, but the Lib-Lab-Con all just had one table each with a handful of leaflets on. We on the other hand held something for the kiddies - hoopla and get the ball in the bucket.

I was initially pretty pessimistic, but the day went great. We broke even (made a small profit actually) on the costs and more importantly set down some valuable roots in an area where the LD's and Labour are strong.

We handed out UKIP stickers to the kids, and had a constant swarm of kids playing the games (reasonably priced at a penny a go for the ball in the bucket, and just 3p per go for the hoopla) and it generated some real interest in us I think.

The area is primarily asian.

Milo · 03-09-2005, 07:35 PM

That is a great piece of news Alex. Great work.

Oh, my branch did a similar thing at the GE. We had a stall to the county fair which was in Loughborough, and we gave out balloons to all the little kids, and grown-ups too, and the great thing was there was hundreds of UKIP balloons around the fair. Oh and by the way the Lib Dem stall was ****.
8)

arden forester · 02-10-2005, 09:15 AM

It seems that UKIP leadership and MEPs don't really campaign for local election candidates. Am I right or wrong? Input from them could get press interest.

Tom Wilde · 02-10-2005, 11:56 AM

I agree that it could be very effective - maybe even more so than in a parliamentary by-election.

In a Westminster by-election, a constituency is crawling with visiting luminaries from every party. One more MEP turing up to campaign may get only limited covrage in the local press, especially if they represent a party seen as a rank outsider in the poll. However, if an MEP turns up in Smeggleswick Ward to canvass for the local UKIP candidate in the by-election for Dogsthorpe District Council, then he will probably be huge front page news in the Smeggleswick News-Shopper and the Dogsthorpe Echo. Which is exactly the media we want to reach for that election! In combination with a proper local campaign (see Basildon Boy's postings passim) it could well swing us the election.

We need to start winning some local polls. Once we have established some local pockets of strength by having small groups of councillors - rather than just a scattering of lone councillors as at present - then we can start realistically hoping to win parliamentary elections which coincide with those local pockets.

Cyburn · 02-10-2005, 02:59 PM

Lets hope a UKIP candidate stands in BRENT

rjt · 06-10-2005, 05:49 PM

From the perspective of a former party member you should stand in as many wards as you can throughout the country. Give people the chance to vote for you but make sure you connect with issues that matter to the local people in that area.

If you are seen as being able to do a good job at local level it raises the party profile and increases your chance of getting an Mp elected in that area.

At the moment UKIP will continue to do well in EU Elections as a natural vehicle for process but you are seen as a one issue party. The reason I left after supporting the leadership through the Kilroy fiasco in 2004 is that the leadership failed to put forward a broader base of policys. I simply dont know where UKIP stand on so many issues that are important to me and so for the first time since i was eligable to vote i am now a floating voter.

Swivel Eyed Fanatic · 12-10-2005, 10:34 PM

This thread calls for UKIP to start local elction campaigns now.....and now is exactly wjat we should be doing. In my local authoritty there will be 15 seats up for grabs and we are standing candidates in all 15. There are 3 we have a real chance at, a furher 2 we might come close and the rest qyuite hionestly are just making up the numbers. However, it is already demoralisiong the other parties, the Cons haven't stood more than 5 candidates for years, the Lib-dems might get 7 or 8 and Labour only got a full slate last time by bringing some old timers out of retirement. If we amange to get 2 Councilors elcted that will be a 50% increase in UKIP representation nationally.....also councilors get allowances, acess to rooms, briefing papers and other support. Also get to be membes of the Indeopendent LGA (Local Government Association) which is actually quite a powerful body......in my area it has 2 seats on the (unelected) Regional Assembly, could really cause some trouble there........so come on get those campaigns going

UKIP MAN · 13-10-2005, 08:08 AM

Our campaigns for local elections in may have already started, we have had 2 potential councillors meetings and have been debating our strategy.

and yours faithfully wearing my cape and lycra tights will be standing in the romford area.

lets bring a little colour to the procedings :P

03-09-2005, 06:17 PM	#1 (permalink)
Milo Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Leicestershire Posts: 134 Party: UKIP	Start UKIPs campaign for the Local Elections! This is one idear UKIP branches may want to consider. To start UKIPs campaign for the Local Elections, one good idear would be to start writing letters INTO phpbb_your local newspaper on issues that are affecting your community and maybe national one as well. Whenever your local UKIP branch has meeting, each one of the members should choose one issue each to write letters about in the local paper, stuff like what UKIP would do, or how badly the local authorities are dealing with it, and just keep doing that, say two letters a month per member. What do you think? 8)

02-10-2005, 09:15 AM	#4 (permalink)
arden forester Uber Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Solihull, in The Forest of Arden, Warwickshire! Posts: 2,700 Party: None	It seems that UKIP leadership and MEPs don't really campaign for local election candidates. Am I right or wrong? Input from them could get press interest. __________________ www.ardenforester.blogspot.com www.westminster-whispers.blogspot.com

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03-09-2005, 06:18 PM	#2 (permalink)
Alex McKee Moderator Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Gloucester Posts: 6,666	Hello, today I was at the Barton Fayre in Gloucester, where one of our premier candidates (for council elections) has just become the new mayor of the area. We held a stall with politics as the side-line, mainly concentrating on getting people to come over. We were one of 4 political stalls, but the Lib-Lab-Con all just had one table each with a handful of leaflets on. We on the other hand held something for the kiddies - hoopla and get the ball in the bucket. I was initially pretty pessimistic, but the day went great. We broke even (made a small profit actually) on the costs and more importantly set down some valuable roots in an area where the LD's and Labour are strong. We handed out UKIP stickers to the kids, and had a constant swarm of kids playing the games (reasonably priced at a penny a go for the ball in the bucket, and just 3p per go for the hoopla) and it generated some real interest in us I think. The area is primarily asian.

03-09-2005, 07:35 PM	#3 (permalink)
Milo Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Leicestershire Posts: 134 Party: UKIP	That is a great piece of news Alex. Great work. Oh, my branch did a similar thing at the GE. We had a stall to the county fair which was in Loughborough, and we gave out balloons to all the little kids, and grown-ups too, and the great thing was there was hundreds of UKIP balloons around the fair. Oh and by the way the Lib Dem stall was ****. 8)

02-10-2005, 11:56 AM	#5 (permalink)
Tom Wilde Moderator Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: London. Posts: 2,914	I agree that it could be very effective - maybe even more so than in a parliamentary by-election. In a Westminster by-election, a constituency is crawling with visiting luminaries from every party. One more MEP turing up to campaign may get only limited covrage in the local press, especially if they represent a party seen as a rank outsider in the poll. However, if an MEP turns up in Smeggleswick Ward to canvass for the local UKIP candidate in the by-election for Dogsthorpe District Council, then he will probably be huge front page news in the Smeggleswick News-Shopper and the Dogsthorpe Echo. Which is exactly the media we want to reach for that election! In combination with a proper local campaign (see Basildon Boy's postings passim) it could well swing us the election. We need to start winning some local polls. Once we have established some local pockets of strength by having small groups of councillors - rather than just a scattering of lone councillors as at present - then we can start realistically hoping to win parliamentary elections which coincide with those local pockets.

02-10-2005, 02:59 PM	#6 (permalink)
Cyburn Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Kilburn, London Posts: 523	Lets hope a UKIP candidate stands in BRENT

06-10-2005, 05:49 PM	#7 (permalink)
rjt Uber Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Aldershot Posts: 5,482	From the perspective of a former party member you should stand in as many wards as you can throughout the country. Give people the chance to vote for you but make sure you connect with issues that matter to the local people in that area. If you are seen as being able to do a good job at local level it raises the party profile and increases your chance of getting an Mp elected in that area. At the moment UKIP will continue to do well in EU Elections as a natural vehicle for process but you are seen as a one issue party. The reason I left after supporting the leadership through the Kilroy fiasco in 2004 is that the leadership failed to put forward a broader base of policys. I simply dont know where UKIP stand on so many issues that are important to me and so for the first time since i was eligable to vote i am now a floating voter.

12-10-2005, 10:34 PM	#8 (permalink)
Swivel Eyed Fanatic Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Tees Valley Sub-Region Posts: 331	This thread calls for UKIP to start local elction campaigns now.....and now is exactly wjat we should be doing. In my local authoritty there will be 15 seats up for grabs and we are standing candidates in all 15. There are 3 we have a real chance at, a furher 2 we might come close and the rest qyuite hionestly are just making up the numbers. However, it is already demoralisiong the other parties, the Cons haven't stood more than 5 candidates for years, the Lib-dems might get 7 or 8 and Labour only got a full slate last time by bringing some old timers out of retirement. If we amange to get 2 Councilors elcted that will be a 50% increase in UKIP representation nationally.....also councilors get allowances, acess to rooms, briefing papers and other support. Also get to be membes of the Indeopendent LGA (Local Government Association) which is actually quite a powerful body......in my area it has 2 seats on the (unelected) Regional Assembly, could really cause some trouble there........so come on get those campaigns going

13-10-2005, 08:08 AM	#9 (permalink)
UKIP MAN Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,898	Our campaigns for local elections in may have already started, we have had 2 potential councillors meetings and have been debating our strategy. and yours faithfully wearing my cape and lycra tights will be standing in the romford area. lets bring a little colour to the procedings :P