As the UK’s General Election draws ever closer, the 31-day race to the finish line on the 6th of May has become a sort of ‘speed-dating’ for the nation’s political parties. With 650 seats in the House of Commons up for grabs, the ratio of MPs to people stands at a staggering 92,000:1. This is in stark contrast to the US House of Representatives, where there are 435 seats to serve 330 million people – a ratio of 760,000:1.
Alun Hugh Cairns, a 39-year-old Conservative Party Welsh Assembly Member, is hoping to become MP for the Vale of Glamorgan in South Wales. He is running for the second time against the retiring Labour MP John Smith, with whom he clashed in the 2005 General Election, narrowly losing by 1,800 votes. The challenge now lies in getting voters to show up, especially as 56% of the youth and 35% of Afro-Asian voters have yet to even register.
Of the 650 seats, some 300+ are already decided, with Labour and the Conservatives having a firm grip on them. The remaining seats are known as ‘marginals’, and the party that wins 326 of them will form the government, with their leader becoming Prime Minister. Despite the popularity of 3rd Party leader Nick Clegg and the Liberal Democrats in the televised leadership debates, this election is not a ‘Presidential’ popularity contest. With the LibDems controlling only 10% of the seats, they are unlikely to be a strong presence in many districts, including the Vale of Glamorgan.
The Home District
The South Wales Vale of Glamorgan constituency, located between Cardiff and Bridgend, is characterised by its rural landscape, with farmland interspersed with villages. Its easternmost boundary is the working-class port city of Barry, while the more affluent bedroom communities of Ogmore-by-Sea and Southerndown are situated to the west.
Historically, the seat has been a battleground between Labour and the Conservatives, with the outcome of elections often determined by narrow margins. In one past contest, the Tories won by just 19 votes. This year, the seat is a key target for the Tories, who must win 116 new seats and hold their existing constituencies in order to secure a majority. With the result of this marginal seat likely to be close, Alun and friends may not be able to rest easy on election night.
The Making of The MP
Accompanying Alun on a tour of his constituency district was an enlightening experience. His political blog documents his daily progress on the campaign trail, tracking the miles he walks with a pedometer. The task of keeping up with the ever-moving candidate and his team was no easy feat.
At his constituency office on Barry’s High Street, Alun explained the process for getting on the ballot: a filing form and nomination papers signed by 10 registered voters, along with a £500 ($750) registration fee/deposit. This fee is returned if the candidate receives 5% of the vote. This is a particular challenge for the LibDem (13% last election) and Plaid Cymru (5%) parties.
Campaign finance and advertising limits in the UK are strict. Each candidate is only allowed to raise and spend £10,000 ($15,000) for the general election campaign. This is a far cry from the US, where a Congressman running for re-election would be able to purchase one television advertisement on one Los Angeles station.
The election is a decidedly low-tech, high-touch affair. Alun’s office was a hive of activity, with stacks of printed brochures neatly wrapped and sorted for distribution. Cars were loaded with envelopes and flyers, and volunteers were sent out to spread the word. Alun picked up his party’s position document on housing and homelessness, and then he and his election agent (campaign manager) reviewed the day’s schedule before heading to the first formal ‘hustings’ meeting of all candidates since Prime Minister Brown asked Her Majesty to dissolve Parliament and call for the election.
On the ‘Hustings’
Forensic etymologists were amused to discover that none of the four candidates running for a Parliamentary seat in the House of Commons knew the origins of the term ‘hustings’, which refers both to the wooden box candidates stood upon to give speeches and the original court of common pleas. The definition of hustings is “a place where political campaign speeches are made” as well as “all activities in an election”.
The hustings in Barry, Wales, focused on housing and homelessness and provided a hybrid debate/Town Hall meeting. The four candidates – Labour’s Alana Davies, the LibDems’ Eluned Parrott, Plaid Cymru’s Dr. Ian Johnson and Alun Cairns – took questions from the audience for two full hours. It was a civilised and refreshing display of real democracy, in stark contrast to the 60-second clock in the leadership debates or the 7-second sound bytes usually seen on television.
Unfortunately, the hustings was only attended by 16 people, which was a real shame as they were able to get a real look at all 4 candidates and it was evident that there were few substantive policy differences between them. The exchanges were orderly and polite, with only one moment approaching ‘testy’. It would have been a riveting and real exchange to watch had it been broadcast live.
The Main Candidates
As the election in the Vale of Glamorgan approaches, voters are faced with the challenge of getting to know the candidates on the ballot. The Conservative and Labour candidates have both faced scrutiny. Alun, the Tory candidate, is known for his ambition and outspokenness, which has caused him to resign from his shadow cabinet and Welsh Assembly finance committee positions following an incident in 2008. He is a polarising figure, with some loving him and others loathing him. Alana Davies, the Labour candidate, has been criticised for living outside the constituency and for her age, as she is older than the incumbent MP. Additionally, her website is hosted in the United States, which has been seen as a sign of bad form. The Liberal Democrat and Plaid Cymru candidates have both impressed in debates, but are largely unknown. It is thought that they are using this election as a way to gain campaigning experience for future runs. With just a few weeks until the election, voters must make an informed decision about who to choose.
Leafleting 101
A team of twelve descended on the High Street of Cowbridge on a mission to leaflet the local community. Each member of the team was equipped with a stack of brochures and set out to knock on the door of every household. The group moved with remarkable speed, leapfrogging itself several times over. If someone was home, they would take the time to have a brief conversation.
The ‘clipboard holder’ was a key figure in this exercise. They had a detailed list of the voting rolls for the street and marked off who was home and if they had registered a voting preference. The team continued until 5:00 pm, when they moved on to another town in the Western Vale. Alun, the Labour Party incumbent, had spent nearly every weekend since last fall leafleting the constituency with position papers and asking for votes.
This dedication to the campaign was reminiscent of the 1939 film ‘Mr. Smith Goes to Washington’, starring Jimmy Stewart. Alun was the embodiment of this spirit, sprinting to catch up with the team as I said my goodbyes. It was clear that the four candidates in this race all had the determination and desire to represent the people of the Vale of Glamorgan.
