When West Kent meets the British Queen

Excitement at West Kent Towers.

On Friday, after we have packed and posted the summer draw tickets, we are heading to Eastbourne, to confirm arrangements for our 40:40 Campaign Day on Saturday 7 June.

Apparently we are meeting the British Queen !

No, not this one... Apparently there are two.

Tower Hamlets

I have just received a press release from the Electoral Commission regarding the count at Tower Hamlets. Buried at the bottom under "notes to editors" is the following point (my emphasis)

Prior to the elections, the Returning Officer for Tower Hamlet put in place a local protocol which represented a commitment by all parties, individuals and organisations involved in the May 2014 elections in Tower Hamlets to work towards free and fair elections. The Electoral Commission and the Metropolitan Police supported this protocol. As part of this protocol, a dedicated email address was set up to allow campaigners and parties to report any incidences of electoral irregularities. The full protocol is available here.

It's a sad state of affairs, when in a London borough in 2014 we are "working towards free and fair elections..."

What a disgrace.

A picture paints a thousand words...

From the Tunbridge Wells Borough Council website!

The next moves forward!

The period immediately following a hard fought election can be difficult for me, as I have previously blogged. The sudden sense of anti-climax, the removal of the goals which have driven me on for months and re-adjustment to "civilian life" can be a challenge. Even on Saturday morning, after 40 hours without sleep, my body clock woke me up at 5am and I found myself reaching for my Blackberry (sad bugger!)

Re-motivating myself (and the team) can also be difficult. The sense of urgency and immediacy, which has dominated our work for months, drains away. As dedicated as we are, completing 38 sets of election expenses is not as much fun as putting together a last minute leaflet or working towards a looming print deadline. The job gets done of course - but it needs a lot of discipline not to put it off "just until tomorrow".

I deal with this hiatus by having a plan in place to enable us to "hit the ground running" - so this week, having dealt with the Summer Raffle (five constituencies worth) and sending to print 30,000 "thank you for voting Conservative" leaflets, we will be launching our Summer Campaign. This will be a mailshot to approximately 10,000 targets in each of our five Associations (so 50,000 in total) aimed at recruiting new delivery helpers, poster sites and clerical helpers to supplement our teams as we prepare for 2015.

As always, I will publish samples of what we do on this blog.

And, of course, with all out elections (in Tonbridge & Malling and Medway) co-terminus with the GE (and thirds in Maidstone and TW - as well as three political town councils) we will also need to manage the selection, recruitment and training of (wait for it) 185 local government candidates.

And we also have our Eastbourne 40:40 Campaign Day a week on Saturday. Still places available if you'd like to join our charabanc to the seaside!  See HERE!
 

Back to reality!

Now that's all over, back to reality...

We have 6,000 envelopes to pack on Thursday (Summer Draw tickets).  Free sticky buns for all helpers...left-overs from polling day :)

Let me know if you can help!

How we won the battle for Tunbridge Wells

It's no secret that last year (for the County Council elections) UKIP ran us close in Tunbridge Wells. They had the "big mo" and were confident of victory. The media thought likewise; Michael Crick was at the count with a camera crew to record for posterity the night True Blue Tunbridge Wells was lost by the Conservative Party.  He left disappointed.

UKIP had high hopes in Tunbridge Wells but won only one of the six seats up for grabs
— Michael Crick (@MichaelLCrick) May 3, 2013

The result however was a wake-up call for us all. Even in Tunbridge Wells we could no longer deliver one or two glossy leaflets and wait for the majorities to pile-up.I recall to this day the feeling of dread as I saw the ballot boxes being emptied and UKIP running us close, even in what were once rock solid Tory villages. Had it not been for the amazing work we had done recruiting postal voters and driving turnout, things might have been very different indeed.

We knew that with the 2014 Borough election co-terminus with the EU poll, Europe would be higher on the agenda than 2013. It would only take a small additional swing to UKIP to deliver a significant swathe of Borough seats. UKIP knew this too.

In the wake of 2013 election, I organised a seminar for all branch chairmen, activists and councillors. I was brutally honest in my assessment. "Had these been borough not county council elections, we would have probably lost 7 borough council seats."  Interestingly, these were (more or less) the same seven seats that UKIP bloggers were predicting they would gain on Twitter a few days ago.

Time and again we drummed home two simple mantras

• More leaflets = more votes
• Winning elections is not difficult - it's just hard work

We put in place a demanding schedule of doorstep campaigning across the constituency, commencing in June last year. We didn't just visit the marginals - we went into every ward and village to demonstrate we were taking no voter for granted. Greg Clark MP was truly outstanding in supporting this activity - he was out there every single time.

We selected our candidates in summer, allowing 9 months of campaigning and profile building. We implemented in full the CCHQ mandatory selection rules, every candidate (even long serving incumbents) were re-interviewed and had to re-apply for their seats. None were deselected, but it imposed a discipline. By making candidates outline their campaign plans and community involvement it focused minds on the forthcoming campaign. Even sceptical (and at times hostile) councillors concluded the process was fair and even helpful in terms of defining their work and the campaign ahead.

We produced a series of borough-wide newsletters, the back page containing generic copy and the front pages ward-specific, to promote our candidates and give them ownership. Candidates were banned from talking about committees and local government bureaucracy; every story had to be about what they had achieved for the people they represent.

We made a principled decision not to attack our opponents (or allow others to do so by proxy). Throughout the campaign we remained positive and respectful. We fixed our four campaign themes early - four positive messages about what the Conservatives had or would achieve and we stuck to them rigidly throughout.

Every candidate bought into the plan; we had absolute campaign discipline. No-one went off message or even tried to do so. Even long standing councillors who were sceptical about what I was asking them to do accepted (sometimes with reluctance) the need for one more leaflet. There were no prima donnas demanding their own leaflets, or a different shade of blue on the posters.

By polling day we had delivered almost quarter of a million newsletters and had spoken to (or the doorstep or telephone) over 20,000 residents. In our target seats every Conservative pledge would have received at least ten points of contact with the Conservative Party since the last election (four points of contact in the week before poll). This included a hand written pledge letter to approximately 20,000 voters on the eve of poll.

So, what did this actually achieve?  For the geeks I am pleased to publish a statistical analysis (below) put together last night by our Chairman, William Rutherford. Despite UKIP being at their highest level in the polls and throwing the kitchen sink at Tunbridge Wells...

UKIP vote share fell from 30% to 23%
Conservative vote share increased from 38% to 46%
(Labour and Lib Dem vote share remained steady at 13% each)

A direct UKIP to Conservative swing of 7.5%

Well done to a magnificent team. They fought like tigers and deserved to win.

 

GOTV at West Kent Towers - Live Blog

9.00pm

Well, that's it. Over. After the last post the results came in too fast to update - then we all went to the pub. In case you don't know, we saw them off!  Not only did we see off UKIP, we held every seat and gained two from the Lib Dems. Here is the roll of honour:

Pembury - Paul Barrington-King CON HOLD

Park - Catherine Mayhew CON HOLD

Sherwood - Bob Backhouse CON HOLD

Pantiles and St Mark's - James Scholes - CON HOLD

St John's - Nasir JAMIL - CON GAIN

Culverden - Don Sloan - CON HOLD

Speldhurst & Bidborough - Julia Soyke CON HOLD

Paddock Wood East - Bill Hills CON HOLD

Paddock Wood West - Elizabeth Thomas CON HOLD

Brenchley and Horsmonden - Alan McDermott CON HOLD

Southborough North - Mike Rusbridge CON HOLD

Hawkhurst & Sandhurst - Nathan Gray CON HOLD
St James' -  LIB DEM HOLD

Benenden & Cranbrook - Tom Dawlings CON GAIN

Broadwater - Chris Woodward - CON HOLD 

High Brooms - LAB GAIN

1.40pm

Bloody wonderful! One of our hardest working candidates, Nasir Jamil, has gained St John's ward from the LibDems.  He is one of those candidates who, once selected, works tirelessly and without complaint, tramping the streets night after night. He has knocked on every door in the ward twice and delivered six leaflets since Christmas. This is his third attempt, and I am so pleased for him. It was tight all the way, and I would like to pay tribute to the outgoing LibDem Trevor Poile, who worked really hard and was absolutely magnanimous when the result came through - best wishes Trevor. 

Nasir was not able to attend the count as he was at work, so I captured the declaration on my phone. Listen to the howels at the end when our RO, having announced the correct figures, then declared the wrong candidate "elected" !

Just seen this - a senior TW UKIP member has posted a tweet naming the seats they expect to win, which has been retweeted by UKIPs main Twitter account!  Hostage to fortune?  Here is UKIPs expected gains (you can tell by the fact I am posting this I am feeling more confident by the hour!)

@UkipTWells Probables: Colin Nicholson, Pembury; @theblindblogger, Broadwater; @AndrewDocklands, Park; @grahamchetta, Paddock Wood East 1/3
— ALUN ELDER-BROWN (@theblindblogger) May 19, 2014

@UkipTWells 2/3. Probables... cont: Steve Lucasc, Sherwood; @FordForrester, St Johns; @JohnCaveAusten, Hawkhurst.. so minimum of 7.
— ALUN ELDER-BROWN (@theblindblogger) May 19, 2014

11.00am

I am loathed to say it, but I think we might better than I feared.  In fact, the ballot box samples look a bit too good to be true - after last night's bruising I am disinclined to believe my own figures and judgement. Also, with so many pledges with PVs it is increasingly difficult to sample accurately. Everyone is being kind and friendly; wishing my happy birthday and thanking me for what I have done for them. Banter with Dave Neve and Ben Chapelard (LibDem councillors, I actually like them - much to the disapproval of some colleagues). 

9.30am

I have selected my most traditional dark blue Conservative rosette to see me through the day (I have an superstition; like an MP rubbing Sir Winston's foot or a footballer having lucky boots) I always destroy a rosette if we have a bad result whilst I am wearing it. As a consequence, last night's is toast! Instead I have selected the one I wore in 2011 for the local elections and No to AV campaign.  Off to the count. I feel nervous, but as proud of my Party as I was 35 years ago when I first joined in 1979!

9.00am

Decided to treat myself to a cooked English breakfast in the hotel restaurant. Pleased to be joined by the TW Chairman, William Rutherford, at 8.30am. William has kindly brought me a bottle of Champagne to celebrate my birthday. We chat about the day, how we might refocus the Association after what we both fear will be a difficult result. The members have put their heart and sole into this campaign, seeing their brave faces trying to hide their exhaustion and bitter disappointment is perhaps the hardest thing. I am fortunate to have such a great Chairman; William and I have faced a few battles together, and I trust him absolutely. There is a lot of gallows humour.

6.15am
Arrived back at my hotel in Tunbridge Wells, located directly opposite the count, which commences in three hours. My bed is untouched - if I fall asleep I fear I might not wake up in time. I feel dreadful, mentally and physically exhausted, and have a deep sense of foreboding about what we are about to face.  

5.30am

The results are in, and I was right.  Five losses. 

Bearstead: Con hold

Boxley: Con hold

Harrietsham & Lenham: 1 x Ind hold 1 x UKIP Gain (from Con)

Headcorn: Con hold 

Park Wood: UKIP gain (from Con)

Shepway North: UKIP gain (from Con)

Shepway South: UKIP gain (from Con)

Maidstone North: LibDem hold x 2

Bridge: LibDem hold

Allington: LibDem hold

Marden & Yalding: Con hold

High Street: Lib Dem hold

Maidstone East: LibDem hold

Coxheath and Hunton: LibDem hold

Fant: Lab Gain (from LibDem)

Heath: LibDem gain (from Con)

Maidstone South:LibDem hold

Staplehurst: Con hold

So: 

Con lose 4 to UKIP and 1 to LibDem

LibDem lose 1 to Labour

UKIP gain 4 from Con

Lab gain 1 from LibDem

Old council Conservative: 30 Labour: 1 Lib Dem: 19  Independent: 5

New Council: Conservative 25  Labour 2  LibDem: 20 Independent: 5 UKIP 4 

2.35am
They've started counting the votes. For some bizarre reason, one counter is counting them face down... "you're supposed to count them face up..."  Each time she puts down a ballot paper she obviously cannot see it, so puts it into the wrong pile. Then picks them all up again to see which pile is which and starts again.  It's like Chinese water torture. And why do LibDems bring carrier bags and trolleys to the count ? It resembles the misdirected luggage desk at Mumbia airport. By the way, not liking the look of what I am seeing. Just sent the South Zone Oberleutnant a text, "It's grim - we're going to lose Maidstone to NOC. Five / six losses.  

1.50am 

1am came and went. Apparently they cannot commence stage 2 until, "Southampton" sign-off the EU count verification. "Everyone is working as hard as they can". Nearly 2am and not a single vote has been counted. At least in Ukraine they know the results quickly. 

 

Midnight

The West Kent Massive prepares for a long night ahead. It's gone midnight and they are still bringing in ballot boxes from rural polling stations. They "hope" to commence stage 2 of the count "at about 2pm". Arrrggghhh.

9.00pm

Finally found a use for the Deputy Chair of Kent CF

7.30pm

Over 4300 calls made and we're still going strong. Here is the final late evening team. 

7pm

Where the hell are Jon Botten and Matt Boughton when I need them !

5.00pm

And here comes the early evening shift.  3700 calls made so far! 

3.30pm

The afternoon shift change brings new volunteers, waiving with enthusiasm! 2600 calls made so far. We originally hoped to make 3000, our new target is 4500. 

2.30pm

A local florist has just arrived with these lovely flowers, a gift from my wonderful partner Steve. I am staying in TW tonight so I can be here for the count first thing, missing my birthday breakfast (yes, it's my birthday tomorrow!) Steve sent me these flowers so when I woke up I had something from him to mark my birthday. Howe lucky I am to have such a lovely partner x

1.30pm
Well, the Cs are voting in droves. Let's just hope they're still voting the right way!

12.00pm
Here is a video of the team in action ! By noon we had made 1,800 GOTV calls - 500 ahead of schedule.

Post by Andrew Kennedy.

11.30pm

One of the advantages of having the town's best baker as a candidate, there's never a shortage of food for the troops. Tracey Crouch, who spends her life either hungry or looking for the lavatory, was the first to arrive!

9.30am

Greg Clark MP and Tracey Crouch MP lead the first team staffing the phones for GOTV.  Also in picture Bobby Barnes, Theo Boggis, Khobi Vallis, Vivian Branson, Bob Mayall and Matthew Dickens.  Another team working in the room next door!

7.50am
Opened Campaign HQ and - best part of the day..... the sticky buns have arrived! 
  

I remember going to a by-election in North Yorkshire in the 1980s. I was sent to a very remote farming village to help run the "Committee Room" only to find the entire committee in the Village Hall setting-up their "election day lunch". Having identified myself, I was given the important task of polishing the wine glasses. By 12.30pm the entire village seemed to be there, perhaps 200+ people. We ate roast beef, drank Claret then whisky and Cognac and sang patriotic songs until 5pm. When I suggested "shouldn't we do some knocking-up" I was told, "no point laddie - we're all in 'ere". After we had all mucked-in with the washing-up, they all climbed into the land rovers and went to vote. At the end of the day the Committee Chairman looked down his voters list and said, "there you go laddie, 85% 'ave voted, and apart from the commie b*stard who makes pots, they've all voted right way."

Polling Day 6.30am
Out delivering GOTV leaflets on my way to the office. After all these years I should know that for 99.5% of the population, elections are just something that happen once a year. But for me (and almost everyone around me) they are life consuming events which fill our every waking hour!   I always feel a sense of anti-climax on election day when I realise just how unimportant it all is for the majority of people. Nothing brings this home more strongly than seeing piles of unread election leaflets in the recycling bins! 

Eve of Poll 8pm

We're just back from delivering eve of poll pledge letters and are setting-up HQ ready for tomorrow. Jon and I are running 7 wards between us; with 12 additional "stand alone" Campaign HQ throughout the West Kent Area.

I cannot speak for Maidstone as they only joined the West Kent Group three months ago, but over the last 12 months our wonderful team of activists in Tunbridge Wells have delivered approaching a quarter of a million newsletters. Greg Clark MP has been outstanding throughout, working almost every Saturday with the teams on the doorsteps. Activists from Tonbridge & Malling and Chatham & Aylesford have also been magnificent in providing mutual aid - as have friends from outside the West Kent area (particularly Rochester & Strood). It's been a wonderful team effort. Thank you all.

Finally, a note of thanks to the South Zone Oberleutnant who really cheered me up earlier with an email (in reply to mine expressing concern about what we might do next week) which said... "there's always the summer raffle".  Indeed there is!

Polling day paraphernalia  



Phones and desks polished and ready to go
(The joys of having an intern)



Campaign Top Lines

It's all Balls !

I am grateful to a reader for sending me this email, received this morning, from Shadow Chancellor, Ed Balls.  Still, I suppose it's an improvement on Post-Neoclassical Endogenous Growth Theory. 

'Memories of My Grandfather' with Rt Hon Nicholas Soames MP

It is a great honour that Rt Hon Nicholas Soames MP has accepted an invitation to speak at an Afternoon Tea, co-hosted by Tracey Crouch MP and Tom Tugendhat, which will form part of our World War One commemorations.

The event will be an Afternoon Tea at the Royal British Legion Village in Aylesford on Friday 27 June 2014.  Mr Soames will speak about "Memories of my Grandfather". Tickets for the tea will be £15.00 for members, but we are also inviting (free of charge) all residents, in both constituencies, who were born during or before WWI (of which there are over 250).

If any readers would like to attend, please send a cheque (for £15.00 pp) payable to C&ACA, to West Kent Conservative Campaign HQ, Suite 3, Paddock Wood Buusiness Centre, Commercial Road, Paddock Wood TN12 6EN. 

I leave them in charge for one night !

I leave Jon Botten and Matt Boughton in charge of the Phone Bank for one evening, and receive the following message:

"It's comedy gold at West Kent Towers. Peter Bolt (T&M councillor) has tied his Waitrose shopping to his belt with string so he doesn't forget to take his bags with him. Every time he goes to the loo he drags them behind. Chris Woodward keeps forgetting to take his headset off when he stands up, and keeps pull the phones off the table. And (name) phoned to say she couldn't come as she has misplaced her false teeth."

And here's tonight's team. Great to see Greg Clark MP lead from the front!