2010 January | NCVO Campaigns Conference 2010: A New Politics

Archive for January, 2010

Engaging the public

January 22nd, 2010 by Andy May

Many of the blog posts here make reference to the difficulty of the current climate for campaigning. A cynical public saturated with media stories about the expenses scandal and dampened in mood by the longest economic downturn in decades do not make for an easy audience.

In addition to engaging the public, every organisation is looking for ways to influence the politicians and get their voice heard over the competing chorus of other pressure groups in the short window before the election.

Power2010 has taken a unique approach in order to make democratic and political reform part of the context of the next election. Being a new campaign whose origins lay in the 2006 Power Enquiry we seek to harness the apathy and lack of trust in politics and turn it into a force for change. The inception of the campaign in its current form occurred directly after the expenses scandal and it’s been clear from the response we’ve got so far that people have not forgotten this. They are innately aware that there are wider systemic problems with UK politics underlying the scandals and cynicism.

So where did we start? To remain true to our values we couldn’t just go and ask the public to sign up to a set of pre-conceived ideas on how to improve our democracy. The only way to engage a public fed up with not being listened to by the establishment was to engage them in a deeper and different way than the other campaigns out there. We wanted the public not only to be supporters, but to be agenda setters. That’s why every stage of the process has been as open and democratic as possible.

First of all we had a 2 month consultation phase where we received over 4000 submissions from members of the public on democratic and political reform. These included far reaching reforms on voting systems and a written constitution right down to simpler more symbolic ones such as a ‘None of the Above’ option on the ballot paper.

The 57 core ideas that came out of this then went to a Deliberative Poll of 130 citizens scientifically selected to form a microcosm of the UK population. After a weekend of debate and discussion 29 reform ideas received majority support and these have now been put to the public vote. We are currently working with individuals and organisations across the country to encourage as many people as possible to vote and have their say. The 5 ideas which receive most support will form the Power2010 pledge, the centrepiece of our campaign aimed at candidates and political parties during the election.

The vote has already seen massive participation with 20,000 votes cast in the first week of what will be a 5 week drive to mobilise popular support. We are now rolling out our regional campaign, using organisers across the UK to get as many people as possible to participate. If we achieve critical mass with the numbers voting the Pledge will be a powerful tool to wield at candidates still acutely conscious of public anger over the expenses scandal and the hunger for reform. At the NCVO workshop on local campaigning, I’ll talk more about how we plan to move on from this broader participation to get politicians to sign up to the 5 key reforms that come out of the process.

In the meantime, being a campaigner I never miss an opportunity… You can participate right now in our campaign by voting on our shortlist at www.power2010.org.uk/votes

Andy May is Local Campaigns Coordinator for Power2010. He will be speaking in the ‘Going Local’ workshop at the Campaigns Conference.

Posted in campaigning, Community Engagement, general election, localism, politics, Uncategorized | No Comments »

In defence of campaigning

January 21st, 2010 by Chloe Stables

Over recent months, there has been a steady drip feed of articles and posts criticising the voluntary sector for its cosy relationship with government.

Many of these posts point to the large swathes of government money received by the voluntary sector and its perceived lack of independence. Tim Montgomerie of ConservativeHome argued that the “voluntary sector has become so dependent upon government funding that it is hardly voluntary at all”. A recent article by Ed Howker at the Spectator also laments that many charities have now become “quasi-governmental organisations.”

The vast majority of these articles also express a preference for smaller, locally based charities undertaking frontline work, and are highly critical of larger, professionalised campaigning organisations.

These articles undoubtedly raise some important points – as campaigners we must not let our relationship with Government cross over from critical friend to paid lackey; we must be ever mindful of talking on behalf of people rather than enabling them to talk for themselves; and above all else, maintain a clear focus on the needs of our beneficiaries. Only through due care and attention to these issues will we be able to stay the right side of the dividing line between political organisation and seeking to influence in order to fulfil our charitable objectives.

There remains, however, much to refute within these articles. Campaigning should not be a dirty word. As a sector, we need to mount a robust defence of campaigning and the role that it plays in our democracy. It is legitimate and valuable activity. Campaigning by charities across a broad range of issues has often energised and provoked public debate in a way that has left traditional politics in their slipstream. Many would point to the successes that campaigners have made over many years – slavery, women’s rights, the increased profile of climate change, the smoking ban. I could go on and on. At a time when trust in politics has hit an all time low, and the Westminster bubble becomes more self-absorbed by the day, campaigners have an essential role to play ensuring that a diversity of voices are listened to, and not just those who find it easiest to make their voices heard.

I would also argue that making a case for small and local versus large professionalised charities is a false dichotomy. It goes without saying that we need to preserve strong grassroots, but it is essential that larger charities can continue to giving a voice to the excluded and deliver key services. Being professional does not automatically result in a disconnect from our beneficiaries, instead it helps create a powerful combined voice.

In the words of Reverend J. Graham Smith “for too long society has expected, and restricted, charities to providing the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff. With expertise in their field, they should be permitted to erect the fence at the top. “

This issue will undoubtedly arise at the Campaigns Conference next week, where both Ed Howker and Tim Montgomerie will be present. It’s important that we do not allow this outdated philanthropic view of the voluntary sector to go unchallenged.

Chloe is Parliamentary Officer at NCVO. Ed Howker and Tim Montgomerie will be speaking at the Campaigns Conference next week.

Posted in campaigning, politics, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Who wants to be a politician?

January 20th, 2010 by Rosemary Frazer

I don’t recall a period in which people have felt so angry with politicians and so removed from the political process itself. Over the past 50 years turnout at elections has steadily declined from over 80% in the 1950s to just 60% at the last election. A much more worrying fact is that areas of social deprivation tend to have the lowest turnout. The people who are in most need of social change and improvements in their lives don’t feel politicians can deliver and therefore don’t see the point in casting their vote. Why is this? Is it the nature of the political process or is it the politicians themselves which put people off voting? I would argue that it is a little of both.

The expenses scandals of 2009 saw public opinion of politics and politicians at an all time low. Claims for moat cleaning, duck houses and non-existent mortgages followed by the mantra ‘I followed the rules’ infuriated the British public. At a time of economic turmoil when many people lost their jobs and homes we witnessed one politician after another justifying expense claims, failing completely to take on board public anger. Are politicians so far removed from their constituents that they feel that they are entitled to operate under different rules than the rest of us? And if this is the case, how has that happened? I would argue that the nature of the parliamentary process itself is largely to blame for the failure of politicians to engage with their constituents and the same outdated procedures put people off voting.

The rules and procedures of parliament have their origins in the days of rotten boroughs when democracy was only for rich men. The present rules and procedures do not seem in keeping with a system of universal suffrage. The complex stages of the passage of a Bill, Select Committees, the language used by ‘Honourable Members’ and costumes worn by officials really do make the palace of Westminster seem so remote. To many people, our politicians appear to go to work in the 17^th century.

But Parliament and the work that goes on there has got to be relevant and understood by the voters and they have got to feel that they can engage with politicians and that their views and interests will be taken on board. For that to happen we need to change how Parliament works and that means a complete overhaul of outdated procedures, language and dress.

But the changes shouldn’t end there. We need also to look at how people are selected to stand for election. Many people will know individuals in their community who show great leadership and have wonderful communication skills and really engage with their communities and actually get things done. Why then do we not see more of these people entering politics? I toyed with the idea of getting involved in local politics and attended some meetings at my local council. I can’t find the words to describe how awful such meetings were. How many people have had that same experience and been put off by the overly complicated procedures and party bias?

Things have got to change otherwise there is a danger that voters will completely turn away from conventional politics and move towards the extremes, a worrying trend we are seeing with the success of the BNP. Unless mainstream parties learn to communicate better with their constituents and people from a more diverse background stand in UK elections, then we are going to continue down this worrying path of extremism and people are going to feel that politics is not for them when it should be for us all.

Rosemary is chairing the ‘campaigning in a cold climate’ session at the Campaigns Conference.

Posted in campaigning, Community Engagement, general election, MP Expenses, Parliament, politics | No Comments »

A New Politics: A New Parliament

January 16th, 2010 by John Bercow

As Speaker of the House of Commons, I am in a unique position to appreciate the urgent need to reconnect Parliament with the people it represents. I hope that Parliament’s developing relationship with the many outstanding voluntary organisations represented by the NCVO serves as an inspiring example of this reconnection.

The impact of the expenses debacle has been substantial and far-reaching. It is certainly a cruel paradox that at a time when MPs have never worked harder, their standing has rarely been lower.

However, in the wake of these events, Parliament has refocused on making significant progress towards bringing individuals and organisations closer to the decision-making and scrutiny that defines our effectiveness as an institution.

An illustration of this fresh approach to engagement is the work undertaken by the Parliamentary Outreach team, in partnership with the NCVO, in training representatives of third-sector bodies to recognise opportunities to participate in and inform Parliamentary proceedings.

I am looking forward to meeting as many of you as possible on 26 January and to hear your ideas for engaging the House of Commons with the invaluable experience, skills and know-how that is the hallmark of voluntary organisations in this country.

John Bercow, MP for Buckingham and Speaker of the House of Commons

Tags: Parliament
Posted in Community Engagement, MP Expenses, ncvo, Parliament, Parliamentary Outreach, politics | 1 Comment »

Campaigning and the Compact

January 15th, 2010 by Tom Elkins

Last December, a new and refreshed Compact was launched by the Sector and Government, promising more relevant, meaningful and effective partnership working between them.

Since its initial publication in 1998, the Compact has been used by organisations of all sizes across England. The principles it contains have encouraged better and more comprehensive consultations, more manageable funding arrangements, and enabled groups to have their voice heard.

The principles of the new Compact focus on three key areas; involvement in policy development, allocating resources and advancing equality.

Embedded throughout – and arguably key to the spirit of the Compact – is the importance of an independent sector. Little has changed in how this is described in the new Compact:

“The independence of the third sector is recognised and supported. This includes its right within the law to campaign, to comment on and to challenge government policy (whatever funding or other relationship may exist with government) and to determine and manage its own affairs.”

The Compact, 2009

Throughout the lengthy consultation which led to the development of the new Compact, this essential aspect of good Compact working was often emphasised by respondents; that an organisation – no matter what its size, the issues they represent, or how it is funded – has the right to challenge, to speak out, to campaign.

Some organisations may feel wary about challenging the policy decisions made by local or national bodies who also fund their work. The Compact is a vital tool to enable them to do so without fear. All Government departments are covered by the principles of the Compact, as are local public sector bodies.

The Compact facilitates involvement throughout many aspects of policy making; it embeds principles of good consultation at the earliest stage, encourages transparency and clarity about decisions which can affect organisations, and provides a key mechanism to enable campaigning. Compact Voice, who represent the Sector on Compact issues, use these principles in all of our working; put simply, the Compact makes it easier for us to represent you. Perhaps these principles can help make your voice more powerful too.

Tom Elkins is Compact Voice Manager

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Campaigning in a cold climate

January 14th, 2010 by Jonathan Ellis

The Refugee Council, an independent human rights charity, has always operated within a challenging public policy context; yet the current external environment presents a unique combination of challenges for us. The context for our work is the worst economic recession, arguably since the 1930s, and dramatically increased levels of Government debt with the associated detrimental impact on public spending and in public sympathy for supporting asylum seekers.

On the horizon we have a General Election looming with the likelihood of a change of government or possibly a hung Parliament being the most likely outcomes at the moment based on current public opinion polling.

Yet in the context of these challenges, we also need to be aware of the impact of political messages around ‘British jobs for British workers’ and ‘local homes for local people.’ In our work to help refugees find employment and move into decent housing, and in our associated policy and campaigning work, this rhetoric provides the context within which we have to operate. This challenge will be compounded in the post election environment of public spending cuts, where we will need to fight hard to secure provision of services to our clients.

In addition we have the public unease at the impact of Eastern European immigration into the UK following the accession of the Eastern European states. This development, fuelled by the insistence of the media to describe all new entrants to the UK as ‘migrants’ including our clients, has seen growing public opposition to immigration across the board.

Furthermore within a European context, and the Stockholm Programme in particular, we see the continued momentum towards a Common European Asylum Policy and the perennial danger of harmonising asylum systems at the lowest common denominator.

The UK has a long and proud tradition of offering people protection from tyranny and abuse; despite the political and economic challenges, the Refugee Council, working with its partners, is focussed on continuing to make the case for asylum and ensuring that the voices of refugees are heard.

Jonathan Ellis is Policy and Development Director at the Refugee Council, he in the ‘Campaigning in a cold climate’ workshop at the Campaigns Conference.

Posted in campaigning, general election, Government | No Comments »

Oliver Letwin sets out Conservative thinking on the Post-Bureaucratic Age

January 13th, 2010 by Simon Collister

Ahead of his appearance at A New Politics, the Conservative MP, the Rt Hon. Oliver Letwin, spoke at the Institute of Government (IfG) earlier this week about public sector reform and the post-bureaucratic age.

You can watch his speech for yourself via the IfG’s LiveStream Channel (you’ll need to click the image as the IfG has blocked video embedding weirdly)

Oliver sets out coherently the argument for decentralised government, greater transparency and improved accountability in public services.

There’s lots more information on the Conservative’s plans for public sector reform over at their website or you could sign-up for New Politics event to see what he has to say for yourself.

Tags: Conservative Party, Government 2.0, Oliver Letwin, Post-Bureaucratic Age, Public Sector Reform, Transparency
Posted in Government, politics, Public Sector | No Comments »

Does it matter what politicians do with social media?

January 12th, 2010 by Liam Barrington Bush

There’s been a fair amount of discussion about the impact new technologies will have on the upcoming UK general election. There is widespread belief that social media sites, mobile phones and online video will impact the ways people vote in May (or June) of this year, but as to how these gadgets will influence people’s voting patterns, is still up for debate.

Some people have pointed (cringingly) to Gordon Brown’s YouTube address, the increasing number of MPs and government departments with Twitter profiles, and the online blogging platforms of the major parties, as evidence of an increasingly tech-savvy political class that will wage it’s election battles on virtual platforms, rather than in constituencies and on television debates.

But the problem with this is that most of government (with some important exceptions) just don’t get social media! If it’s seen as a free broadcast channel, it is unlikely to have any additional impact, beyond that of the traditional press, and may further disconnect them from the people they represent, if used solely to disseminate messages. The groundbreaking nature of these technologies is in their ability to connect people and facilitate conversations, two traits which have traditionally run against the grain of mainstream politics.

Technology will have some impact on this coming election, but not (primarily) because politicians are starting to get on-board.

Technology will impact the election most significantly because of what is being said by those using it outside of the political institutions. The fundamental shift that social media is starting to enable, relates to what blogger and academic Hannah Nicklin describes as a ‘wikipolitic’; the process through which public opinions develop a collective expression via various online platforms, and are then manifested in action – by people themselves or the politicians who are mandated to represent them. Fundamental to this, is the breakdown of the interface between people and political institutions (initially through online technology) and gradually, the connection of people – including politicians – to each other in the development of the policies that impact our lives. (Read Hannah’s blog for more on ‘wikipolitics’).

My thoughts on David Cameron (or Gordon Brown, or Nick Clegg, for that matter), can now float into cyberspace and immediately connect with the thoughts of those who agree with or oppose them – on a truly mass scale. For that matter, if I was to capture a video on my mobile of one of the above leaders contradicting a key campaign message, or come across an email that included potentially offensive language about a particular people or constituency, I could share them with the world within minutes … or say, if I – or you – had an especially relevant take on one party-or-another’s election manifesto, we could become the tipping point of the 2010 general election!

…Or… Or… Or…The list could go on…

So when we talk about the impact technology will have on the upcoming election, I recommend turning our social microscopes away from the press-released YouTube videos of Parliament and Downing Street, and towards the places where people are discussing the issues that will affect them. To the Twitter feeds, blogs and viral videos that are increasingly providing the narrative of life in Britain in 2010 and what we want the people we vote for to do with the power we have given them.

Of course, ‘wikipolitics’ and ‘e-campaigning’ only matter, insofar as they can enable greater communication and discussion of political ideas; we can’t let new technology sweep away the importance of sound policy. Many factors will influence this – like every other – election; I’m interested in how we, as people, can play a more central role than we are often credited in playing, as we decide who will lead this country into this next phase of history…

Liam is Learning and Development Officer (Campaigning) at NCVO, he is chairing the Social Media workshop at the Campaigns Conference

Tags: campaigning, general election, ncvo, social media
Posted in campaigning, general election, mobile, ncvo, politics, socia media | 7 Comments »

Is anybody listening?

January 11th, 2010 by James Thirtle

If your campaign isn’t Emotionally Intelligent, then no.

With the general election campaign gearing up we are seeing a vast increase in political communication. But how much of it is effective? Given its aim is presumably to make us vote for our party or change allegiance to another, how often does it succeed? In fact, how many of the words filling the airwaves, adverts, newspapers and blogs are even received, let alone acted upon? The most common reaction to political communication at present seems to be a tired shrug, or an irritated closing of the ears.

We have all become adroit at shutting out messages we don’t wish to hear. Campaigns aimed at changing lifestyle behaviour or shifting opinions get lost in the background noise of society. In fact, the ability to shut out this noise so you can form your own thoughts and opinions is a necessary skill for anyone living in the communication age.

Campaigners of all stripes face a significant and yet horribly simple problem – how to communicate, how to be heard, how to reach people. If you fail in this your campaign fails at the first hurdle. We all have filters to keep information out. If we still lived in a tribal culture of around one hundred individuals then our instinct would be to listen carefully to all of the information that flowed our way. But our virtual tribe – the number of people who wish to communicate with us – now reaches the tens of thousands. Filters are necessary.

The filtering process we use is sophisticated in outcome yet simple to describe: we listen to what feels right. Above all we trust our feelings to decide which information is relevant, honest and in our interests. The unconscious processes involved in creating this momentary feeling are incredibly complex, taking account of our experiences, values and the perceived intent behind the communication. Put simply, if crudely, we all possess an incredibly sophisticated bullshit detector. Campaigners, politicians, anyone who wishes to influence the decision making of the public, ignore this at their peril.

As we become more media savvy we are learning to see through the sound bites, media campaigns and interview techniques used by those who want us to think differently. The welcome fact is that deception is becoming less effective, spin and manipulation is being filtered out, and sincerity may be the only way to get a message across. Campaigns must be understood in this context if they are to be effective. The quality of an individual that makes them trustworthy, able to communicate with us, and able to form a deep relationships, is called emotional intelligence. This same quality must be found in campaigns and communications if they are to be successful.

An emotionally intelligent campaign acknowledges the way individuals filter information and make decisions. This is largely not an analytic, intellectual, process – it is a subconscious, intuitive, process. Effective communication must feel right to the person who receives it. Firstly it must strike them as being sincere, secondly it must feel relevant; that it relates to their world and their values. We instinctively respond positively to those people around us we feel are open hearted and demonstrate integrity. We judge communication and campaigns in the same way.

Here’s a simple thought experiment: two friends approach you wanting to borrow money. The first speaks eloquently, giving facts and figures that express clearly why he should borrow your money, yet throughout you suspect these are not his own words and someone else has helped write his argument. The second speaks from the heart, his request is simple, direct and, although not always eloquent, you recognise his own thoughts and feelings being expressed. Which friend would you lend your money to? So which politician will you vote for?

James Thirtle, www.insightemotionalintelligence.com, is a Consultant and Trainer specialising in applying Emotional Intelligence to campaigning and communication.

Tags: campaigning, Emotional Intelligence, politics
Posted in campaigning, Emotional Intelligence, general election, politics | No Comments »

Going local

January 8th, 2010 by Eleanor Bullimore

With the General Election looming, localism is high on the agenda for all the political parties. The consensus appears to be that more decisions should be made locally with local people playing an active role in that process. Whilst this has sparked an interesting debate as to whether there is a real commitment here to hand over power to local bodies and people, we cannot deny that the last few years have seen increases in legislation, consultations and funding for projects that seek to give power not only to local government, but also to individuals.

The voluntary and community sector obviously has a key role to play in helping deliver this new agenda. But there are also implications for how charities and voluntary organisations work – particularly when it comes to campaigning. For one thing, campaigners will need to start working through the complex maze that is local government and new relationships will need to be built between local decision makers and organisations.

But will national charities be expected to engage at a local level? Could this mean that charities will have to invest more in local campaigning?

The trend towards localism is shifting the balance of power, but it is also shaping the expectations of local people. Individuals are being given an increasingly meaningful role in shaping their neighbourhoods and communities, as well as the services that they use. Community involvement is key to the Government’s plans to improve public services. Increased involvement not only improves services, but it also improves people’s perceptions of those services, helping to create better, sustainable relationships for the future.

National charities have a lot to learn from this approach. As a sector, we cannot afford to talk on behalf of the people we support. Instead, we should be creating platforms to give people the chance to talk for themselves. If we want our campaigns to retain any degree of legitimacy, this must be done on a meaningful level, and not just by wheeling out the usual suspects at conferences or for television interviews.

And where better to start this trend than at a local level? Many campaigning organisations have already recognised the power of local people and have started to harness it in the form of local campaigns networks. At Leonard Cheshire Disability (LCD), for instance, disabled people are supported to create campaign groups to campaign on issues that effect them in their local communities every day. This is empowering people to make change happen for themselves and enabling real change to happen in areas that previously could not be reached.

We should not underestimate the importance of local issues, nor the impact that local people can have. With a shift of power from national to local government, national organisations may well be pushed to engage more with local people. But this should be seen as an opportunity, rather than a cost. By investing in local campaigning and local people, national organisations will be investing in a sustainable future for themselves.

Eleanor is a Local Campaigns Co-ordinator for Leonard Cheshire Disability, she is speaking in the ‘Going Local’ workshop at the Campaigns Conference

Tags: campaigning, general election, localism
Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »