Your Guide to Being a Candidate: Unveiling the Secrets of Election Success
Wanna be an elected representative or run a campaign? This is for you.
Whether you're a candidate, an agent, or a mastermind behind the scenes - the path towards electoral success isn’t just about ambition - it's about making a difference. And to do that, you need more than just passion; you need insight, strategy, and a few well-kept secrets of the trade.
As a seasoned veteran of politics, I've weathered the storms of numerous campaigns, coming out with a treasure trove of insights that can't be found in any party briefing or political memoir.
I’ve decided to distill these hard-won lessons into a new guide for candidates, refined over four decades of real-world experience. "Your Guide to Being a Candidate" will unlock invaluable tips and tricks that can give you a significant edge.
This guide isn’t just about following the well-trodden path; it's about understanding when to adhere to the golden rules…and when breaking them might just win you the election.
I want the advice in this guide to help get as many promising candidates as possible get across the finishing line. But I want to give them something else invaluable, too - financial support.
That’s why if you’d like to access the guide in full, a small investment will be required.
I’m going to be sharing the guide exclusively with paid subscribers to this newsletter next month - if you’re not already a subscriber, you can upgrade to an annual subscription now for just £49.50 (50% off the usual price):
You won't just be equipping yourself with a powerful campaign tool; you'll also be supporting a noble cause. Because all subscriptions generated from this special offer will be used to back promising candidates in the upcoming General Election.
The first five tips are on the house, giving you a glimpse of the invaluable advice that awaits. But to truly transform your campaign, to learn from the mistakes and triumphs of a lifetime in politics, the full guide is your key.
Your Guide to Being a Candidate: Unveiling the Secrets of Election Success
1. Never underestimate the significance of a divided party. If you only read one of these bullet points, take this one and never forget it. You can be the next JFK in your constituency, a brilliant orator and campaigner, but if your party is divided, you will haemorrhage votes.
2. There are four essential ingredients for a successful campaign. The best book I have ever read on being a politician is Tip O'Neil's All Politics is Local and Other Rules of The Game. Tip O'Neil boldly states that four essential ingredients apply to all campaigns: The Candidate, the Issues, the Organisation and the Money.
3. Running a campaign is not a democratic process. When first selected, the first thing I dispensed with was the Constituency Labour Party Leaflet Committee, which appeared to exist to make it impossible actually to produce a leaflet. It's your campaign. You'll have to delegate, which is why you need a good team, but ultimately, it's all about you, baby.
4. Do not be diverted by slogans. I've seen colleagues on the verge of nervous breakdowns over campaign slogans. This is usually because they haven't done the heavy lifting of knowing what they stand for or want to achieve. I've seen campaigns falter and left in paralysis because a candidate can't decide on a slogan, and it's held up print and digital campaigns.
If this is you, then relax. I'm here to help. Just use 'On your side', the best and strongest campaign pledge in history, that forces you to list why you are on the side of your voters. I regularly used it – but only because I was generally always on the side of my constituents.
5. Do not over-promise. Why is Boris Johnson one of the most unpopular politicians in recent history? Well, one of the main reasons is that he over-promised. The problem for many current MPs is that they stand in his shadow and shared his overpromises at the 2019 general election.
I remember my promises to members during my selection to be the Labour candidate for West Bromwich East constituency. I delivered every promise, but the last one took ten years. That was to make West Bromwich East Constituency a Liberal Democrat free zone. It half killed me doing it, but that's another story!
Want to join me in this journey not just towards personal victory, but towards a future where great leaders, supported by the right knowledge and strategies, can make a real difference?
Upgrade to a paid subscription to my newsletter for £49.50 instead of the usual £99 and read the guide in full next week. All proceeds will support promising candidates in the upcoming general election.
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