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Political Communication in Britain

Campaigning, Media and Polling in the 2019 General Election

herausgegeben von: Dr. Dominic Wring, Dr. Roger Mortimore, Simon Atkinson

Verlag: Springer International Publishing

Enthalten in: Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik" , Springer Professional "Wirtschaft"

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Über dieses Buch

Political Communication in Britain offers unique insights from various members of the party, media, and polling organizations that contested, reported, and analysed the 2019 British General Election, as well as leading academic experts who have researched the campaign.

Following an essay by Sir John Curtice exploring how the critical issue of Brexit influenced the election, the opening part of this volume features insiders discussing their respective parties’ operations, including their successes and disappointments. This section also includes expert examinations of Boris Johnson’s ‘oven ready deal’ as well as the digital advertising and controversial public relations efforts that helped promote it. The middle part of the book considers the media, with chapters from the BBC, Sky News, and regulator Ofcom, along with analyses of the pro-Conservative press, digital-only plat[1]forms, and the more left-leaning alternative news sites. The closing section of the volume turns to public attitudes, with experts, including leading pollsters, exploring how these contributed to the Conservatives’ victory. Dedicated chapters also place opinion research in broader context through examining the historical role of the exit poll, and the changing reception and reporting of polls both online and in print. Political Communication in Britain provides readers with an indispensable guide to the 2019 General Election from several of those most intimately involved in the campaign.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Frontmatter

Chapter 1. Background to the Campaign: From Confidence and Supply to the Oven-Ready Deal

Abstract

British politics entered a period of extraordinary flux following the narrow votes in favour of Leave in the 2016 EU Referendum and the Conservatives in the 2017 General Election. Although the latter campaign saw Theresa May returned as Prime Minister, her authority was much diminished due to the Tories’ loss of their overall majority and her being forced to seek a confidence and supply arrangement with Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionists to stay in office. The resulting hung parliament was dominated by Brexit and, when the government was unable to make progress over the issue, May resigned to be replaced by Boris Johnson. Previously the leader of the Leave campaign, Johnson would make ‘Getting Brexit Done’ his mission and core campaign slogan in a General Election he pressed for only months into his premiership. Regardless of the merits of the new Prime Minister’s provisional so-called oven-ready deal with the European Union, the policy appeared sufficiently intelligible to a public by now familiar with this controversial topic.

Dominic Wring, Roger Mortimore, Simon Atkinson

Chapter 2. A Brexit Election?

Abstract

Leading expert Sir John Curtice uses opinion poll evidence to investigate the question which is perhaps the key puzzle in interpreting the 2019 outcome—to what extent was this ‘a Brexit election’? The chapter reviews the polling trends on this critical issue, analyses how Leave and Remain supporters voted in the 2019 General Election and how this differed from 2015 and 2017. The discussion focuses on how the Conservatives, in particular, were able during the campaign to forge and successfully maintain a winning electoral coalition.

John Curtice

Campaigning

Frontmatter

Chapter 3. Reaching the Right People: The ConservativesConservative Party" \r “ch3_hayward”

Abstract

The Conservative peer and former Member of the House of Commons Lord Hayward provides an invaluable perspective into the winning campaign as a long-standing parliamentarian with an interest in psephology. He also writes from his vantage point as a campaigner approaching the election with some trepidation following what happened in 2017. His concerns were soon assuaged by what he found in respect of the Conservatives’ better preparedness, and the public reaction he experienced in the varied marginal seats he visited.

Lord Hayward

Chapter 4. No Time for Real Change: Labour

Abstract

Rory Macqueen, former chief economic advisor to Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell, offers a Labour perspective on the campaign in which he candidly reflects on how the divisions within the party extended beyond—but never far beyond—the thorny issue of Brexit. The chapter acknowledges how these extensively reported internal tensions played out in a wide-ranging discussion that touches on the various factors that contributed to the party’s fourth consecutive defeat.

Rory Macqueen

Chapter 5. ‘Time to Choose Our Future’: The SNPScottish National Party (SNP)" \r “ch5_snp”Scotland" \r “ch5_snp”

Abstract

Aside from the Conservatives, the (only) other main victors from the election were the Scottish National Party. SNP Head of Broadcast Media Erik Geddes discusses the SNP’s performance, conscious of them being the established governing party at Holyrood. He demonstrates how his party recovered ground after the setback of 2017 with a campaign that focused on independence, Brexit and leadership. The latter theme sought to promote Nicola Sturgeon as a major asset compared with Boris Johnson, a politician whose appeal was perceived to be limited at least north of the border.

Erik Geddes

Chapter 6. An Alternative Voice: The Liberal Democrats

Abstract

James Gurling provides an account drawing on his experiences helping run the Liberal Democrat campaign, most recently as Chair of the party’s 2019 General Election efforts. In his contribution, he notes how the party’s recovery during 2019 was linked to them strongly asserting their anti-Brexit credentials, and how this dominant issue shaped their electoral preparations including their participation in the ‘Unite to Remain’ pact in 60 seats. The chapter also offers insights into the varied opportunities and challenges that shaped the campaign in the lead up to polling day.

James Gurling

Chapter 7. “Me and Brexit, or Nothing”: A French Perspective on Boris Johnson’s Victory

Abstract

When on 29 October 2019, late in the evening, Boris Johnson finally managed to get an election date passed by the Commons, I rushed to the laptop to write an article for my newspaper Libération. “Hurray, something has moved between the walls of Westminster, something has actually been decided.

Sonia Delesalle-Stolper

Chapter 8. ‘Water Dripping on a Stone’: Topham Guerin and the Tory Digital Strategy

Abstract

Nathan Ritchie examines the origins and work of Topham Guerin, the ‘Digi Kiwis’ brought in to oversee the Conservatives’ online campaign. The chapter identifies the key aspects of the strategy they devised, including its idiosyncratic features and how it was implemented. Consideration is also given to attempts by rival parties and other campaigners to harness and use social media for their own electoral purposes.

Nathan Ritchie

Chapter 9. “Strategic Lying”: Or How the Conservatives Dominated the Campaign News Agenda

Abstract

Ivor Gaber and Caroline Fisher explore attempts by the Conservatives’ public relations operation, their ‘spin’ machine, to influence the campaign agenda. The piece focuses on the work of Boris Johnson’s influential adviser Dominic Cummings and others to shape the electoral narrative through use of what the authors call ‘strategic lying’. Such interventions are placed in context, along with reflections on the extent to which deception has come to define contemporary politics and how, in particular, this practice informed the 2019 campaign.

Ivor Gaber, Caroline Fisher

Media

Frontmatter

Chapter 10. Knocking Copy: How the National Press Covered the Campaign

Abstract

Although national newspapers are fast declining in terms of their hard copy circulations, Dominic Wring, David Deacon and David Smith explore how they still helped define what were, and were not, the key news items in mainstream media coverage of the election. The chapter demonstrates the extent to which those national dailies that identified with the Conservatives made a significant contribution to ensuring that, in press terms, 2019 was one of the most negative ever. A contributory factor to this was these newspapers’ revisiting of the allegations of anti-Semitism involving Jeremy Corbyn and his party, and the way this helped the topic become part of the campaign narrative.

Dominic Wring, David Deacon, David Smith

Chapter 11. Reporting the Digital Campaign: Online News Coverage of the 2019 UK General Election by BuzzFeed and The Huffington Post

Abstract

Emily Harmer and Rosalynd Southern examine how two of the most significant online-only news platforms, BuzzFeed and Huffington Post, reported the election. Although there were similarities with legacy providers’ outputs, the sites also covered the campaign in distinctive ways more attuned to the digital landscape: among other things, they were more able to understand and critique the ways different parties attempted to campaign online.

Emily Harmer, Rosalynd Southern

Chapter 12. The Role of Alternative Online Political Media in the 2019 General Election

Abstract

Declan McDowell-Naylor, Stephen Cushion and Richard Thomas explore the contribution of the “alternative online political media” to the election. As their collective name indicates, these are self-avowedly partisan sources that had an impact during the 2017 campaign when some of the left-wing websites posted material that went viral. This chapter takes a considered look at the contribution these sites made to the 2019 election, notably their tendency to call out and critique mainstream media commentators and politicians alike.

Declan McDowell-Naylor, Stephen Cushion, Richard Thomas

Chapter 13. Consternation Bias: Debates, TV Inquisitions and Impartiality in a Changing Electoral Era

Abstract

The 2019 election saw televised leader debates become more familiar as part of the campaign furniture, but it also witnessed an established TV staple—the big one to one interview—igniting a major row for the BBC, when Boris Johnson turned down an encounter with Andrew Neil. The election illustrated how political polarisation and changing social media culture are fuelling increasing challenges to perceptions of the impartiality of broadcasters; the BBC, in dealing with this rapidly evolving external environment, has to constantly re-examine and reinforce its own commitment to the principles of impartiality. But it also has to be nimble and creative in adapting to the demands of audiences and voters less inclined to take such assurances on trust. The Corporation’s Chief Political Adviser reflects on the controversies—and the bread and butter—of the BBC’s eventful campaign output.

Ric Bailey

Chapter 14. Path to Power: The Brexit Election

Abstract

Isla Glaister was part of the Sky News editorial team that covered what they called the “Brexit Election”. An important aspect of this reporting was “Path to Power”, a regular feature in which the Channel undertook a tour of marginal constituencies—including some of the Leave-supporting “red wall” seats—to examine what was happening on the ground. The chapter reflects on the experience, drawing out some of the key themes that emerged with a variety of pithy examples of how members of the electorate viewed the campaign, the rival politicians and the critical issues. Although there was an apparent lack of enthusiasm for the election, several voters appeared sufficiently interested in turning out to help get Brexit done.

Isla Glaister

Chapter 15. Of Empty Chairs and Ice Sculptures: Regulating Broadcasting During the 2019 General Election—The Ofcom Perspective

Abstract

Adam Baxter, Director for Standards and Audience Protection with Ofcom, explains the work of the regulator by setting out its remit during elections, and then reflecting on the issues it dealt with during the campaign. 2019 proved to be the ‘busiest yet’ for the organisation, with a significant rise in the number of complaints received this time compared with 2017. This increase related to a growth in objections to various aspects of the broadcasters’ coverage, including the leader debates, the use of ‘empty chairing’, and assorted other editorial decisions.

Adam Baxter

Polling

Frontmatter

Chapter 16. Understanding the Vote and the Voters: Ipsos MORI’s Polling in 2019

Abstract

Ipsos MORI Chief Executive Ben Page and Cameron Garrett dig into the data to reveal and explore facets of the way the voting public was thinking and demonstrate why 2019 was not a repeat of 2017. Although Boris Johnson was disliked by a not-inconsiderable section of the electorate, Jeremy Corbyn proved even more unpopular. But the chapter also discusses the extent to which issues—none more so than Brexit—defined this election, and the reasons why this benefitted the Conservatives and enabled them to win over voters whatever their social class.

Ben Page, Cameron Garrett

Chapter 17. The Other Election ‘Winners’: Polling and the Pollsters

Roger Mortimore

Chapter 18. Social Media and the UK General Election 2019

Abstract

Tara Beard-Knowland, former lead of Ipsos MORI’s Social Intelligence Analytics practice, explores the thoughts of the public as increasingly expressed in this election via social media and discusses some of the implications of this growing activity. Brexit was the leading focus of election-related material but the NHS was to the fore when it came to online interactions. This may relate to the detectable sympathy for Labour among many of those making social media posts, although there was less enthusiasm for Jeremy Corbyn compared with 2017.

Tara Beard-Knowland

Chapter 19. Exit Polling: A Brief History

Abstract

Veteran pollster Nick Moon recounts the fifty-year history of the Exit Poll in the UK, drawing on his own long and distinguished involvement with it. His piece recounts how the technique has evolved to become an established fixture of election night coverage since its debut in 1970. Much has changed since then, including the fact that the major broadcasters now collaborate in a far larger and more sophisticated exercise that is the product of innovation and refinement, all of which are explained here.

Nick Moon

Chapter 20. From Media to Social Media: Opinion Polling in the Current Context

Abstract

Anthony Wells, Director of Political Research at YouGov, recalls the changes to the polling industry over the last fifteen years as it has come to terms with the online world. The chapter provides a thoughtful reappraisal of developments which encompass not only new methodologies for polling but radically-altered relationships between pollsters, clients and the poll-consuming public.

Anthony Wells

Chapter 21. Is the Conservative Lead Growing? Is a Hung Parliament Possible? What Can We Believe? How a Partisan Press Reported the Polls

Abstract

In a magisterial and theoretically innovative contribution, which straddles the subjects of polling and the media, Murray Goot examines how the major opinion-forming national newspapers interpreted and reported the polls in 2019. He also provides an expansive account of previous campaigns, some of which dates back several decades. This comprehensive survey provides insights into how poll findings, as reported in highly partisan papers, can shape the prevailing narrative at critical moments during an election.

Murray Goot

Backmatter

Titel: Political Communication in Britain
herausgegeben von: Dr. Dominic Wring
Dr. Roger Mortimore
Simon Atkinson
Verlag: Springer International Publishing
Electronic ISBN: 978-3-030-81406-9
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-81405-2
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-81406-9