THE FIGHT FOR THE
STUDENT VOTE Exclusive BU poll reveals 42% undecided Fifty days before the General Election, a BU survey shows the votes of young people are up for grabs - and could decide the outcome on May 7. Your election special starts on page 2-3
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@YourElection15 | www.yourelection15.co.uk
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2 the poll
WEDNESDAY, 18 March 2015
The poll
Will first time voters win it?
2
Analysis
A look at the leaders of old
5
Guide
Eye on Dorset constituencies
6
Your views
BU students have their say
12-16
Contact Email
editor@bournemouthrock.co.uk
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@BournemouthRock
Wednesday 18 March 2015| The Rock
Are politicians AN exclusive Bournemouth University poll has revealed the votes of young people are up for grabs just 50 days before the General Election. The snapshot survey of students shows 42% of those planning to vote remain undecided where to put their cross on May 7. And there were few showing any strong agreement with any single party. With three million young people having their first opportunity to vote in a British election, the BU poll suggests there’s all to play for as election day looms ever nearer. But the poll also contains a worrying wake-up call for prospective Members of Parliament. Most young people polled thought MPs are out of touch with just 5% believing politicians had a good understanding of the issues affecting them. A significant number – more than one third – did not feel that they were sufficiently informed to make a choice. And while 11% are undecided whether to vote, a further 9% have already decided not to bother. Other key findings include: The Tories lead the pack among students intending to vote with the Greens close behind and Labour in third; The Green Party picked up most 19-20 year old’s, and most under 25s disagree with UKIP; David Cameron topped the poll as the ‘best prime minister’ followed by the
PA Greens’ Natalie Bennett, Ed Miliband, Nick Clegg and Nigel Farage; The three issues most important to students are the NHS, education/schools and the economy. The poll, conducted last week among 457 students aged under 25, will be regularly updated as more respondents complete the questionnaire ahead of the election. Today’s preliminary findings have been released to coincide with the launch of BU’s extensive, multimedia coverage that can be followed on www.yourelection15.co.uk and @YourElection15. BU will be bringing you all the local and national news during the election build up. And the university will become a multimedia news hub on 7 May to provide all the breaking election stories on radio, TV and online.
The general election campaign starts officially on March 30 and pundits agree the outcome is too close call. It could once be assumed the Tories need to be around seven points clear of Labour to secure a majority but the notion of a uniform swing no longer appears that straightforward in an era of six-party politics. Opinion polls suggest the election could result in a hung parliament with no single party winning an overall majority, leading to speculation about possible coalitions. With polls in Scotland suggesting the SNP could take almost all of Labour’s 41 seats, the surge in support for the Scottish Nationalists is dominating Labour and Tory tactics. Lord Baker of Dorking, claiming a Labour minority government reliant on the SNP would be a “nightmare”, has even suggested a Tory-Labour coalition may be needed to prevent the SNP
holding the balance of power. These new political dynamics mean many formerly safe seats now appear to be marginals. There are 194 of them if a marginal is defined as a seat with majorities of 10% or less that requires a swing of 5% for the incumbent party to lose; 82 are Conservative, 79 Labour, 27 Lib Dem, three SNP, two Plaid Cymru and one Green. One is right on BU’s doorstep. Annette Brooke won Mid-Poole and North Dorset in 2010 with a majority of 269 votes to secure the 15th smallest majority in Britain for the Lib Dems. No wonder the election is focused sharply on the non-voters and those heading for the ballot box for the first time. They could swing the outcome. The statistics illustrate why: Nine million women and 8.1 million men declined to vote at the last election. To put that in perspective, the Conservatives won 10.7 million votes and Labour got 8.6 million.
Your Election15: Creating, Sharing and Inspiring! Dr Karen Fowler-Watt, Head of the Journalism and Communication department, gives an insider’s view of how the YourElection15 project has come together and what it represents: ‘Herding cats’ is a phrase that I have often used to describe the experience of trying to ‘oversee’ the collaborative election project that we’re running in the Faculty of Media and Communication. It involves a lot of people with lots of ideas, a lot of meetings and a lot of emails! Each week, crammed into my office, a round table of technicians, marketing experts, practitioners and academics, mixed with a few students and the occasional
branding expert, come together to plan and shape YourElection15. It is an exciting, but challenging concept involving 300+ media students, a hot pink brand and a bunch of enthusiastic, if slightly mad tutors. The dynamic branding is the work of advertising lecturer, Don Parker who looks like he’s walked straight out of ‘Mad Men’ and brings a whiff of creative panache to the meeting. Senior Lecturer in TV Journalism and Documentary, Mat Charles, tanned fresh off the plane from Colombia and complete with new beard has designed the workflow and is encouraging the student editors to build teams and screen test presenters. The ever-patient Trevor Hearing from Media Production brings an air of calm confidence and experience to the gallery of the HD
Members of The Rock team preparing the paper in their BU newsroom studio. The faculty’s technicians are wide eyed with excitement at the prospect of OBs (outside broadcasts) at Westminster and at all of the counts in Dorset. Their love of kit and new gizmos knows no end, as
they push long lists of requirements under my door almost daily. The event will be produced by a mix of hi – tech and mobile– iPhones and iPads, with some Skype, at counts and OB points, all feeding
the poll 3
The Rock | Wednesday 18 March 2015
out of touch?
After the 2010 General Election, 650 MPs were elected. Could first time voters shape the make-up of the Commons in 2015? Meanwhile a YouGov poll for British Future showed only one third of first time voters plan to vote – leaving 2 million to persuade to follow suit. The BU poll offers some encouragement in this respect. The
initial results show that on the whole the young respondents (under 25s) claim they are interested in politics, feel the outcome of the election is important for the nation as a whole and largely agree voting is a duty. They also claim they are likely
to watch the debates (if they take place), follow news about the election and are likely to visit party or candidate websites. A significant number also say it is likely they will look up and follow political parties and candidates on social
media demonstrating how unusual this group of respondents are as compared to broader young people. But like many other young people they show much more mixed views when asked if they feel sufficiently informed to make a choice
into the HD studio in Weymouth House. This should suit the young audience and provide different coverage to the national news organisations – which is our aim. It has to be professional, but young and lively. Press Association picture feeds have been purchased and thanks to the quiet expertise of technical tutor, Rob Munday, a website has been built and is ready to go ‘live’ for the launch. We have linked up with the Daily Echo, thanks to its editor Andy Martin, to cover all the counts with their reporters and photographers – offering a fantastic opportunity to our students to learn ‘on the job’ from the professionals. This is cocreation at its best! What’s more, the radio team will be broadcasting live on Hope FM from midnight. US2012 blazed a trail for this project and Dr Ann Luce, who helped to lead the very successful
project three years ago, says that bringing so many BACOM and BA English students in “gives them real world opportunity to apply what they are learning in their writing classes this year.” Students from across the faculty will also produce comedy slats thanks to Dr Brad Gyori – there is certainly plenty of material to work with! A backdrop to the whole scene is provided by news journalism lecturer, Andy Bissell, as he runs up and down stairs, eating only a Yorkie bar for lunch, drafts of The Rock special edition tucked under his arm. Andy will help student editors drive the news hub on the night of May 7, along with BAMMJ programme leader, Liisa Rohumaa. Liisa says that social media will be key to this campaign, because “the young demographic engages with it all the time and you have to be in it and part of it – that is where the most
exciting debate will be”. A group of students will work with Dr Einar Thorsen and Dr Chindu Sreedharan to create vines, build a Twitter following and blog ‘live’ through the last 50 days of the campaign and on the big night. They are excited and scraping at any data that comes their way already! Speaking of data, the Politics team has done wonders with the poll, which is still ‘live’: they collated the early snapshot which forms the front page of this special edition. Dr Darren Lilleker and Dr Shelley Thompson will pull more results before May 7. It is going to be quite a night! We are looking for volunteers for a focus group of undecided voters to speak to the findings of the poll. We still need volunteers for this, who can appear live on the night to tell us how they voted. Please contact me, kfowler-watt@ bournemouth.ac.uk by March 27.
Dr Karen Fowler-Watt
PA They are also unsure whether their vote can make a difference but, more positively, agree that they should vote for the party they most agree with independent of that party’s chances of winning locally or nationally.
4 analysis
Wednesday 18 March 2015| The Rock PA
Editorial Team Editor-in-Chief Hollie Wong Deputy Editor Anna Hayward News Editor Hannah Kane Deputy NE Luke Hastings Assistant NE Chloe Desave Assistant NE Rosie Crass Opinion Editor Corrie Smith Assistant OE Miguel Luigi Enriquez Features Ed Emily Cox Deputy FE Mirva Villa Assistant FE Essie Ade Ademiju Assistant FE Roshan Roberts Sports Editor Ross Maffey Deputy SE Jade Butcher
Are young people really apathetic?
Designer Tom Beasley The Rock needs you. We still have many jobs available on the editorial and business staff, as well as online. To find out more and register your interest, visit: www.bournemouthrock.co.uk/getinvolved/ Letters to the editor must be signed (including the course of Bournemouth University students, the working title and school for staff members, company name, or home address for individuals outside BU). Prior to the publication, letters will be verified for authencity by the editor. Anonymous letters will not be published. The editor reserves the right to edit all letters in regard to libel law, length, taste, grammar and punctuation.
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Dr Darren G. Lilleker
AS well as working on the BU poll, Politics & Media Group researchers have teamed up with Opinium to conduct research on political participation around the forthcoming election. Our initial analysis allows us to build a more representative picture of attitudes and behaviours across all UK voters as well as among the youth. Firstly the headline, Labour are likely to gain most votes, but only by a small percentage. So the result will be close and the outcome as uncertain as in 2010. The Liberal Democrat vote is likely to collapse and UKIP may be the major beneficiaries. But among the young patterns are somewhat different. Among the 18-24s Labour are the majority choice, with the Conservatives only just ahead of the Greens. While 10% of the overall electorate may be voting UKIP it is only 2.9% of the young nationally. But while across all voters only 7.6 have no intention to vote, among the 18-24s it is 19%, they are also the group most likely to say they do not know with 22% unsure how to or whether to vote. Students, although only 17% of the sample, are most likely to vote but also are most likely to be undecided. But let us not write off young people as apathetic or apolitical,
uncaring of the world around them. Many reports commissioned for UK Parliament and Hansard Society studies find they have good reasons for withdrawing from electoral politics, largely considering their vote worthless, politicians care little for their concerns or seeing the parties as too similar and disconnected from society. We also find evidence that they find ways to be political even if they choose to eschew the ritual of the ballot box. They are as likely at 39% to sign a petition, the national average being 40%. They are more likely to follow politicians or parties on social media, 13% compared to the national average of 10%. More indicative of their sympathies, they are the most likely to follow NGOs on social media 21% compared with a national average of 14%. Equally they are the group most likely to share political content on social media, 16% compared to the national average of 12%. They are even higher than the national average for commenting about politics, 22% compared to 16% and 53% report discussing politics with friends and family. Therefore we find a rich picture of engagement among young people despite them being the group least likely to vote. Young people across the country, independent of their career status, educational background or demographics are engaging in politics. But they appear less likely to engage with parties, they do not join and they are least likely to contact
their MP. Perhaps, within the diet of social media engagement, they have alternative means to have their say. They are also the group who are least likely to rate highly any of the party leaders. Perhaps due to unfamiliarity, or perhaps due to the leaders not talking about the things that matter to them, but ratings for performance are low. There is a major problem at the heart of the youth vote conundrum. Campaign strategists calculate their efforts on return. They spend money on designing and disseminating messages to appeal to those groups most easily convinced to vote for them. If the young are considered unlikely to vote there is no ‘profit’ in targeting young people. Hence we may find a vicious circle at work where the political
campaigns target the older generations and the young feel ignored and ignore the campaigns in return. Rather they turn to those that engage online and who are committed to the causes they support: the NGOs who crowdsource via social media. But, what is clear, is young people are not simply sharing pictures of themselves, cats or their breakfast, they are as or more politically active as any other generation, they just happen not to see voting as the best way of expressing themselves politically. Dr Darren G. Lilleker is Associate Professor of Political Communication, author of Political Communication and Cognition and researcher of patterns of political participation in the digital age. STEPHEN WEST
Online Editor Poppy Jeffery Deputy OE Chloe Desave
Nigel Farage and UKIP could benefit from a Lib Dem vote “collapse”
analysis 5
The Rock | Wednesday 18 March 2015
Alison Smith
WE live in the age of the machine politician. Today’s mainstream UK parties are dominated by figures who are often perceived as bland, uninteresting, driven by the need to be on-message and deliver platitudes and soundbites that will not frighten the horses. The perception is that our political leaders went to the same universities, did the same degrees (Law or PPE) and if they had jobs outside politics these were in the predictable worlds of law or public relations. What ‘personalities’ there are tend to live on the fringes, outside the mainstream. The question is why is this so? And could a towering figure like Churchill or Thatcher - or even Tony Blair - make it in today’s political landscape? It is undoubtedly the case that someone prepared to take risks will fare more badly in today’s political climate than in the past. An uneasy consensus has emerged in the decades since the end of WW2, combining an acceptance of the basic tenets of liberal capitalism with a British take on welfarism. One reason great statesmen do not emerge is the feeling that many of the great questions – universal suffrage, civil rights, the existence of a welfare state – have been ‘answered’. Rocking the boat in the 1930s or 1950s could win you plaudits; now it is more likely to have you cast into the outer darkness. Paradoxically, as society becomes more tolerant of difference, be it sexual or racial, we are becoming simultaneously less tolerant of risk and personal foibles especially when it comes to our leaders. Most – all – ‘great statesmen’ – were deeply flawed human beings. Churchill saved Europe from fascism, but he was a capricious depressive, prone to outrageous
outbursts and a functioning alcoholic to boot. He would never get into a Cabinet today. Margaret Thatcher could be a monster and Blair was no stranger to controversy. Even the mild Clement Attlee would fail today’s tests – too posh, modest perhaps to the point of eccentricity. Intense media scrutiny (no one wrote about Churchill’s drinking at the time) means that anyone with a colourful personal life wouldn’t last five minutes today on the public stage. Today’s politicians, schooled in the art of consensus, are unwilling to pick fights. Policies aside, what set Margaret Thatcher apart from almost any other modern leader was the fact that she was willing to persevere in the face of intense opposition and vitriolic personal hatred - from not only her political enemies, but her own party, her closest colleagues and, for much of her career, the public. It is hard to imagine a mainstream politician taking that on now. The rewards are too small and the risks of failure too great. As a society we have become wary of doing anything ‘too fast’, yet the most effective leaders realise that speed is often the key part of implementing any kind of meaningful change. Attlee and his cabinet created the welfare state almost from scratch in a few short years; in the 1940s, 50s and 60s epic policy shifts, from nationalisation to building programmes, were rushed through at a speed that would seem ludicrous today – an era when it is accepted that the building of a 120-mile new railway is the work of 20 or 30 years. The consensual and riskaverse nature of modern political, societal (and scientific, medical and technological) discourse has emerged as the reality of existential threat (from the Nazis or Soviet hydrogen bombs) recedes into history. It was perhaps clearer than things had to change, and fast,
MARC MULLER
Where have all the personalities gone?
Political greats? Clockwise from top left: Margaret Thatcher, Winston Churchill, Tony Blair; inset: Clement Attlee 60 years ago than it is today. A recent exception that proves this rule was the Northern Ireland peace process. Taking up the mantle from the Major administration (which he fully credits), Tony Blair made it a central tenet of his first term to create a lasting settlement in the six counties. This involved taking decisions that were off the scale when it came to the accepted consensus – not only talking to terrorists but inviting them into government, releasing dozens of murderers and torturers from prison decades early, promising immunity to known criminals. Much of what was done in the late 1990s and early 2000s by the British government in Northern Ireland was catastrophically risky and much probably illegal. But Blair got away with it, in part at least because ‘Northern Ireland’ never receives the same media and public scrutiny as the rest of the UK. Statesmanlike behaviour is possible, but you need to keep it quiet.
We must be wary of survivor bias. The great statesmen of the past took huge gambles – which paid off. We do not remember the ‘statesmen’ who never became such because they lost their bets. Electing to fight Hitler rather than sue for peace was a gamble. If
“ Today’s politicians, schooled in the art of consensus, are unwilling to pick fights
”
Churchill’s wager had failed, and a wrecked Britain had been forced to the table in 1942, we would now remember him as a fool driven by personal vanity who dragged us into an unnecessary war. Not doing things can be risky and statesmanlike as well. Electing to
keep Britain out of the Vietnam War was also a risk, threatening the wrath of the UK’s greatest ally. If Wilson’s decision had gone badly, if the US had turned on us, how would we remember this decision now? Great statesmen can sometimes be more trouble than they are worth. Sometimes towering egos get in the way of the sort of measured approach needed for our most intractable problems (it is a measure of all truly great statesmen and women that they surround themselves with people of high competence that they can trust). But sometimes problems come along that do need the mark of greatness. Climate change, global population growth, Islamism, new conflicts. Insofar that great challenges tend to create great men and women to face them, we can probably conclude that the age of the Great Statesman is not dead. It is merely biding its time.
6 guide
The Dorset
Wednesday 18 March 2015| The Rock
Alison Smith and Morgan Thomas look at the fight to win the eight local constituencies
Mid Dorset and North Poole THIS predominantly rural (County) constituency was created in 1997 and includes part of the Purbeck Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the historic towns of Wimborne Minster and Wareham. In the 2010 election there were 64,705 registered electors in this constituency, which broadly encompasses the Poole suburbs of Broadstone and Canford Heath as well as Wareham, Lytchett Matravers, Wimborne and Bere Regis. The constituency was created in 1997 from parts of the seats of North Dorset, Bournemouth West, South Dorset and Poole. The constituency area of MDNP contains a relatively high number of pensioners and relatively low levels of social housing or economic deprivation. This constituency, as well as being home to many retirees, also has a large faming economy and a significant tourist industry. Notable landmarks include the northwestern reaches of Poole Harbour and the ancient Saxon port of Wareham. Wimborne Minster with its numerous tea shops and towering spire. The constituency has elected two MPs since its creation in 1997: Christopher Fraser (Conservative, 1997 – 2001); Annette Brooke (Liberal Democrat, 2001-date). The seat is a Lib Dem – Tory marginal and the only seat in Dorset not held by a Conservative. In the General Election of 2010 Annette Brooke (pictured) was returned to Parliament with 21,100 votes (45.1%) and a majority of just 269. The seat was a Liberal Democrat hold with a swing of -6.3%. Runnerup Nick King, the Conservative candidate, received 20,831 votes (44.5%, a swing of 7.7%). In 2013 Ms Brooke announced she would be standing down as MP at the General Election of 2015.
BU Politics Society is hosting a hustings night in KG01 on Monday 27th April between 7.00-8.30 pm for the Mid Dorset and North Poole constituency. Here The Rock reports on one of the tightest races in the country, right on the University’s doorstep. And the student vote could easily swing the result… With the General Election being the most unpredictable that Britain has ever seen, it is appropriate for the candidates of one of Britain’s most marginal seats, Mid Dorset North Poole, to come together to discuss why they are best suited to represent this ultra-marginal constituency.
Vikki Slade - Liberal Democrat Vikki Slade is a business owner of the well-known café, Molly’s on Broadstone’s Broadway. Before entering the business world, Vikki was a consultant for a large building society and the training executive at a large multinational company. Furthermore, Vikki was the chair figure of Broadstone’s Chamber of Trade and Commerce, encouraging more people to shop in the town which is situated between Poole and Wimborne. Vikki is a councilor for Poole County Council, and has promoted for improved standards in Children’s Centers across MDNP, encouraging greater resources for victims of domestic abuse and has been a proud advocate of increasing the amount of renewable energy used in Mid Dorset and North Poole. Veteran Lib Dem MP, Annette Brooke, has mentored Vikki since Brooke announced her retirement in 2013, which has allowed Vikki to gain vast experience into the role of becoming a Member of Parliament for MDNP. Richard Turner - UKIP
This year, the rise of UKIP and the Greens, along with the reckoned Liberal Democrat collapse, has the chance to make the seat even more marginal than it was previously. The candidates of each party must therefore give that little bit extra in order to secure the votes from constituents. Whilst the election nationally will be tight, the fight for Mid Dorset North Poole will be even tighter. Here are the candidates:
Richard Turner currently chairs UKIP’s Christchurch branch. Richard, before seeking to advance his political career, worked and lived in London as a motorbike mechanic, ahead of entering a career in health provision and then spent a decade in electrical wholesales. Richard left London in 2004, from which he opened a marina business on the Dorset coast, due to his interests in fishing. Richard’s main political goal is to leave the European Union, as he argues the EU limits businesses, such as the marina industry from showing its true potential because of the EU’s fishing quotas.
Patrick Canavan - Labour Patrick Canavan is the former regional officer for Unite the Union in the South West. He has been involved in creating an organization named “Healthwatch” which seeks to advance the concerns of patients to local and national government officials about their experiences within the National Health Service. Along with his commitment to the care of patients being treated by the NHS, Patrick has suggested his desires of further devolution away from Westminster, and giving more power to regional authorities. Patrick has also commented about Labour moving further back to its original, socialist roots, leaving its ‘Blairite’ stance behind in the party’s long history. Mark Chivers - Green Party Mark Chivers has previous experience within the political sphere, as he stood a candidate for the Greens
during the European elections in 2014, from which he was unsuccessful. Mark is a qualified engineer, and has spent much of his career in the financial services and within real estate. Mark’s main political goal is to see a reduction in man-made climate change. His desires to reduce carbon emissions led him to set up ‘Zero Carbon Dorset’, with the long-term aim to see Dorset as an example to the rest of the world in reducing carbon emissions. Mark is against the process of fracking and has, in line with his Zero Carbon Dorset, campaigned for further development in green technology. Michael Tomlinson - Conservative Michael Tomlinson (pictured right) has been involved for over ten years in the Mid Dorset and North Poole Conservative Association, whereby his active and enthusiastic participation led him to be selected the Deputy Chairman Political for the party in Mid Dorset. Before being selected himself to be
guide 7
battleground
The Rock | Wednesday 18 March 2015
Bournemouth East THIS ‘Borough’ (predominantly urban) constituency covers roughly the eastern third of the Southeast Dorset Conurbation. In 2010 there were 72,961 registered electors in this constituency, which broadly encompasses the areas of Boscombe, Southbourne, Queen’s Park, Tuckton and parts of Moordown. Economically, this is a polarised constituency containing pockets of deprivation (particularly parts of Boscombe) in a sea of relative prosperity. Geographically Bournemouth East comprises mostly built-up residential areas, with housing constructed between the late-Victorian and modern eras, several parks, a small area of open countryside around the village of Throop, the Hengistbury Head peninsula and more than three miles of beachfront. The most notable landmark is Boscombe Pier, opened in 1889 and rebuilt in 2007 in its present form. To the east of the pier lies an artificial
Democratic Monarchist, International Marxist, Anti-EEC. New Britain was a minor right wing party founded by Dennis Delderfield in 1976, labeled “avowedly racist” by The Observer it campaigned for the return of capital punishment. The party was deregistered in 2008. Alasdair Keddie, the Green Party candidate is the first to stand in Bournemouth East since 1979 (the then Ecology Party).
2015 candidates Tobias Ellwood – (Conservative, incumbent) David Hughes (UKIP) Alasdair Keddie (Green Party) Jon Nicholas (Liberal Democrat) Peter Stokes (Labour)
Bournemouth West
the PPC for The Conservatives at the upcoming General Election, Michael was campaign manager for Nick King, the previous candidate for the party in 2010 election. In addition to his political career, Michael is a practicing lawyer, whereby he advises small business and organizations, and has represented a number of governmental departments in front of court. Michael’s success as a lawyer allowed for him to win the prestigious Queen Mother’s Scholarship in 2002. Michael is married to his wife, Frances and has three children - . Michael’s hobbies outside of the workplace include playing hockey and a spot of cricket for his local cricket club during the summer.
See you at the hustings where you can ask the candidates your own questions and hear what they have to say to persuade student voters in this closely fought constituency.
submarine reef designed (with limited success) to generate a ‘break’ enhancing the experience of surfers, who have used this beach since the 1950s. The constituency has elected Conservative MPs since its creation in 1974 and is considered a ‘safe’ Tory seat: John Cordle (1974-1977), David Atkinson (1977-2005) and Tobias Elwood (2005- date). In the General Election in 2010 incumbent MP Tobias Ellwood was returned to Parliament with 48% of the vote with a swing of 1.8%. There were five candidates for parties to choose from, but this constituency is a two party race. The Lib Dem candidate, Lisa Northover, was runner-up receiving 13,592 votes (30.9%) The UKIP candidate David Hughes had a swing of +2.1% recieving 3,027 votes. UKIP have stood a candidate in this constituency since 1997. Other parties who have fielded candidates here include: Natural Law, Loony Monster, Ecology, New Britain,
Michael Tomlinson is the Conservative PPC for Mid Dorset and North Poole
THIS ‘Borough’ (predominantly urban) constituency covers roughly the central third of the Southeast Dorset Conurbation. In 2010 there were 72,714 registered electors in this constituency, which broadly encompasses the areas of central Bournemouth, Westbourne, Kinson, Northborne, Branksome, Wallisdown, and Winton. Like its neighbour to the east, this is a constituency containing both relatively deprived wards (particularly to the north in Kinson and Northborne) and areas or relative wealth, for example parts of Westbourne and Talbot Woods. Notable landmarks include the Russell Coates Museum on the East Cliff, the 62-metre spire of St Peter’s Church, several examples of Victorian and Art Deco architecture, the Gardens along the River Bourne and the Bournemouth International Centre (BIC), on the West Cliff. Aside from the sandy beach, the most notable
natural attractions are the ‘Chines’, a series of wooded dry-valleys cutting landward from the coast into the cliffs. The constituency has elected Conservative MPs since its creation in 1950 and like its Bournemouth neighbour is a safe Tory seat: Viscount Cranborne (1950-1954); John Eden (1954-1983); Sir John Butterfill (19832010); Conor Burns (2010-date). Voters had five candidates to choose from in the General Election in 2010, but 45.1% of voters returned Conor Burns to Parliament with 18,808 votes. A Conservative hold with a swing of 2.9%. Runner-up Lib Dem candidate, Alasdair Murray, received 13,592 votes (30.9% , a swing of -0.2%). Patria, a new English extreme-right nationalist party, is fielding one of only two candidates in the 2015 election in this constituency.
Elizabeth McManus is the first Green Party candidate to stand in this constituency.
2015 candidates Conor Burns (Conservative, incumbent) Mike Plummer (Liberal Democrat) David Stokes (Labour) Martin Houlden (UKIP) Elizabeth McManus (Green Party) Dick Franklin (Patria)
8 guide
Life’s a beach Wednesday 18 March 2015| The Rock
Dorset is a county of contrasts where some of the most expensive locations in the world rub shoulders with deprived areas.
Poole THIS constituency, which comprises most of the western third of the Dorset conurbation, has sent representatives to Parliament since 1455, although between the 1880s and its recreation in 1950s the voters of Poole voted as part of the Bournemouth East constituency. In 2010 there were 72,773 registered electors in this constituency, which broadly encompasses the areas of Poole town, Canford Cliffs, Sandbanks, Hamworthy and Parkstone. Poole is home to some of the wealthiest individuals (and most expensive residential properties) in the UK, particularly in Canford Cliffs and on the Sandbanks Peninsula (dubbed ‘Britain’s Palm beach’ in the media), which has long been home to top footballers and wealthy celebrities. As well as containing some of the richest parts of the UK (and indeed the entire EU) Poole also contains areas of relative deprivation including the central Poole area and the northern parts of the constituency making this one of the most economically polarised seats in the country. Notable landmarks include Poole Quay, one of the oldest working
harbourfronts in the UK, several listed Georgian Buildings in the Town Centre, Poole Harbour (one of the largest natural harbours in the world) and the ‘Millionaires’ Row’ of the Sandbanks Peninsula. The constituency has elected Conservative MPs since its modern incarnation in 1950, but a strong working class presence in the town meant a respectable Labour vote until well into the 1970s. MPs: Colonel Mervyn Wheatley (1950-51); Richard Pilkington (1951-1964); Oscar Murton (1964-1979); John Ward (1979-1997); Robert Syms (1997-date). Six candidates contested the General Election of 2010. Robert Syms was returned to Parliament with 22,532 votes (47.5%), a Conservative hold with a swing of 0.8%. The runner-up, Lib Dem candidate Phillip Eades, received 14,991 votes (31.6%, a swing of 2.5%). Other parties who have fielded candidates here in the past include the BNP, Natural Law and Referendum
parties. The BNP fielded a candidate in 2010 but have not done so in 2015. The Poole People party are fielding, unsurprisingly, just one candidate, and believe reconnecting politicians with voters can restore public confidence.
2015 candidates Robert Syms (Conservative, incumbent) Philip Eades (Liberal Democrat) Helen Rosser (Labour) Adrian Oliver (Green Party) David Young (UKIP) Mark Howell (Poole People)
Christchurch THIS mostly rural (County) seat comprises much of the eastern part of the Southeast Dorset conurbation and all of the historic town of Christchurch, with its historic Abbey and medieval buildings. In 2010 there were 69,008 registered electors in this constituency, which includes the town of Christchurch itself, Mudeford, Ferndown, St Leonards, West Moors and Highcliff. Mostly affluent or very affluent, the Constituency comprises a high proportion of retirees and scores lowly on indices of deprivation. Only Eastborne and Devon East have a higher percentage of over-60s. This part of Dorset sees some of the highest life-expectancies in the whole of the UK. Christchurch and its hinterland is a popular tourist destination, and this area is popular with walkers, birdwatchers and yachtsmen. Christchurch is not all retirees and tea shops. Since WW2 the aircraft and
engineering industries have remained important to the town and the constituency is home to Bournemouth International Airport at Hurn. The town has a number of smaller trading estates including: Airfield Way Industrial Estate and Sea Vixen Trading Estate. Notable landmarks include the 11th Century Christchurch Abbey, Christchurch Castle and the Gothic Revival Highcliff Castle as well as the beautiful wetlands around Christchurch Harbour, once an important port. Christchurch existed as a Parliamentary Borough from 1572 to 1918. Between 1918 and 1983 the seat
Polo on the beach at Sandbanks, in the Poole constituency
a Conservative hold and Christopher Chope was returned to Parliament on 56.4% of the vote with a swing of +1.4%. The Lib Dem candidate, Martyn Hurll, recieved 12,478 votes (25.3% with a +1.2% swing). In a 1993 by-election, which received major media coverage, 14 parties fielded candidates: including the AntiFederalist League, Monster Raving Loony, Sack Graham Taylor, Buy the Daily Sport, Save the National Health Service, Highlander IV Wednesday Promotion, Ian for King, Alfred the Chicken and the Rainbow Alliance. disappeared, and was recreated as a county constituency from parts of the seat of Christchurch and Lymington, North Dorset and New Forest. Since 1983 the constituency has usually had strong Tory majorities, however a by-election in 1993 saw the seat pass to Lib Dem Diana Maddock on a swing of +35.4%. Christchurch returned to Tory hands in 1997 and has been a safe seat for the party ever since. Only four candidates stood in the General Election 2010. The result was
2015 candidates Christopher Chope (Conservative, incumbent Andy Canning (Liberal Democrat) Shona Dunn (Green Party) Robin Grey (UKIP) Andrew Satherley (Labour)
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North Dorset NORTH Dorset is a largely rural (District) constituency and has a low proportion of social housing. Its largest town, situated amongst the heathlands, is Verwood with a population of 15,000. Much of North Dorset is in the River Stour valley and is called the Blackmore Vale. The economy of north Dorset is mostly dairy agriculture based. In 2010 there were 73,010 registered voters in this constituency. The North Dorset seat was created in 1885 and its first MP was Liberal and barrister Edwin Berkeley Portman. There have been three by-elections, in 1905, 1937, and 1957, as a result of the death of the sitting MP. This has been a Conservative seat since 1950. Conservative MP Robert Walter has held the seat since the 1997 General
- for some
The Rock | Wednesday 18 March 2015
guide 9
South Dorset THIS rural (County) seat comprises the coast and hinterland of south Dorset stretching from Poole Harbour in the east to Portland and Weymouth in the west. In 2010 this constituency had 73,499 registered voters. South Dorset includes the Isle of Purbeck, a major tourist destination, the Bovington Army Camp and is the location of more than half the length of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Jurassic Coast. The seat is unusual in Dorset in returning a significant Labour vote – a reflection of the historical importance of the maritime, Naval and quarrying industries associated with Weymouth and Portland. Since WW2 the seat has been held by two Labour MPs and four Conservatives. The constituency, as is common in Dorset, includes areas of wealth and relative deprivation, from the celebritystudded property hotspots of the Isle of Purbeck to the high unemployment zone that is Portland, where house prices remain anomalously low for the South West. The dominant industries are farming, tourism, light industry, shipping and service industries. South Dorset includes part of the extraordinary Jurassic Coast, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as the bulk of the Isle of Purbeck. The port of Weymouth, one of the few large towns in Dorset, is home to 52,223
residents. Dorset hosted the 2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy in Portland Harbour. Within the constituency is Bovington army camp part of the Bovington garrison and Portland Port, which hosts a significant international cruise line industry. Further east is Corfe Castle, built by William the Conqueror, deliberately demolished by Parliamentary decree after the Civil War and now owned by the National Trust. It attracts 190,000 visitors a year. This constituency is also home to the Swanage Railway, one of the most successful Heritage lines in the country. The seat was created in 1885 and its first MP was Liberal Henry Parkman Sturgis, and American-born banker. This constituency has had a strong Labour vote and has been a ToryLabour battleground since 1997. In 2001 and 2005 South Dorset elected a Labour candidate, Jim Knight (who was created a life peer in 2010, taking the title Baron Knight of Weymouth). In 1997 this seat was won by Conservative Ian Bruce by a margin of only 77 votes, which was one of
the smallest margins in the UK at that particular time. Six candidates stood in the general election in 2010. Conservative Richard Drax, former army officer and journalist, was returned to Parliament on a swing of +9.3. Mr Drax received 22, 667 votes, defeating the incumbent Jim Knight (Labour) who received 15,224 votes. Only four candidates are standing in 2015, and this is the only Dorset seat where UKIP have not fielded a candidate.
2015 candidates Richard Drax (Conservative, incumbent) Simon Bowkett (Labour) Jane Burnet (Green Party) Howard Legg (Liberal Democrat)
West Dorset Election and he was re-elected in 2010 for the fourth time with a much-increased majority, 27,640 votes (51.1%); a Conservative hold on a swing of +2.8%. In December 2014 announced he would not be seeking re-election in 2015. Yet another Dorset Tory-Lib Dem battleground, second-placed Liberal Democrat candidate Emily Gasson received 20,015 votes in 2010 (37% with a swing of -0.9%). Other parties that have stood in this constituency include: the Monster Raving Loony Party, Lower Excise Duty Party and the Wessex Regionalist party. In 1935 George Henry Lane Fox Pitt-Rivers was the candidate for the Agriculture party.
2015 candidates Richard Barrington (Green Party) Kim Fendley (Labour) Simon Hoare (Conservative) Hugo Miéville (Liberal Democrat) Steve Unwin (UKIP)
THE West Dorset constituency includes the county town of Dorset, Dorchester, and the towns of Bridport, Lyme Regis, Beaminster and Sherborne. West Dorset is a popular tourist destination with its heritage coast (the western half of the UNESCO Jurassic Coast) and historic landmarks. A slightly greater than the average proportion of residents are retired. In 2010 West Dorset’s electorate numbered 76,779. Notable landmarks include the magnificent Chesil Beach, a unique natural formation comprising a 29-kilometre barrier beach made from pebbles and shingle which links Portland to the mainland. The constituency is also home to the Cerne Abbas Giant, a priapic chalk figure carved into the hills behind the eponymous village and is the home to the (fictional) Broadchurch, the location of a current popular TV series. West Dorset has only ever been served by Conservative MPs since it
was created in 1885 under the Redistribution of Seats Act. Its first MP Henry Richard Farquharson held the seat until his death in 1895 in the Red Sea returning from a voyage to Ceylon. The MP since 1997, Conservative Oliver Letwin, became Minister for Government Policy in the Cabinet Office in 2010. In the 2010 General Election five parties fielded candidates and the Liberal Democrats were yet again the runner-up party (in 2001 the Conservative majority was as narrow as 1,414). The seat was a Conservative hold with a swing of +1.1 with Oliver Letwin receiving 27,287 votes (47.6%) to Liberal Democrat candidate Sue Farrant’s 23,364 (40.7%). Oliver Letwin is standing again in 2015, this is his fifth general election.
2015 candidates Oliver Letwin (Conservative, incumbent) Peter Barton (Green Party) Ros Kayes (Liberal Democrat) Rachel Rogers (Labour) David Glossop (UKIP)
10 opinions
Wednesday 18 March 2015| The Rock
BU VIEWS Someone to believe in Emily Diaz OVER the last few weeks, tensions have increased across the country as people are deciding who to vote for in the next general election on May 7. Are people now voting on health, education, the economy and other policies that are important to them? Or is it the personality of the leader that appeals to the individual the most? Have the days vanished forever when the ordinary citizen looks through every party’s manifesto? If it is no longer party policy against party policy; it is Farage vs. David Cameron vs. Ed Miliband vs. Nick Clegg. In a world of ‘dumbing down’ of political coverage due to the media’s continued focus on scandal and entertainment it seems many choose not to understand the policies of each party and simply vote for personality. Public scrutiny is solely geared towards the figures at the top; the public gaze too often falls exclusively on
the charismatic party leaders. In this modern world where there is a relentless focus on personality politics a politician can no longer ‘hide’ behind their policies especially when the three main parties seem to be offering the same, scared to offer anything controversial in case of losing voters. This coupled with the public’s cynical attitude to politics means that the way the politicians present themselves is becoming more important than policy. This is highlighted by the continued focus on the upcoming TV debate – if it ever happens at all! TV debates elevate personality over policy as the focus is so often on presentation rather than what is being said. This can also be seen in Prime Minister’s Question time held each week in the House of Commons where it seems now to just be a case of who can shout the loudest? We have become a nation, which is ever skeptical, and suspicious of politicians, who remain predominately white, male, middleclass men. We also no longer have the days of Thatcher and Reagan where the UK and US had strong, ideologically-
committed leaders. The closest we have come to this was with Tony Blair who eventually led the country into disastrous wars and was described as ‘Messianic’ by his critics. However, Blair remained popular with a large swathe of the British public and never lost an election, unlike Gordon Brown. This could be why Ukip are having greater success than many ever thought possible due to the way Farage presents himself as a strong leader. People just seem to want someone to believe in, especially when compared to the other ‘wet’ ‘marshmallow- like’ candidates. There is certainly no denial of the continued struggle of politicians to connect with ordinary citizens. However, it is unfair to make the choice simply either policies or personality – in fact both matter. Priority lies with policy, nevertheless you need a strong leader at the top. The politician becomes the name and face and it is a little sad that so many people vote on personality or lack thereof, rather than policy. However, this is the society we live in and we have to take some joy from the fact that at least people are voting when so many individuals fought so hard to get us the vote.
Introducing the Comedy Coalition George Lock Lewis Underwood Who exactly are the Comedy Coalition? Some say they meet in the dark recesses of the library, like a bunch of people who took the phrase Shadow Cabinet too literally. Others say that they actually started life as L.A. socialites who, after releasing
a series of increasingly raunchy sex tapes, were banished from polite society and took to writing political comedy as revenge. Of course all that’s nonsense. They’re really just a failed military experiment to weaponize satire. Escaping from a highly secret installation on Salisbury Plain, the Comedy Coalition was shocked at the state of the current political climate –
the lies, the conspiracies, the cognitive dissonance, the sheer insanity of it all. Freed at last from a life of darkness and fear, the Coalition had finally emerged into a world gone mad – one where politicians can eat babies on the street with no fear of reprisal; where Old Etonians can preach about austerity whilst drinking the blood of peasants from golden chalices. If you’ve ever wanted to join a secretive
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Rebellions and splits? Benny de Garis WHILE we are all busy voting (or not) for who runs the country from May 8 onwards, parties will be thinking of their future. What is certain is that we will have a coalition again. This time, it is likely that this coalition will be formed of three parties. The idea of coalition governments has been talked about now more than that of one party rule. It seems that although the Lib Dems did not get their voting system change, the outcome it would have produced has come to realisation anyway: coalition is now the norm. So with that in mind, I return to the original question: what will happen to the parties without power after the electoral dust has settled? And I refer to the two main parties particularly in this, since they have most to lose. Labour is possibly the easiest to predict. The party is not the one – as we all know – that was created in 1900 for the progression of Trade society, but were too squeamish to sign your name in blood, the Comedy Coalition might be right for you. If you feel you would like to get involved or would be interested in finding out more about how to get your satirical comedy ideas made, get in touch with the locus of the swarm, known to you puny humans as Brad Gyori, at this email address: bgyori@ bournemouth.ac.uk. We look forward to eating you. Meeting you. Stupid predictive text. Gosh, wouldn’t that have been awkward?
Unionist ideals. From Tony Blair to Tony Benn, there is now a wide spectrum of thought within the party, and this leads to it becoming unwieldy and ineffective. There is talk of the Trade Unions setting up a political party to counter the right-wing element of Labour. If this happens, I’m adamant that key figures on the left of Labour will defect. Jeremy Corbyn, a regular contributor for The Morning Star will certainly be one, along with Dennis Skinner and Diane Abbott. This will split Labour into two parties, effectively fighting against each other for a spot in future coalitions.With the Conservatives, it’s easier to predict a cause for the split. The largest and oldest party is not as likely to split as Labour is. . Europe will be the note the bell tolls when the party’s time is up. The European Union has always been the thorn in the side of the party since the signing of the Maastricht Treaty, while Labour’s Eurosceptic wing has been quietened far more successfully by the party leadership. A few of those included in any possible split amongst the Consevatives will just defect to UKIP, but many more will form a separate group to counter the perceived social-right prejudices of the radical-right. These parties, when in coalition with each other, will produce far more logical terms of governance such as a supply and confidence on Europe. Whatever happens to the main two parties, we are going to see many backbench rebellions before any splits. I believe the Liberal Democrats will have their way in garnering enough support for a revote on the Alternative Vote referendum, and this will see one-party governments as a relic of the past.
opinions 11
The Rock | Wednesday 18 March 2015
Is the future
Green? By Tom Beasley AHEAD of the 2015 General Election, it’s Nigel Farage and UKIP who have dominated news coverage. The purple party have won hundreds of column inches with their charismatic leader, growing support and by-election victories. However, it isn’t just UKIP who are creating a “political earthquake”. There’s another party with surging support – a significantly greener one. Whilst UKIP have been grabbing the headlines, Natalie Bennett’s Green Party has been quietly gaining support. In January, they signed up more than 13,000 new members in a single week, overtaking the
membership numbers of both UKIP and the Liberal Democrats. They are particularly popular with students and young people, with a YouGov survey in December positioning them as the second most popular party amongst students. In The Rock’s own student survey published today, the Green Party picked up most of the 19 and 20 year-old support - while most under 25s disagreed with UKIP. Green support is strong here in the South West, in general. At last year’s elections for the European Parliament, the Greens won a seat in the South West of England region,
Natalie Bennett PA with Molly Scott Cato replacing the previous Conservative MEP. The electoral support for the Greens may not have the same breakneck pace as support for UKIP, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t growing. For many, the Greens are now a genuine political alternative to the left of the Labour Party. With growing distrust of the Lib Dems, many of the young people who voted for Nick Clegg’s party in 2010 will be looking elsewhere in May. Former leader Caroline Lucas already sits in the Commons, but the Greens have a real chance of adding several more MPs to their
parliamentary presence. The Greens are a party of ambition. They care about the things that young people care about, whether that’s preserving the environment, building social housing or bringing in a living wage. It’s easy to see why a party of leftwing ideals appeals to the young, especially those who are voting for the first time. This time four or five years ago, they were marching through the streets of London, protesting against tuition fee increases. This generation is politicised – they just need someone who
represents their views. But with idealism comes problems. Anyone who heard Natalie Bennett’s now infamous radio interview about housing policy in February would struggle to argue that there are not flaws in the Green Party’s plan for Britain. Despite these flaws, though, it would be wrong to discount the Green Party as nothing more than a flash in the pan for a handful of idealistic students. They are a party with genuine support and a plan for the UK that goes a lot further than hugging trees and rescuing polar bears.
THE 2010 General Election was the first to provide us with live televised debating between what were, but no longer are the main three political parties. Twenty-two million viewers tuned in to the debates and Cameron announced in the same month that “we will have them in the future” and that they are “good for democracy”. It is therefore a little odd that Mr. Cameron is now refusing a head-to-head debate with Labour leader Ed Miliband and only agreeing to one of the two proposed 7-way debates, which really have only been able to develop as a result of the PM’s bemoaning at the Greens initial exclusion. Cameron is clearly more fearful of these debates than he was this time five years ago, and rightly so. Firstly, he is now the incumbent, and the incumbent always has more to lose than gain.
Secondly, he is well aware of how useful these debates can be for smaller parties who are less known to the public. If not for Nick Clegg’s appearance in the 2010 debates, it is likely that Cameron would have spent the last five years governing with a majority. Perhaps what is scaring Cameron the most is the unpredictability of this election, with votes more spread out than ever before. The current polls show Conservative and Labour to be neck and neck, both around 53 seats short of a majority. They also show that the combined support for the ‘three main’ political parties to be lower than ever at just 74%. These statistics suggest that there are plenty of alternative places for votes to go. At the time of writing, broadcasters are discussing Mr. Cameron’s “final offer” and I imagine they will respond in the coming days. They have already stated that they are “committed” to ensuring the public is provided with debates however, as is the world of politics, promises are not always kept and the set-up of these hotly debated debates is still unclear.
One possibility is that the broadcasters will simply accept Downing Streets offer. This would provide clear evidence of the government over-powering the media. Leaders of all other parties have heavily criticized Cameron’s decision, accusing the PM of arrogance and attempting to “dictate the terms of the debate”. If the PM’s wish is granted, he may have won himself the advantage of only needing to be faultless for 90 minutes rather than 270 but he would have to prepare for more of a grilling than already expected given the wishywashy way in which he’s dealt with the debate proposals in recent months. Another likely outcome of the current situation is that broadcasters will refuse Cameron’s offer and the original proposals to have three debates will go ahead, with the PM appearing in all of them. This depends on the broadcasters daring to hold their nerve. On one hand this outcome may make the Prime Minister look weak – he is not getting what he wants. On the other hand though it could work
DUNCAN HULL
Joe Bulman
UNIVERSITY OF ESSEX
Debating the TV debate debacle
Are politicians running scared of Dimbleby and Paxman? in Cameron’s favour. The public is being made to believe that he is frightened to debate, therefore taking pressure off him and heaping it onto his opponents currently attacking him. It could be that he is tactically lowering expectations on him so that he has more to gain and less to lose. A final scenario could see the three debates take place and the Prime Minister only attending one of them. In a sense this might resemble Cameron’s strength not to be controlled by the broadcasters. However, more likely, it will make
him look weak and stubborn. Meanwhile Ed Miliband has already opened up to the idea of a head-to-head without the PM and a tough grilling from Jeremy Paxman instead. Clegg has also suggested he take Cameron’s place in a head-tohead. The most pressure is on the PM but hiding from the debates altogether would likely be suicidal. It is difficult to predict how many parties would be able to come out of a seven-way debate stronger than they were going into it. But at least democracy will emerge the victor.
12 student views
Wednesday 18 March 2015| The Rock
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Tom Head, 21
Laura Bush, 20
Susannah Bohan, 21
Laura Shackley, 21
Chris Banks, 19
The NHS is the most important to me because everybody needs healthcare. The elderly need it more and won’t be able to afford it. If I didn’t have the money I wouldn’t be able to pay for the healthcare.
They focus more on housing for families and pensioners. Pensioners have the majority vote and also young people don’t vote very much as they don’t trust the government after Nick Clegg.
I think the NHS is the most important issue but I don’t have any serious health complaints. However some of my family rely on it more so it is an important factor.
I don’t think politicians understand at all because none of the policies have much relevance to me as a student. Unemployment is the most important because if they sort out that, everything else has the potential to fall into place.
They’re out of touch. Their ideologies are archaic. They lack the ability to promote their ideologies to the youth in a relevant manner. They’re out of date.
I don’t think politicians understand issues very well at all; it seems like all they care about is getting the votes from older generations but I think they should focus on all generations.
Sarah Washbrook, 20 I think over the last few years politicians have started to become more aware of young people’s concerns so I would say they understand our issues well.
AHEAD of the general election on May 7, many of Bournemouth’s prospective parliamentary candidates are trying to connect with voters directly through the use of social media. Aspiring MPs have set up Facebook or Twitter accounts, with Conor Burns, the incumbent for Bournemouth West, being the most assiduous (and most followed) user. A wordcloud of his posts shows a focus on the town’s universities, both of which fall in his constituency; the troubled St. Aldhelm’s Academy is another recurring argument. He’s also a staunch opponent of the Navitus Bay project and, apparently, an avid snooker fan. But candidates for most other parties running in the town’s two constituencies are also heavily involved on social networks, whether to express their political positions, engage with residents, or simply describe their daily errands. Elizabeth McManus and Alasdair Keddie are the Green Party candidates for, respectively, Bournemouth West and East. It’s the first time the Green Party fields a candidate in every constituency in Dorset, and their social media output reflects the party’s concerns on fracking and high-level
tax fraud. Labour’s David Stokes is standing for Bournemouth West, and his feeds’ predominant themes are old school canvassing and grassroots involvement. Stokes’s campaign is heavily coordinated with the party’s prospective parliamentary candidate for Southampton Itchen, a Labour marginal seat. Tobias Ellwood’s keywords (Syria, Tunisia, meeting) follow his role as a Foreign Office Minister. The Conservative MP for Bournemouth East holds the portfolio for North America, the Middle East and North Africa. Among the UKIP candidates, Martin Houlden (standing for Bournemouth West) has the highest degree of social network participation. Houlden’s campaign is mostly on the offensive,and his tweets and posts frequently target the EU, Labour and the Tories. The only exception in regards to social media outreach seem to be the Lib Dems. Despite the local branch having Facebook and Twitter pages, the actual PPCs for Bournemouth (Mike Plummer and Jon Nicholas) only have a limited online presence.
ALASDAIR KEDDIE TOBIAS ELWOOD
Alex Yeomans, 20
Inside the minds of the prospective candidates
Alessandro Tiberi
Alex Probert, 21
Gemma Shilling, 20
Anna Clayton, 20
Alice McDonald, 19
Charley Milward, 18
I don’t know, I don’t follow what the politicians do. I am interested in jobs because I want to come out of university with the right support and ability to get a job.
I would say that politicians don’t understand the issues relating to younger people. They haven’t asked young people what matters to us and there’s no young leaders that direct their issues and views towards us.
In some ways they do understand the issues relevant to young people but, at the same time, they don’t. I feel like they focus more on older generations rather than younger ones.
I think that only a minority of politicians do try to understand the issues. The sad fact is that some students are not interested. It is only a small proportion of students that are interested in politics
I don’t think that they truly understand what we experience. It is more difficult now to find a job and there has been an increase in university fees. They are not living our lives so they don’t understand the pressures that we experience.
student views 13
The Rock | Wednesday 18 March 2015
Priscilla Quarcoo, 20
Sara Evening, 20
Elizabeth Tawnson, 21
Angel Chen, 21
Deshika Daby, 21
Voting: Conservative I don’t like the leader of the Labour party. He’s kind of a joke. He looks like a pushover. I liked his brother better - he looked more like a leader.
Voting: Probably Labour My boyfriend’s a very firm supporter and he’d kill me if I didn’t vote for them! I do agree with them, everything they say seems a lot fairer than the Tories.
Voting: Green Party I agree with their policies. They’re fair, I think, but I can’t think of any of their specific policies right now.
Voting: Labour. The Conservatives are liars. I feel like the Labour party are the only ones who stick to their word. I don’t like the coalition government at the moment, it doesn’t benefit young people at all.
Voting: Labour. They’re the only party that has our best interest at heart, in comparison to the Conservatives especially. They [Labour] care more for the lower working class.
CONOR BURNS
MARTIN HOULDEN
DAVID STOKES
ELIZABETH McMANUS
Aaron Chapman, 20
Katie Hill, 20
Sam Lee, 20
Tom Bass, 21
Georgia Gallant, 20
I don’t know if I will vote as I am unaware of each political party’s ideologies. I am interested in raising the minimum wage as I have recently moved out by myself and am struggling to live financially independently.
I think it’s important to vote. I don’t want to abuse my right to vote. I think the NHS is quite important; at the end of the day we have free healthcare, where some countries don’t, so its important to keep improving the NHS.
My main issue for the election is the economic policy regarding the budget deficit and taxes, and looking into how the proposed party will help the country to continue lessening the budget deficit.
I’d vote for Natalie Bennett of the Green Party because I want them to win some seats and it would give the government a left-wing voice, which is what I want most.
My main concern is that there are few women and minorities in the House of Commons. Britain has a really diverse, ethnic society but we’re not being represented as such at the moment.
14 student views
Wednesday 18 March 2015| The Rock
Samantha Coleman, 20
Jack Fletcher, 19
Rosie Barnes, 20
Alice Wilson, 19
Faye Kelly, 19
The government could provide more affordable housing for the younger generation so that they can get onto the property ladder! Also NHS could be better, staff aren’t always pleasant.
My issue for the elections is housing costs. My girlfriend and I are starting to think about getting a place together. When I decided I want to buy a house I realised I will never be able to afford to do so as it’s just too expensive.
My biggest issue is the maintenance loans we receive. As my parents live together I receive a smaller loan because they are under one income.
It’s important that my vote counts towards something that will help students and allow us to become financially stable when we finish university. My biggest concern is that not enough people will vote.
The most important reason for my vote is welfare benefit cuts as well as cuts in the NHS. My biggest concern is the number of female MPs. This is because it is still very low.
Jobs, transport and equality: The issues important to us Eloise Austin, 19 Providing jobs for young people is important. Support and opportunities need to be provided, especially for young people who may be struggling to find jobs in order to earn money.
Jack Phillips, 20 My number one issue is the economy and the cost of living as well as defence and security. My biggest concern is UKIP getting more MPs or the SNP power trying to break up the UK.
Rebecca Pates’s biggest issue in the elections is what politicians will do about the maintenance loan for universities as she feels they do not accurately reflect people’s incomes. She also cares about what the government is doing about unemployment and jobs for young people. Her biggest concern is young people losing out financially and losing opportunities because they are so under represented and not cared about. She’s fed up with how politicians perceive young people. Thomas Flanagan believes the construction of HS2 has created controversy for many reasons. It has created jobs for thousands and will ensure the efficiency of commuting to and from London. However many argue that it is a step in the wrong direction. Many civilians are being rehomed due to the enormous acope of construction, and he believes that the infrastructure the UK already has in place
through services like National Rail is enough and does not need improving. Whichever party is next elected, HS2 will continue to be a massive venture. Carla Kelly says no to UKIP: “I don’t agree with their policies and feel that other parties have a stronger lead and policies that would be more beneficial. Equality is a leading factor in my opinion and therefore my vote is counting on those who can provide equality for all. I am concerned about the NHS being taken away. I think what they do is amazing and without it we would lost.” Kirsty Forder does not believe that women or what they have to say is represented enough in government, and that this really needs to change. She believes women in parliament should be given a fairer and more representative judgement on laws which, at the moment, seem mostly in the interest of white, middle class males.
Rebecca Pates, 20
Carla Kelly, 20
Thomas Flanagan, 20
Kirsty Forder, 19
Max Hutchins, 21
Hannah Gibbs, 20
Nancy Shaw, 20
Alex Bird, 21
Emily Turner, 21
Illegal immigration is important. It needs to be tackled in order to save money. I only know about UKIP concerning the UK 2015 election. They are the party who have caught my attention.
My number one issue is the fact that the education system keeps changing. I am also concerned about cutback to funding on things like the arts. Not cutting back on things like that.
Voting should be more related to students, because you don’t really get a lot of young people voting. I don’t think young people know what they’re voting for.
My biggest concern is more the lack of young people voting. I feel if you have a vote use it. People have fought for that right for us and I just don’t like the fact that a very small majority are voting.
My main issue concerning this election is the tuition fee promise. As a student I feel that we’re not taught a lot about voting. All we see is politicians speaking in terms we might not understand.
student views 15
The Rock | Wednesday 18 March 2015
Scott Brierley, 27
Daisy Barnes, 18
Nathan McIvor, 20
Voting: Nick Clegg He wants to help first time buyers. Being part of ‘generation rent’ I know first-hand that something needs to be done to help people get a foot on the property ladder.
I think David Cameron appears to be the best bet. Ed Milliband doesn’t appear to have a very good image; he has never come across well on television.
I don’t really know anyone, so probably just David Cameron again. I have never really been that interested in politics. I know I should be. I would probably say whoever becomes Prime Minister needs to reduce university fees.
Who would be the best PM? Richard Walker, 20 I don’t know which leader would make the best prime minister. I don’t even know anyone’s name. I have no interest, it doesn’t affect me.
Alex Hawkins, 20 David Cameron would make the best prime minister, as I don’t think any one else is up for the job. I have always been a Tory supporter really.
Clarise Leach is voting for Nick Clegg as she believes he has a lot of experience, and should have a good understanding of the people. She believes he is focused on creating jobs, providing tax cuts and credits him for bringing in the fifteen hours free child care for all three and four year olds. She thinks he also shows some compassion for the working class - and the working class makes up a large percentage of the population. “Maybe he will struggle to appeal to the middle and upper class members of the population. That might be something he will need to address,” she adds. Jessica Earney is voting for David Cameron because he’s hoping to pass the proposal to cap child benefits to three children. She believes it would stop people from having children just to keep the benefits coming in and to get a house. The biggest issue he is going to face, she thinks, is NATO, problems with Russia, Ukraine, and ISIS. Joe Betts on the other hand thinks Nigel Farage would have the biggest effect although the chances of that happening, he thinks, are zero as there aren’t
enough voters. The UKIP leader does not wish to be Prime Minister either. Joe thinks the most effective Prime Minister will be David Cameron, but this is due to how weak the opposition is. “While people may complain about his time as Prime Minister, they have to remember that he is in a coalition with Nick Clegg as his deputy. Despite this and the bickering that has gone on between them, the government over the last few years have managed to reduce unemployment and get inflation down to a record low as well as other economic achievements. I think David Cameron is more in touch with the public than Ed Milliband although again this is mainly down to Milliband’s faults rather than Cameron’s ability,” Joe said. Dom Belcher is voting for Ed Miliband. He thinks Miliband has one or two good policies on education. “He said he was going to reform the education system so it’s not elitist anymore. I think that anyone should have access to university and anyone who doesn’t go to university should still have sufficient support. I
Clarise Leach, 21
Joe Betts, 20
Jessica Earney, 24
Dom Belcher, 20
don’t think your student loan should be based on your parents’ annual income. Everything should be standardized. I feel Ed Miliband would be the best person to put this into action.
His biggest issue would be as a person. He’s not the most convincing. In terms of debate he’d probably get overshadowed and would struggle to get a majority within his party.”
Chloe Weller, 20
Lewis Treleaven, 19
Emily Barnes, 20
Emily Harrison, 20
Matthew Davies, 19
David Cameron is not afraid to make controversial decisions to make Britain better. And after a hard start at the beginning of his current term, he has been able to help the UK’s economic recovery.
Ed Miliband seems like a change from David Cameron, I don’t like what David Cameron is trying to do with the NHS. The biggest problem is that the benefits system needs changing so that those who can work, should.
I think David Cameron will be elected because Labour leader Ed Miliband is a weak character who I would not trust in running the country.
Natalie Bennett. The Green Party is the only party with policies I fully agree with. The biggest issue is immigration laws and the UK’s position in the EU.
Ed Milliband offers an alternative view on how the economy should be run in comparison to Conservatives. The Conservative party’s way of running things obviously isn’t working for the majority of working class people.
16 student views
Wednesday 18 March 2015| The Rock
Liam Brierley, 26
Luke Pitchford, 20
Harriet Simpson, 20
Sian Cooper, 20
Lauren Eade, 19
Voting: Conservative He’s [David Cameron] more for the people. He says that he concentrates more on improving the well-being of the people rather than making finances his sole priority.
Voting: Conservative I don’t think they’ve had enough time to make a change. I feel that if another government is appointed, they’ll undo any progress that the Conservatives have made because of their opposing policies.
Voting: Labour I really like how Labour help single mums, coming from a personal perspective. My whole family vote for Labour and they have really helped out my family while they were in power.
I think a main concern of mine is that people will vote for things without really understanding what they’re about and will be encouraged to vote through false promises and then will be let down.
I think it’s especially important for young people to know that their vote matters and for women to support the women of the past who fought so hard for the women’s vote.
Anna Hayward, 20 Voting: Conservative I have been raised by a Conservative family, and I hate Labour. Conservatives will keep their promises but Labour don’t uphold anything they say.
The Rock can today reveal the results of an exclusive General Election student poll. It shows: • 42% of those intending to vote are undecided • Just 5% believe politicians understand young issues • 9% do not intend to vote For full analysis and student views see inside
Sophie Bird, 19 Voting: Conservative My mum and dad told me to vote for them. I feel strongly about jobs mainly…that transition from school to work because nowadays they’re offering a lot of apprenticeships, which is good.
Lucy Taylor, 19
Danielle Armstrong, 20
Jack James Wallen, 20
Georgia Stephenson, 20
Stacey Edge, 18
Voting: Secret Who you vote for is a personal decision, there is a judgement and hierarchy that comes from voting that causes arguments.
My main concern is the change in tuition fees because dropping them to £6,000 will make it cheaper for students. It also means that working class kids will see this as a better opportunity for them to go to uni.
It is important that everyone who can work has a job because it’s not fair when we have to pay taxes for people who don’t have a reason for not working.
At the moment I am undecided however, I do intend to vote and I am going to do some research before I decide who I am affiliated with. I think education is very important to me because I recently left full time schooling.
I personally do not see the point in voting as the government is corrupt anyway. They only look out for themselves, not the people they are meant to be looking after.
Ursula Allam, 20
Georgia Huedebourck, 19
Aiysha Latif, 19
Shaun Ward, 20
Adam Connellan, 20
People need to know more about what is on offer, so they’ll be more enticed to vote. There is not enough encouragement to vote, particularly with our age group. PA
The most important issue for my vote is the lowering of tuition fees. It is not fair that many students end up in thousand of pounds of debt just because they want to further their education by going to uni.
I don’t know who is who. The issues that are important to me are the benefits system. This needs to be changed so that working is a better option than being on benefits.
More funding into NHS. Less money spent on welfare and more taxes on the rich. I’ve lost faith in Cameron for not keeping his word.
Education and job opportunities stand out as my concern for the election. Politicians need a greater and more transparent relationship with the public. There should be a referendum on our position in the EU.