The Change Agenda: Campaigning

So far I've talked about the basics, the simple reforms to get this organisation working better, but CF is one element of a political party and every candidate is going to have to set out in some detail how they would help win campaigns for the party.

Election 2009 - Our goal as an organisation must be the next general election and the local elections next year are the warm up for this.

I have already set out the need for strengthening branches and areas by the establishment of strong regional identities with the NME acting as a service provider. As part of their oversight of the regions the NME, working with their Regional Coordinator, will identify the likely target seats at the next election. It is imperative to found new CF branches in these target seats.

CF helps win elections by providing an injection of youth to the party in an area. I believe it would be possible to secure extra funding and senior party support for targetting under-30s in these seats. Including running campaigns aimed soleley at under-30s.

In the short term, the problems of a targetted strategy can be ironed out by fighting local elections or fighting issue campaigns aimed at raising the profile of CF.

Students - Currently we have no plan for students, they are our largest and most active element, but they are seldom used for much.

For one academic year, I plan to run three campaigns;

• Sign Up - Basically the Fresher's and re-freshers campaigns aimed at boosting membership.
• Student elections - NUS yes, BUT more importantly elections for student sabbatical officers. This is not about winning the good fight on campus, it's about securing a power base for next year's NME on campus.
• Issue Campaign - One big issue aimed at raising the profile of CF on campus and engaging politcally curious students with a view to recruitment

For each of these campaigns the NME will ensure the provision of raw materials whether through Fresher's Packs, or by drawing up campaign guides and templates for leaflets and posters.

On a regional level we will target universities with direct help aimed at establishing a strong, lasting CF presence on campus in target seats. (The Lib Dems have tried this targetting approach on campus and it works)