CAMPAIGNING DURING ELECTION

Identifying and contacting your candidates
During an election campaign and once Parliament is dissolved, all candidates are equal. To contact them you should use their official email address.
Suggested texts of letters to write and adapt can be found at......

Using the electronic media
Many local candidates will have blogs, tweets, and face book sites. All allow you to put your point across and to respond. Get your family and friends to raise the issue of APD in this way. It enables you to communicate your concerns directly. If you do not know how this works ask your son, daughter or grandchildren.  Remember it was the viral electronic campaign that helped take President Obama to the White House.

Door to door canvassing
Once every five years your MP and those opposing him or her will come to your door, along with those politically supporting them. They will be canvassing your vote and will be particularly active in every marginal constituency. 

It is essential to ask whoever calls to explain their Party’s position on APD and what they and their party will do to re-band the Caribbean as band B this year, the same as the US. If it is not the candidate who is calling on you, ask if the candidate will contact you to discuss the issue and its impact on the local community.
This will have an impact and will also be reported to the Party’s local and national headquarters for guidance. If enough people ask, it is possible that national figures may begin to discuss the issue.

Do not worry if you are not word perfect about the facts; stress that APD is an unfair and discriminatory tax that affects all Caribbean people. It is your concern and that of others like you that will count politically.

Political meetings
Throughout the election campaign political meetings will take place in constituencies that are marginal. Because marginals are essential to winning any election, senior political figures from all of the main parties appear to speak, support door to door canvassing and to seek photo opportunities. 

This offers the chance to make the APD case, ask questions, seek a photo opportunity and show the red card produced by Newmont Travel. Newspapers and television want interesting pictures and one of a constituent or better still constituents from the community showing their MP or a Minister the red card could have a significant impact.

Details of political meetings can be obtained to some extent from the websites of the three main parties which also indicate where key figures will be that day or are speaking. 

If you are a member of a political party try to attend a local meeting with the candidate or a national speaker, ask questions and if necessary wave or show the red card.

The media
Local media including free sheets are looking for election stories especially if they touch their readers personally. Letters sent to the Editor plus photo opportunities offer a way to raise the issue with local candidates. 

Demonstrating
Demonstrations are not easy to organise but a few large home-made banners and Newmont’s red card being used by a few activists outside any political meeting - especially if a senior Minister or an opposition figure is being followed by Television cameras – will turn an essentially local event into a national one. 

Finally
Opportunities to lobby like this do not come too often. This is an election in which every vote in every marginal constituency will count. It is a unique opportunity for the community is to find a voice. This is the time and APD is the opportunity.


USEFUL INFORMATION
How to find your local party/ parliamentary candidate

A list of the names of parliamentary candidates for all three major parties can be found at http://politics.guardian.co.uk/people/browse/0,,,00.html

Conservative Party
The following links provides a search function on the left hand side of the web page.
http://www.conservatives.com/Where_you_live.aspx
1. Enter your postcode and press the arrow next to the box
2. Parliamentary candidates in your area will appear, with contact details where available

Or telephone 020 7222 9000 and ask for the information office, who will be able to tell you who your parliamentary candidate will be in the 2010 General Election

Labour Party
http://www.labour.org.uk/
1. Enter your post code in to the ‘Labour in your area’ box half way down the page on the right hand side and click go

Or telephone 08705 900 200 to ask who your parliamentary candidate will be in the 2010 General Election

Liberal Democrats
http://www.libdems.org.uk/in_your_area.aspx
1. Put in your post code and pres search
2. Your will be provided with an address and a web site for the local party office

Or telephone 020 7222 7999 to ask who your parliamentary candidate will be in the 2010 General Election.

To Find your MP
Visit http://www.parliament.uk/mpslordsandoffices/mps_and_lords/alms.cfm
1. Enter your post code and press search


APD - What does it mean to you?

MP Letter 2010

Conservative and Liberal Letter

2010 Parliamentary Candidate

UK Constituencies by Caribbean Population
To see if you do live in a marginal constituency with a large Caribbean population please see the attached table that shows research produced by the Caribbean Council in 2008.

Lobbying on APD During Election Campaign
Lobbying during an election campaign is different from lobbying when Parliament is sitting. It is no longer a case of writing to parliament. It involves turning APD into a political issue at a local level and political activism in key seats by voters.

APD Questions Lords