Campaign Tips: Opposition Research

Friday, August 29th, 2008

Last week we explained what opposition research really involves. This week we look at the seven deadly sins of incumbents – the key points to consider when conducting research when you or the candidate you support is challenging an incumbent office holder.

1. Casting bad votes/missing votes: research how your opponent voted on a controversial or important local issue. Don’t just look at the title of the vote, research the substance of the motion. You might find that your opponent did a John Kerry – voting for something before voting against it. And make sure you look at votes that your opponent missed – is he lazy too?
2. Taking trips at taxpayers’ expense: while some trips are necessary, are all of them? Overseas junkets or where your opponent travels first class and stays at a five star hotel are always newsworthy. It may even explain why he missed votes.
3. Voting for his own pay rise: voters hate to see politicians lining their own pockets when the rest of us cannot usually give ourselves pay increases. Particularly check if he said one thing and did another. But double check that he isn’t the family’s sole breadwinner, has infirm aged parents or is struggling to care for a disabled child.
4. Voting for higher or new taxes: people know they are over-taxed. If you can paint your opponent as a high-tax politician in today’s climate, that will help your campaign. Pay particular attention to wasteful, unpopular or inefficient programmes and projects.
5. Not living in the constituency: this increasingly matters. The days of a Ted Heath living in Salisbury and representing a seat in Kent are long gone. If your opponent is not local, point this out. But make sure you live locally yourself!
6. Becoming involved in scandal: financial and sexual scandals ruin an increasing number of political careers. While they can be overridden (Ted Kennedy survived Chappaquiddick, Bill Clinton survived the Lewinsky affair), usually they prove fatal. The key is the timing of the deployment of your research.
7. Repeating any of the above: voters know politicians aren’t saints. But if someone is a repeat offender, this can suggest a lack of judgment – as David Blunkett and Peter Mandelson found out to their cost.

All campaigns need opposition research to be undertaken. Those that do not are risking failure. Those that do it badly are risking embarrassment. If you would like help with your campaign’s opposition research, YBF will be able to help. Email info@ybf.org.uk for further information.