The importance of keeping it local

In the final days before this set of important local elections, it can feel as though the gravitational pull of national politics is impossible to resist. Across national media organisations, this is unfortunately the case. Headlines continue to be dominated by speculation about Westminster. All eyes focused on leadership tensions and potential political fallout, based on different versions of predicted results that have not yet happened. For those engaged in local campaigning, I appreciate how frustrating this must be.

Local elections are not just a staging ground for national narratives, or nothing more than an opportunity to gain more data as to how Parliamentary constituencies may turn in future general elections. They are in their own right a vital part of our democracy. Councils make decisions that shape daily life in the most tangible and visible ways.

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Housing allocations, social care provision, waste collection, transport planning, and community services are not abstract policy areas. They are the issues that residents raise when they speak to someone on the doorstep.

While any political analysis on the dramas of Westminster may make for an interesting soap opera to follow, it does not change the immediate reality facing voters in towns, cities, and local neighbourhoods across the country. Many people have concerns that remain local and grounded in their own daily lived experience.

Having worked in an MP’s office, I have seen first-hand how much of the casework that comes into Parliamentarians constituency teams (that is often both urgent and complex) ultimately needs to be directed towards local services. When communication channels between local representatives and local services are well-established, it becomes easier to ensure that people who need support are not overlooked.

I suspect there will be many Labour councillors and candidates who may read this newsletter today. I am sure all will have numerous anecdotes they could share, where it was a local Labour councillor that intervened to ensure that support was provided for someone when they needed it most.

For those involved in campaigning, the implication is straightforward: the most valuable conversations are the ones rooted in local realities. Voters are far more likely to engage when discussions centre on what will change in their area specifically.

When I met with the team at Campaign Lab during the local election period, they shared insights from an experiment they had carried out that observed how people respond to different types of campaign messages. They found that issues located within 500 metres to 1 kilometre of a resident’s home generated much more engagement than messages of a national political party, when placed on local leaflets.

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The doorstep remains one of the most important arenas in any election. It is where policies meet people, and where trust is built or lost. Staying focused on how candidates plan to deal with the local issues in the communities they seek to represent, helps ensure that these interactions are meaningful. It also reinforces the distinct purpose of local elections: to choose representatives who will make decisions close to home.

With only a short time remaining before polling day, discipline is key. It is easy to be drawn into debates that, while prominent in the news cycle, do little to advance the task at hand. Keeping attention on local priorities and maintaining a clear sense of purpose may still make a difference in some wards on Thursday.

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Whatever the broader political context, these final days for Labour must be about the amazing candidates up and down the country, fighting hard for every seat. Each will have their own story to tell about why they want to represent the area, and what they plan to do if given the opportunity.

In this last push before polling day, I would encourage all of our campaigners to place their efforts on telling those stories. Speak about the specifics. Keep it local.