Briefing Paper 44

Briefing Paper 44 Opportunity and influence: the third sector and the 2010 general election Dr Jane Parry, Professor Pete Alcock and Dr Jeremy Kendall This paper explores how the different voices and the sector in this was that, in practice, all the interests of the third sector, political parties and major political parties did share a positive media have shaped and reflected the policy interpretation of its role in society, and indeed agenda over the course of the 2010 general seemed keen to see this growing further in the election campaign and into the early post-election future – despite political differences, there was period. Using research methods which combined consensus on broad support for the third sector. documentary analysis with qualitative interviews In addition to documentary analysis of the with key policy actors in the third sector, we election, key stakeholder interviews covered three examined the relative success of different main areas: the methods and techniques used by campaigning methods in an election that was third sector organisations to campaign on a day- unique both in its uncertain electoral outcome and to-day basis; third sector organisations’ (TSOs’) in terms of the relative consensus that political planning process leading up to and beyond the parties expressed at the outset towards the third general election, and how their campaigning sector. changed (or did not) in relation to how the election The election campaign afforded an opportunity for unfolded; and reactions to new political the political profile of the third sector to be put to alignments and anticipated changes in styles of the test. Would politicians maintain, and even working. These interviews took place between extend, the profile of the sector in their manifestos April and July 2010, and consequently picked up and campaigning? Would sector-based agencies on different temporal reference points. Recap be able to use the public forums of campaigning interviews were held with some earlier to promote their role and secure the support of respondents to re-engage with their expectations the future government to a continued high profile in relation to the coalition government’s agenda. for their work? Would the media and the election The full research report is therefore split into three commentators see the third sector as a critical parts: election issue? And finally, would the eventual election of the new government lead to any The build-up to the general election, a period immediate response to the politics and which commenced with the sector’s planning campaigning of pre-election era? These are the process up to a year beforehand, and which questions that we set out to explore in this became characterised by the frenetic activity of research project. the early months of 2010. The consequence of the relative uncertainty of the Election season, the period from when the election outcome for the third sector was election was called, political campaigning significant. Questions over the future politics and began, and relationships between the sector policies for the third sector were potentially more and political parties were transformed by th open in the 2010 election than they had been for purdah, until election day (6 May). many years, and it is for this reason that the The post-election period, which began with a questions explored in this research will be of period of uncertainty and opened up a new set 2010 November interest to policy makers and practitioners across of political alignments, and with them a new set government and the sector. The ‘good news’ for of opportunities for third sector campaigning Key findings manifesto requests were understood and appreciated. Distinctions emerged in terms of TSOs’ various Purdah and campaigning guidance was seen campaigning portfolios: an extended timeline of by some as having an inhibiting effect on political campaigning; campaigning focused on dialogue, with the sector concentrated on ‘behind the official election period; opportunistic the scenes’ as opposed to ‘headline grabbing’ campaigning; and anti-electoral campaigning. campaigning, opening up an area of potential Political positioning was more difficult than in missed opportunity in terms of agenda-shaping. earlier elections because of the uncertain Cautious campaigning during the election was outcome and required the third sector to direct its also seen as a reaction to the likelihood of a attention to all three major parties in a quite change in government and reflecting on the unique way. In order to secure their place on the Conservatives’ lesser sympathy towards third agenda, both politicians and third sector sector. Thus TSOs’ campaigning sometimes organisations commenced campaigning well in involved anticipatory self-censorship in order to advance of the official confirmation of the election, protect their longer-term interests should a somewhat blurring the boundaries between change in power materialise. election and standard parliamentary activity. Most Some organisations placed greater focus than TSOs operated between the extremes of working others on the anticipated media scrutiny of the in partnership with government and as a catalyst, election to ensure that their policy priorities made prioritising and maintaining a critical distance from it onto the agenda (notably this was a rather political representatives. different priority from making it into party There was a need to develop relationships and manifestos). An effective strategy in employing understanding in advance of the election. This this kind of technique was to target party leaders involved developing quotable relationships (for and then wait for critical mass to filter down. To the purposes of website materials) with third some extent, the character of organisations was sector spokespeople in the three main parties, as critical in how campaigning worked best. well as identifying key policy makers and The production of an election manifesto has ideologues. As part of their pre-election work, a become fairly standard practice in the sector, and number of third sector organisations published on- represents the more formalised and measurable line interviews with political representatives, end of organisations’ campaigning. The majority drawing attention to nuances of policy difference of TSOs and umbrella agencies published these for their members. in the months preceding the election period, In the six months’ preceding the May election, key leaving some time to ensure that they received players in the third sector organised a number maximum publicity. We looked at 13 third sector of summits, conferences and meetings, in manifestos published during this time of which to build capacity and ensure that their heightened activity, which varied dramatically in policy aspirations fed into the political parties’ style and content; these represented TSOs’ planning processes. These included breakfast formal setting out of their stalls for the election. seminars, parliamentary receptions, and, notably, Often infrastructure organisations’ best chance of ACEVO’s summits with the three main parties – influencing the agenda was to offer a perspective which, at the parties’ own preference, were on stories featured during the campaign. Making markedly different in format (the Conservative themselves available for comment on politicians’ summit being the largest). statements and topical issues was another tactic. Party conferences also provided an opportunity By contrast, issue-based charities tended to focus for the sector to oil the wheels of communication more on local press which, covering the work of between themselves and the political parties, campaigning MPs in their constituencies, was publicise the content of their manifestos, and particularly open to service-orientated stories stage their own fringe events. Back in September demonstrating the sector’s work. 2009, Third Sector Online reported that the sector Responding to the publication of the political was regarding the 2010 party conferences more parties’ manifestos provided another opportunity than ever as a critical opportunity for lobbying, to contribute to the agenda as it was being formed and one in which they would be pursuing more and several organisations published reactions targeted personal meetings with Ministers and and summaries on their websites, examining their their Shadows in order to ensure that their 2 relevance to the sector, which were sometimes related to most aspects of policy and were hence picked up in the press. discussed throughout the document. Reflecting the then government’s policy of using the term Not all organisations working in the third sector ‘third sector’ to promote inclusivity, that discourse were engaged in election campaigning. One was employed exclusively in the Labour community-orientated organisation we spoke to actively rejected the idea that they needed to manifesto, although more broadly the manifesto engage with political representatives around employed a fairly mixed discourse, talking about the general election in order to have an influence ‘third sector organisations’, ‘voluntary sector on the broader policy process. They took a organisations’, ‘social enterprise’, ‘civil life and critical stance to formal political structures and pride’, voluntary and community sector’, and ‘civil refused to engage with political parties prior to the society’. Notably, no use was made of the term election, and indeed felt that it was the least ‘charity/charitable sector’.

Load more