THE PUBLIC GALLERY: A SNAPSHOT OF THE GALLERY INSTALLATION CONTAINING THE 1696 PHOTOGRAPHS SUPPLIED BY THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO THE ELECTION PROJECT. VIEW THEM ALL AT: WWW.THEELECTIONPROJECT.CO.UK SIMON ROBERTS’ WORK – THE ELECTION PROJECT IN CONTEXT

GREG HOBSON

In Spring of this year, Simon Roberts was selected as the 2010 It was Roberts’ intention to cover as much of the country as appears jovial, at ease and confident, a demeanour that British Election Artist. The third commission of its kind, it possible, and to include campaigning by as many of the remained publicly unshaken, though not entirely well judged, is the first time that a photographer has been chosen. political parties as possible. In his words, he was attempting in the days that followed. Previous artists were Jonathan Yeo, who in 2001 painted to ‘‘capture the unprecedented diversity of political parties three portraits of the party leaders and in 2005, David canvassing in this country, taking a cross section of those Nine days earlier and 185 miles north, Roberts Godbold, who made a series of eighteen illustrations. Roberts fighting the General Election, moving away from focusing on serendipitously captured Gordon Brown encountering Gillian was selected through a process of nomination and interview the choreographed campaign activity of the three main Duffy in Rochdale. All the elements of a theatrical play are and, his track record of powerful and consistent photography parties, and exploring the more mundane reality of here in one photograph: the grinning man in the red tie at works, together with his more recent active involvement of electioneering and also the experiences of the smaller parties the bottom of the photograph clearly finds the confrontation the public in his projects, secured the commission for him. and independent candidates standing in marginal amusing; the security service officials are alert and aware; constituencies around the country.” Brown's personal press aides are looking out for a potentially Roberts came to prominence with his expansive and damaging intervention; bored ex-offenders go about their empathetic book Motherland. The result of a year-long Roberts adopted the logistical and theoretical approach of business of cleaning the bridleway, a media opportunity journey through over 200 locations in Russia between 2004 We English, travelling in a motorhome and adopting long, arranged for the Labour leader’s visit to the town. Meanwhile, and 2005, the photographs eschew the then clichéd view of wide views afforded by elevated positions – usually from the centre stage, Gordon Brown is harangued by Duffy, whom, a broken Russia and instead present a confident and roof of his motorhome – and the peculiarities of his 5x4” plate moments later, he would describe as a “bigoted woman.” optimistic country, populated by a nation proud of its camera. Furthermore, he conceived a novel way to encourage heritage and shared identity. The book was enhanced by public participation by inviting people to comment on the While Roberts’ photographs are a timely record of the rise extended, informative captions that have become a hallmark campaign by uploading photographs from their digital and fall of a Prime Minister and a government, they are far of Roberts’ works. cameras, or transmitted from their mobile phones to create more than that. Like all his photographs from The Election what Roberts described as “an alternative photographic Project, they are microcosms of Britain itself. On returning from Russia, Roberts began to muse on what vision alongside my own, adding a collaborative and it meant for him to be English and what defined his democratic dimension to the overall work. The public’s attachment to his home country, its landscape and people. images will also help provide an antidote to the more stage An enduring fascination with the Russian peoples’ sense of managed photographs from the campaign trail.” belonging led to a reconsideration of his own sense of connection to England, a fascination that became the seed Rooted in his successful approaches adopted for We English, of his next major project, We English. Roberts’ photographs – and those of his public participants – provide us with the most revealing portrait of Britain Roberts again proposed an intensive period of travel, this during an election, to date. The combination of the high-tech time across the length and breadth of England travelling in and instantaneous media of mobile phones, and the low a 1993 Talbot Swift Capri motorhome with his then pregnant tech, slow process of using a 5x4” plate camera and wife and their two-year-old daughter. Significantly, however, traditional film processing leads to new meanings and Roberts’ photographic point of view shifted from his more insights that are created by this juxtaposition of divergent intimate, involved position in Motherland to a dramatic, views of the same subject. (Interestingly, Roberts received wide view of the English at play, of people relaxing and several images taken by members of the public at events he reveling in quintessential and instantly recognizable had attended, subjective snapshots within his more objective landscapes. Roberts was inspired by the long and rich panoramas of the same scene.) tradition of British landscape and social photography, as well as distinctive 16th century Dutch landscape painting, where The public submissions are typically British, combining a the images of people and the landscapes have equal weight healthy cynicism with wry humour, and an eye for the absurd and interest. The resulting large-format photographs are a and surreal. Roberts’ photographs, on the other hand, are a fascinating and beautiful exploration of ordinary people, captivating investigation of the British landscape in 2010, as inextricably bound to the places in which they choose to well as the political campaign that was unfolding in it. In the engage in leisure pursuits. exhibition, he presents us with twenty-five large format photographs – multi-layered and detailed tableaux – one for At the outset of We English Roberts set up a blog and invited each day he spent on the campaign trail and includes a final the public to suggest photo-locations and events to him, photograph capturing an unexpected additional day, the thus involving them in his journey and potentially, as his coalition talks. His elevated position affords a view that is subjects. Hundreds of suggestions poured in, from attending unfamiliar to the person on the ground, in particular the eye- established English folk customs, and visiting village level, close up view of the press photographer and television horticultural society shows to photographing Ramadan camera in the media scrum. Roberts’ photographs encompass celebrations held on the ‘Curry Mile’ in Manchester. As his entire scenes and, what might normally appear to be banal journey unfolded, so did his fantastically detailed and vistas, peopled by weary campaign-trailers, are transformed accessible blog, providing a real-time diary of his trip, his into elaborate theatres, the landscapes providing the sets for thoughts, his observations about photography and his the detail of the many nuanced interactions and expressions ongoing dialogue with his followers. In fact, the blog is so being played out in them. detailed and consistent, that it has become a noteworthy work in itself. These elements – ones that make Roberts’ photographs unique in their astute political and social commentary – are We English was published as a handsome monograph in appositely brought together in the photographs of the September 2009, and the exhibition launched at the National incoming and outgoing leaders. David Cameron is seen Media Museum in Bradford on 12 March 2010. Just seven strolling to his local polling station in Witney in Oxfordshire, days later, on 20 March, Roberts was announced as the holding hands with his wife. Here, a mannered media circus official Election Artist by the Speaker’s Advisory Committee lines the streets while comically extended microphone booms on Works of Art. On 6 April, Gordon Brown, then Prime attempt to capture Cameron’s comments. Rather fortuitously Minister, asked the Queen to dissolve Parliament on 12 perhaps, given the election outcome, a ‘Liberal Democrats April and announced the General Election for 6 May, thus Winning Here’ poster can be seen in the garden next to the beginning tightly media managed, yet curiously dull, major polling station. Not immediately evident is the person party election campaigns. These virtually indistinguishable dressed as a chicken in the centre of the frame. Surrounded campaigns were designed to engage a disillusioned by yellow-jacketed policemen the only observers are electorate, disappointed with political process and angry Cameron’s own press and security. This chicken followed with politicians that were benefiting from perks during a Cameron on his election trail. Sent as the Daily Mirror’s time of recession and austerity. In this context, Roberts – election mascot to add, “much needed silliness to an otherwise during just twenty-four days of campaigning – faced the po-faced campaign.” Everyone else – including a woman's Simon Roberts, Rochdale challenge of making an artistic record of what was to become Jack Russell terrier being held up by its owner – studiously 28th April 2010 one of the most contested and politically significant elections ignores the chicken, instead focusing on the Camerons with © Daniel Lillie of recent decades. an air of respectful interest, rather than celebration. Cameron Gordon Brown, Rochdale Labour Rochdale constituency 28th April 2010 Captain Beany, Port Talbot Pete Wishart, Perth New Millennium Bean Party Scottish National Party Aberavon constituency Perth and Perthshire North constituency 23rd April 2010 21st April 2010

Caroline Lucas, Brighton Abjol Miah, Whitechapel Green Party Respect – the Unity Coalition Brighton Pavilion constituency Bethnal Green & Bow constituency 24th March 2010 12th April 2010 Ian Swales, Redcar Frank Maloney, Barking Liberal Democrat UK Independence Party Redcar constituency Barking constituency 19th April 2010 29th March 2010 THE ELECTION PROJECT PUBLIC GALLERY – AN ANTHROPOLOGY OF OURSELVES?

SEAN O’HAGAN

We are all photographers now. The mobile phone and the Instead, the general tone is one of stoical scepticism tinged created a giant billboard on Kingsland Road featuring digital camera have revolutionised the way we look at the with an undercurrent of surreal black humour. What, though, Cameron’s face above the words, “suck my goldman sachs”. world around us and the way we look at ourselves. Images do these disparate images really say about the political Etta James has photographed what she calls “an item left that used to take days, even weeks, to process, can be viewed landscape of Britain in 2010? Do they add up to a kind of outside a bank during election”: it is a glass case full of – and re-edited – in mere seconds, and the results posted on Mass Observation experiment for the digital age, albeit coppers with the words ‘In Case of Emergency Break Glass’ the internet for anyone to see. For better or worse, this is without the kind of anthropological analysis that the original written on it. Political sleaze and corporate greed, the two where we live now. project brought to bear on the British public from 1937 to the giant shadows that stalked the campaign, are reflected, early 1950s? Or, are they a glimpse – or hundreds of glimpses often with jet-black humour, throughout The Election Project. The age of great documentary photography and reportage – of a nation in the grip of election fever or election overload? may be coming to an end. Today’s young students of Do they denote excitement or apathy, idealism or cynicism? Elsewhere, though, things take a more playful turn. Bill photography are steered towards the theoretical and the Or, all of the above in unequal measure? A general election, Scanlon has had some fun with a 3D camera outside the conceptual. What once would have been considered after all, is not just a protracted moment when the big Houses of Parliament making William Hague, Peter oxymoronic – ‘conceptual documentary’ – is now accepted political parties are forced to engage at close quarters with Mandelson and Jack Straw look blurred and unfocussed. I practice: a way we are told, of making sense of a post- their voting public, but when the public are forced to endure think there’s a metaphor in there somewhere. Several people modern world. In the post-digital world, though, the images their presence and listen once again to the pledges and have made and photographed political puppets or toy figures; posted on Flickr, Facebook and countless lesser-known promises that will be broken or diluted as in the years that others have photographed the more madcap characters that websites dedicated to photography, would seem to suggest follow as surely as night follows day. appear on cue when an election is called. Here is a great that what might be called casual observation is the dominant photograph of Ed Balls kicking a rugby ball and another of mode. We have become chroniclers of the quotidian and the The 1696 submitted photographs that make up the public him taking a picture of some red balloons. mundane as well as the embarrassing, the outrageous and part of The Election Project are intriguing and revealing on the odd. many levels. Firstly, they are a wilfully unruly retort to the Amid the humour and the simmering anger, a definable increasingly stage-managed campaign events that the kind of English eccentricity still seems to be the order of the At street level, though, photography has found itself under mainstream press cover often unquestioningly. (David day. Where else would you find a Del Boy look-alike on the suspicion of late. In January 2010, an estimated 2000 Cameron went so far as to employ his own official campaign campaign trail? (He was wandering around Barking and photographers gathered with their cameras in Trafalgar photographer, Andrew Parsons, whose photographs were Dagenham on behalf of UKIP, and S Anderson caught him Square to protest against police harassment, The protest was distributed free to the local and national press, a move that sharing a joke with some Sikh shopkeepers.) Where else, too, organised by a group whose rallying cry was I’m A speaks volumes about the increasingly blurred line between would you find a photograph of a street named Crooked Photographer, Not A Terrorist. It was a reaction to what many politics and public relations.) Usage? It’s in Finchley and local, Julia Hines, posted the felt was a misuse of police powers to stop and search street sign with the caption, “Expenses are still a big topic suspicious members of the public under Section 44 of the Viewed in their entirety, the public photographs show both on our street.” Prevention of Terrorism Act. Street photographers, in the mundane reality and the heightened atmosphere of a particular, had been stopped, questioned, and in some cases, British general election campaign. Certain tropes recur: My favourite photographs here, though, are often the most arrested, with alarming regularity over the previous year. candidates – posing with members of the public, or oblique or the most surreal. I loved the window sign in Bath It is, to say the least, an interesting, and indeed uncertain, campaigning on doorsteps, or sweeping through towns with with the words “Vote For I Don’t Know” scrawled on it as if time to be a professional photographer. The Election Project their entourage; election posters – often defaced, or written in desperation. It was taken by Byrony Jade Ball, who also Public Gallery is, among other things, a reflection of, and a over, or photographed alongside suddenly metaphorical road submitted the wonderful series of snapshots of Bath’s mystery reaction to, this uncertainty. It is, as befits its title, an signs – Right Turn Ahead, No Left Turn; election leaflets – candidate, A.N.On, who, swathed in fabric, refused to reveal exercise in democratic photography albeit one conceived stuffed in letterboxes or stuck on windows or consigned to his or her identity or answer any questions throughout the and curated by a photographer whose practice adheres to the the litter bin; polling booths and polling stations in all their campaign. traditional strategies of patience, observation, cunning, drab, makeshift peculiarly British ordinariness. formal rigour and intense concentration. Perhaps most oblique of all is a portrait by Joe of a young The media circus that attends the election campaigns is couple on a red couch, the television remote control lying When the House of Commons chose Simon Roberts as its another recurring subject and one or two contributors have between them. It is captioned, “On the sofa in the early hours official Election Artist, it was the first time a photographer even submitted shots of the press gang that feature Simon of the morning on 7 May watching the election results come had been selected for the role. One senses that it was the Roberts himself, perched expectantly atop his mobile home in.” We’ve all been there in that strange, half- exhausted understated reportage of his most recent book, We English, intent on getting the bigger – and wider and deeper – picture. limbo land where statistics, predictions and polls lose their that swung it for him. The images he made for that book Sometimes, someone catches a moment of high drama: meanings and a strange anti-climactic torpor takes hold. suggest not just a definable sense of place, but a national Duncan Morris’s brilliant shot of a long-time Labour Party identity that survives even in these fractured and uncertain member handing his membership card back to Jack Straw There are lots of mundane photographs, too, but they, times. They possess a cumulative power that is both charming at a public event. Sometimes, too, there are images that show perhaps even more than the immediately arresting ones, may and slightly odd. Quintessentially English, in fact. a rare moment of utter connection between a candidate and reveal much about the nature of this election to social a supporter: Jonny White’s great photograph of a woman historians of the future. One of my favourites, posted by For We English, Roberts invited the public to suggest listening with rapt attentiveness to Green Party leader, Picturelife, shows Margaret Hodge’s constituency locations for him to photograph. This time around, though, Caroline Lucas. White is one of several contributors who headquarters in Barking. It is a small, detached house with he chose to involve the ordinary English – and Scottish, posted a series of photographs around a single theme. (His a red door surrounded by tall blue railings. In an upstairs Welsh and Northern Irish – in an altogether more proactive five black and white shots of Lucas in her election HQ and window, a hand made sign reads SAVE KING GEORGE. In way by inviting them to post their own election photographs on the streets of Brighton are low-key reportage at its the front yard, there is an upturned chair that looks like it on his website (www.theelectionproject.co.uk). intimate best.) Both Jennifer Hainsworth and someone has been flung over the railings. In the bottom right of the called Catherine chose to photograph polling stations, albeit picture, a pair of garden gnomes seem to be discussing how Their subject, like his, would be a nation going about its daily from the outside and the inside respectively. Both series it got there. Martin Parr, I suspect, would approve. business in the three weeks of intense political campaigning evoke a peculiarly British democratic process, and possess that would culminate, as it turned out, in a hung parliament an added resonance given the subsequent furore over people Back in 1937, the founders of Mass Observation described and the formation of a coalition government. being denied the right to vote because of the chaos that their ambitious social experiment as an “an anthropology of erupted at several polling stations when volunteers simply ourselves.” The Election Project is not quite that, but it does Given that this was the first election where the candidates could not contend with late-evening surges in voting provide a fragmented panoramic view of ourselves at a time interaction with the public was monitored relentlessly on numbers. when our political future literally hung in the balance. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Flickr, and where the power British parliamentary democracy in motion, then; viewed of the blogosphere, as well as the traditional media, surely Several contributors have opted for a conceptual approach from the ground by a curious cross section of the general helped determine the result, Roberts wanted, he said, to to what is, in many ways, a surreal process: Matthew Wealt public that, on this evidence, view their elected “create an alternative photographic vision alongside my has posted a black and white image of a man, possibly representatives with a scepticism that, despite everything, own” and one that will “add a collaborative and democratic himself, with his jumper pulled up over his head as if to say, only occasionally shades into cynicism. One hopes that dimension to the overall work”. “I’ve already had enough!” Dick Jones has turned David politicians of every hue will take time out to look at The Cameron into David Chameleon, complete with scaly body Election Project Public Gallery when it is unveiled at the For those crucial three weeks, Roberts travelled the length and protruding tongue. M.Clark has posted a series of House of Commons. It may surprise them. and breadth of Britain, wielding his large-format 5x4 camera vacant shops in Bradford city centre; Mill Hill Mike a series – a camera that, by its very nature, imposes a certain kind of litter bins around Mill Hill Broadway tube station, all of of reflective gaze. At the same time, a citizen’s army of which contain Conservative Party paraphernalia. The mostly digital photographic volunteers across Britain were current trend in photography for detached observation is not shooting anything that took their fancy pertaining to the reflected here. election. The results of this democratic photographic process are intriguing, not least because, given the general feeling There is, of course, a kind of conceptual chronology to these of distrust bordering on disdain directed at politicians during images. Many early contributors, for instance, focus on the last year’s protracted scandal over their expenses, one might campaign posters that appeared on cue all over Britain as Esther Rantzen, Caddington have expected more cynicism, more cruelty: politicians soon as the election date was announced: Cameron as Independent Rantzen tripping up, falling down, grimacing, hectoring, guffawing, Kitchener, Brown as, well, Brown – reliable, steely, Luton South constituency constantly caught off guard by the unforgiving eye of the inscrutable. In Hackney, Banksy’s old turf, Russel Higgs 1st May 2010 mobile phone camera. captured the work of an unknown political prankster who had James Willis, Dartford Liberal Democrat Dartford constituency 4th May 2010

Nigel Farage, Buckingham Hamira Khan, Glasgow UK Independence Party Conservative Buckingham constituency Glasgow East constituency 5th May 2010 20th April 2010 Frank Roseman’s campaign team, Westminster English Democrat Party Cities of London and Westminster constituency 29th March 2010 Robert Halfon, Harlow Conservative Harlow constituency 13th April 2010

Ian Paisley Junior, Portglenone Jacqui Smith, Redditch Democratic Unionist Party Labour North Antrim constituency Redditch constituency 3rd May 2010 27th April 2010 HOW THE ELECTION WAS WON

PETER WILBY

After the 1945 General Election, the first in which radio his microphone was still live. ‘Duffygate’ as it was inevitably Far from being the internet election, then, this was one in played a role, the Nuffield College election study hailed a known, briefly excited the press, demoralised Labour which older media, TV and newspapers, played a more transformation of politics. Public meetings, previously the campaigners and distracted Brown from his preparations for significant role. This is not to deny the importance of the only forum where large numbers of voters could make direct the next TV debate. But it apparently had zero effect on the internet, particularly in its use by the parties to keep active judgments of candidates and party leaders, were sparsely vote. Indeed, in Rochdale itself, Labour recorded an supporters connected to the campaign at large. As the attended and, though it was the first general election in a unexpected victory. One-off incidents of this sort – John Hansard Society observed in a post-election report, the decade, the electorate’s mood had been judged apathetic. But, Prescott’s punch in the 2001 campaign was another example internet “is an increasingly important component of the the Nuffield study pointed out, an average of 45 per cent of – are heavily covered in the media, but quickly fade from the political process” but it is not yet – and perhaps never will the adult population listened to party broadcasts every public memory. Where newspapers detect fatal character be – “a game changing technology.” The Obama comparison evening after the nine o’clock news. Astonishing, as it may flaws, voters are unsurprised, and even slightly reassured, is misleading. He used the internet to raise campaign funds now seem, these took the form of a single politician making to see politicians behaving as authentic human beings. As – which he then spent on TV advertising. a speech (rather as he or she would on a public platform) for an issue, Duffygate lacked staying power. at least twenty minutes and sometimes thirty. While If the 2010 General Election belonged to anything, according acknowledging that the electorate’s role was now more Clegg was different. After his success, both major parties, and to the authors of the latest Nuffield study, it belonged to a passive – before phone-ins, radio lacked questions and particularly the Tories, feared leaking votes to the Lib Dems. medium that dates back at least 350 years: the postal service. heckling – the Nuffield academics’ verdict was largely Here, the press played its role with a classic campaign of All parties used direct mail more than ever before and, for positive. “The exposition of policy,” they wrote, “tends to be character assassination. Clegg was excoriated for his dubious Labour, it accounted for three-quarters of its central more lucid and intellectually able than that delivered from ancestry – he had foreign blood in him and had even married spending. Drawing on marketing databases, the parties the local platform…the element of mass emotion, which is a Spaniard – his pro-Europe views and his expenses. Guilt targeted ‘swing voters’ in marginal seats in the same way that always liable to arise and sweep through large congregations by association was ruthlessly deployed: he attended commercial companies target likely customers. The letters of people, intensifying their passions and clouding their Westminster School when lots of pupils were taking drugs; voters received were personalised, with a high degree of judgment, is entirely absent.” he worked for a lobbying firm that once represented Colonel precision, according to age, occupation, education, cultural Gaddafi and Vladimir Putin. No political party would dare interests, buying habits and even health. Though a Labour What was extraordinary about the 2010 General Election make open use of such smears against an individual. But it letter sent to voters who might be suffering (or feared they campaign was that its central events, the televised leaders’ can brief its friends in the press and, in this case, newspapers, might be suffering) from cancer caused a brief flurry of debates, could easily have been on radio in 1945. This was notably the Daily Mail and The Sun, responded with press indignation, direct mail went almost entirely unnoticed expected to be “the first internet election” because it was the enthusiasm. Right-wing papers also warned that the apparent by other media. Yet very probably, it did more to influence first in which a clear majority of UK households had internet surge in Lib Dem support raised the prospect of a hung the final outcome of the election than even the TV debates. access, rather as a clear majority had TV sets for the first parliament. This, they predicted, would be a disaster, giving Perhaps email or social networking can one day perform the time in the “first television election” of 1959. Moreover, Britain as feeble a government as Greece’s, a country which, same function but, for now, marketing experts judge that Barack Obama’s success in winning the Democratic all but bankrupt, was then in the throes of civil unrest. voters are more likely to open and read letters. nomination and then the US presidency in 2008 was attributed partly to his skill at exploiting networking sites. For The Sun, the stakes were particularly high. It is part of The lesson is that we should never write off old media, not But in Britain, the internet played at best a supporting role its brand image that, since Rupert Murdoch took control, it even those we scarcely think of as media at all. The public to television. Not only that, but it was very old-fashioned has never backed a general election loser. It cheered Margaret election meeting is almost extinct, yet the enthusiasm for television. Lasting ninety minutes and free not only from Thatcher throughout her leadership, transferred its allegiance live concerts, festivals, book readings and debates, shows filmed sequences or computer graphics or any kind of visual to John Major for the 1992 election (prompting the famous that, despite the growth of digital media, the opportunity stimulus but also from spontaneous audience intervention, headline, after Major’s unexpected victory, that it was “The to see, hear and meet famous people in the flesh still attracts the debates amounted to little more than radio with pictures. Sun wot won it”) and then, a few months before the 1997 large numbers. Billboard posters, too, have largely gone out election, switched to New Labour. Most pollsters and of fashion, partly because hostile websites can re-design True, it wasn’t 1945 in every respect: the modern media academics agree that newspapers’ direct influence on voting them to make satirical points, as happened to Conservative will not countenance anybody talking for even two minutes habits is slight, and that if the party The Sun supports posters, the only ones put out in large numbers, in 2010. But uninterrupted, never mind thirty, and the leaders were invariably wins the election, this is mainly because Murdoch many party workers regret their loss, partly because they restricted to one minute each for their opening statements and his editors are smart at sniffing the public mood and reach people who normally pay no attention to politics, and initial answers to questions. But the transformation was picking winners. But that is an oversimplification. Readers partly because nobody has yet invented a better way of as great as that of 1945. The debates changed, to an extent may not vote as newspapers tell them, but the press continues persuading party leaders to define their core messages and none of the parties anticipated, the texture, rhythm and feel to set the agenda, which is followed by TV, radio and internet boil them down to a few simple words. Even canvassing, of the election. Each week, they became the main focus of bloggers. Crucially, politicians also follow the press agenda: apparently in terminal decline because active party press attention. The traditional morning press conferences, think of how often Tony Blair dreamt up ‘policy initiatives’ memberships have dwindled, could still make a comeback. previously the centrepieces of national campaigns, almost in response to newspaper outcries about rising crime or Any candidate knows that one successful personal contact vanished. Instead, the parties designed their strategies falling educational standards. As long as politicians think – with its word-of-mouth offshoots – is worth a thousand around the weekly debate. newspapers are important, they really are important. mentions in the local paper.

The chief effect was to put the third party leader, Nick Several months before the 2010 election – neatly timing its A General Election is the moment when we remember that, Clegg, on an equal footing with the Labour and Conservative announcement to coincide with Labour’s annual conference however powerless we feel between elections, we still have leaders. Though the Liberal Democrats usually benefit from – The Sun transferred its loyalties. This time, despite the power to throw governments out. Political leaders must the greater exposure of an election campaign, they lack Murdoch’s doubts (as a populist, he is suspicious of Cameron’s abandon their air-conditioned, chauffeur-driven cars, their dedicated press supporters, willing to report with as much privileged background), the paper’s senior editors persuaded international conferences, their plushly carpeted offices, as partisanship as the Daily Mail does for the Conservatives him they should back the Tories. Murdoch had already made their power over our lives and become, for just a few weeks, and the Daily Mirror for Labour, and news editors prefer to the wrong call in the US election, plumping for John McCain humble supplicants to even the most humble citizens. Modern present an election as a simple two-sided contest rather rather than Obama. It was unthinkable that he should be media provide many new and more sophisticated means of like a football match. The TV debates provided Clegg, a on the losing side a second time, puncturing the myth that reaching voters. But they are merely elaborations of the recently elected leader whom many voters would have any successful politician needs Murdoch’s support and cannot oldest, simplest form of campaigning: a man or woman on struggled to recognise in the street, with a far higher profile. afford to ignore him, still less offend him. As Tom Newton a street corner, begging for our support. Dunn, The Sun’s Old Etonian political editor, reportedly The debates, it was said, also allowed voters to make their told colleagues: “It is my job to see that Cameron f*****g well own judgments on the personalities and trustworthiness of gets into Downing Street.” the leaders, watching the twitches of their facial muscles and hearing the nuances in their voices. They need no longer rely He did, but only just. Lib Dem support, which seemed at one on newspapers to tell them who was putting forward the more stage to match that of the two main parties, melted away. convincing policies or displaying the most impressive There were several likely reasons. First, the support may leadership qualities. Their judgment, to echo the Nuffield never have existed in the first place: when people told pollsters authors of 1945, was less clouded. That was the theory. In they intended to vote Lib Dem, they may really have been fact, the aftermath of each debate saw other media, old and passing a verdict on who won the first TV debate. Second, Lib new, come into their own. If Clegg was declared the ‘winner’ Dem support was disproportionately among young people, of the first debate, that was largely through internet polling many of whom didn’t vote and probably never intended to. (there was, after all, no definitive ‘score’ as in a sporting Third, the Lib Dems, having at first benefited from a higher contest) and the polls, in turn, were influenced by comments, profile, later suffered from closer scrutiny of their leader many of them made during the debates on social networking and their policies, particularly on immigration. Fourth, press sites, which some observers compared to old-style heckling warnings about a hung parliament, echoed in TV and radio at public meetings. discussion, may have had a perverse effect. Many voters concluded, logically enough, that, if they wished to avoid Clegg’s ‘victory’ in the first debate was undoubtedly the weak government, they should support one of the two bigger Ed Balls, Drighlington campaign’s defining moment. The only other memorable parties. The Labour vote therefore strengthened as polling Labour incident concerned Gillian Duffy, a Rochdale grandmother, day neared. In the end, the UK had a hung parliament, not Morley and Outwood constituency whom Gordon Brown, after an apparently friendly exchange because the Lib Dems did well, but because Labour and 17th April 2010 in the street, described to his aides as “bigoted”, unaware that Conservatives were closer than anybody expected. John Manwell, Liverpool Nadhim Zahawi, Salford Priors Christian People’s Alliance Conservative Liverpool Walton constituency Stratford on Avon constituency 16th April 2010 26th April 2010 Election campaign posters, Belfast Belfast North constituency 2nd May 2010

Penri James, Aberystwyth Chris Beverley, Morley Plaid Cymru – Party of Wales British National Party Ceredigion constituency Morley and Outwood constituency 24th April 2010 17th April 2010 Nick Clegg, Warrington Liberal Democrat Coalition talks Warrington South constituency Liberal Democrat Party HQ, London 16th April 2010 7th May 2010 David Cameron, Spelsbury Conservative Witney constituency 6th May 2010 THE PUBLIC GALLERY: A SNAPSHOT OF THE GALLERY INSTALLATION CONTAINING THE 1696 PHOTOGRAPHS SUPPLIED BY THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO THE ELECTION PROJECT. VIEW THEM ALL AT: WWW.THEELECTIONPROJECT.CO.UK THE RT HON JOHN BERCOW MP SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS

General Elections are always frenetic occasions, with intense Foret, Lark Harrison, Larry Harris, Laura Pannack, Lauren I’m particularly grateful to all the members of the public who activity around the UK over the campaigning days leading Slater, Laurence Coss, Lavinia Drake, Lawrence Patterson, took part in the project by posting their photographs on up to polling day. The General Election of 2010 was no Les Megson, Lewis Dagnall, Lian Hong, Linda Scannell, The Public Gallery. To see all their contributions and exception, and the coalition government which emerged Lord Biro, Lorna-Mary Webb, Louise Marston, Lucy individual credits, please visit: www.theelectionproject.co.uk. after the votes had been cast and counted is a good example Dawkins, Lynn Ede, M Collins, M Clark, Maggie Jones, of how an age old democratic system continually renews Maggie Studholme, Malc Foy, Malcolm Kirkaldie, Mandy The Election Project would not have been possible without itself to deal with difficult times and issues. Barker, Marco Salotti, Marcus B, Maree Lucas, Marge the invaluable advice, suggestions and generous support of Johnson, Marie Man, Mark, Mark Antony, Mark Henderson, countless others, notably: Andie Moxon, Catherine Rose at Nowadays, elections are covered minute by minute on the Mark James, Mark Summers, Martin Elliott, Martin H, the Electoral Commission (for providing access to polling television news channels. Opinions and in-depth analysis are Martin Leaver, Martin Parr, Martin Selway, Martyn stations and election counts), Chris Boot, Cliff Bevan, David written up in newspapers and magazines, and posted on Windsor, Matt, Matt Gibson, Matt Ward, Matthew Pontin, Birkitt at DMB Media (for providing much needed backup websites. Set apart from this hustle and bustle is the election Matthew Weait, Max Blackburn, Maxwell Anderson, M whilst on the road), Emma Thomas at Chance Collective (for artist, who whilst immersing himself in the action of each Carr, M Bell, Meredith Wilson, Michael C Clark, Mig Rhodes, the crash course on how to utilise the Twittersphere), Felix day, keeps a sense of perspective, because his task is in Mike Bone, Mike Bralowski, Mike Roberts, Mikey, Mike Wilkinson, Graham and Joyce Smith, Fiona McKinstrie and observing, and responding to, the daily events through his Webb, Mill Hill Mike, Mirela Vulaj, Misc, Miscellaneous, Tom Lodziak at UK Youth Parliament, James Beckett, James art. Simon Roberts was commissioned by the Advisory Moochin Photoman, Muriel Somerfield, Myra Tattersall, Corrin and Clare Allison, Jane and Derek Roberts (for Committee on Works of Art in the House of Commons in the Natalie Stubbs, Neil, Niall, Nick Armitage, Nick Ward, offering refuge), Jerry Deeney and Russ Gunn at Fuji, John lead up to the election. This is the third general election for Nigel Holmes, Nigel Wilde, Nigel Williams, Not Stuart and Maureen Roberts, John Lynch, Harry Parr and Sam which an election artist has been commissioned and the Raynes, Nuztorad, Oli Winton, Pat Griffin, Patricia Jell, Bompas at the Waffle House (for hosting the pop-up public first time the resulting artwork has been in the medium of Patrick Rosalba, Paul Albertella, Paul Bevan, Paul C Wynn, gallery exhibition), Katie and Simon Hygate, Kit Fordham, photography. Paul Francis, Paul Murphy, Paul Thompson, Peppi Gander, Mark Foxwell at Genesis (for printing The Public Gallery Pete Appleton, Pete Carr, Pete Flint-Murray, Peter Austin, installation), Martin Argyles (for providing some valuable tip- Simon’s photographs are highly detailed and carefully crafted Peter Burton, Peter Cook, Peter Curtis, Peter Farmer, Peter offs), Martin Parr, Michael Cataldo, Mike King, Mike Roberts, to provide the contextual backdrop for the action which he Greenhill, Peter Hart, Peter Hayes, Peter Hayward, Peter Moochin Photoman (for acting as our formidable guide in has chosen to record. There is much to enjoy and absorb in Rea, Peter Wiles, Phil Ledwith, Phil Loach, Phil Richards, Belfast), Natalia Gubareva, Nigel Wrench (for our comical looking at the photographs as individual passages are played Phil Simms LRPS, Philip Berman, Philippa B, Phillip Lake, radio interviews recorded in service station car parks around out in the background of the main action. Taken as a body Picturelife, Pippi Takes A Trip, Quintin Oliver, R Corp, R Britain), Paul Lambert, Peter Burton, Peter Roberts, Peter of work, the series of photographs is, and will always be, an Doyle, Rachel Roberts, Raymond Antrobus, Raymond Spencer (for our election battle-bus), Phil Coomes at BBC important documentary record around the country of the Salvatore Harmon, Rebecca Heald, Renee de Neve, Rhodri News Online, Professor Charles Pattie (for the masterclass election campaign of 2010. Yet, equally importantly, the Morris, Richard Bedford, Richard Glynn, Richard Ollis, in election politics), Rachel Roberts and Joe Child (for the photographs which make up the series succeed as works of Rikki O'Neill FRPS MPAGB, Rob Doe, Rob Oxley, Rob Sara, best meal of the campaign), Rahim Hakimi at Motif art in their own right. They are an important addition to the Robert D Pearson, Robert Matwiejczyk, Robin Jones, Rodney magazine, Rebecca Templar, Rob Sara, Rosemary Wilman at Parliamentary Art Collection at the House of Commons. Turner, Rodney Yates, Roger Edwards, Roger Honds, Roger the Royal Photographic Society, Spectrum Photographic (for Jones, Roy, Russell Higgs, Ruth Dawkins, Ruth Moore, S the beautiful prints and frames), Verity Slater (for helping Anderson, S Fishburn, S Wilks, Sam Bompas, Sam Cornwell, me hatch a plan), and not forgetting my gallerists: Debra and Sam Smith, Sarah, Sarah Caldwell, Sarah Cole, Sarah Darren Klompching, Robert Morat and Gemma Barnett, CONTRIBUTORS TO THE PUBLIC GALLERY: McCarthy, Sarah11, Sasha Swire, Scooley, SCR, Sean Anthony Hartley and Shodor Uddin in The Photographers’ Batten, Shan Huang, Shan Rixon, Sharon Hall Shipp, Gallery Print Room. A Donny Labour Man, A Patriot, A J Worrall, Adam Bowie, Shodor Uddin, Sid Baility, Siddharth Khajuria, Simon Adam Kerfoot-Roberts, Adam Yosef, Adrian Turner, Adrian Courcha, Simon Dewey, Simon Kimber, Simon Newlyn, I reserve my final thanks for my wife, Sarah, for her love and Ward, Afshin Rattansi, Aisling Gallagher, Alan Atkinson, Sinister Dexter, Sioux Jordan, Smithy, Stan Laurenson- considerable patience. Alan Brown, Alastair Barber, Alastair McKay, Alex Brown, Batten, Stephanie Wiffen, Stephen, Stephen Barnes, Alex Trapp, Alexander Snell, Alexandra McGlynn, Alice Stephen D Harper, Stephen Sorrell, Steve Hammett, Steven Flynn, Alice Partridge, Andie Moxon, Andrew Menadue, King, Steven Schofield, Steven Scott Taylor, Strebor, Stuart Simon Roberts was born in 1974 and received his Bachelor Andrew Youngson, Androme Dakraken, Andy Bell, Andy Baker, Sue Clamp, Susanna Storey, Susie Ballentyne, of Arts Honors in Human Geography from the University Fell, Andy Greaves, Andy Moore LRPS, Andy Salon, Angus Suzanne Harrison, T Doyle, Teresa Crawford-Docherty, of Sheffield in 1996, followed by a Distinction in Photo- Willson, Anluise Hamilton Bruce, Anna, Anna Denne, Anna- Terry Diamond, Terry Smith, Thomas Kuppler, Tim, Tim journalism from the NCTJ, Sheffield College in 1997. Over Marya Tompa, Anner, Annie Dare, Anna McKinless, Annie Dalinian Jones, Tim Harris, Tim Morris, Timothy Cornbill, the past ten years his photographs have been exhibited Gibson, Anthony C, Anthony Howell, Anthony Hunt, Austin Tintin, Toby Smith, Tom Bolton, Tom Chambers, Tom extensively in Europe, America and Asia with recent solo Sheridan, Barnet Tories Cost You, Belinda Mustoe, Ben Flathers, Tom Groves, Tony Woodley, Tory Boy, Tracy shows at the National Media Museum (UK), EX3 - Centro Salter, Ben Sterling, Beth Knight, Bill Scanlon, Bob Johnson, Andrews, Violet Rook, Vote Green, Wendy, Wendy Tyrrell, per l’Arte Contemporanea (Italy) and the Shanghai Museum Bonnie Alter, Brian Gibson, Brian Steptoe, Brum Student, Wildcage, Willie Walsh, X and Zelda Blackadder. of Contemporary Art (China). They are represented in major Bryony Jade Ball, C Allen, Cai Conduct, Caitlin Allison, public and private collections, including the Deutsche Börse Campaign Trail, Carla, Carol Hunter, Caroline Bunford, Art Collection (Germany), George Eastman House (USA) and Caroline d'Auria, Caroline Ford, Caroline Kerswell, Carolyn Wilson Centre for Photography (UK). In recognition for his Gyseman, Cat Wilkinson, Catherine Hunter, Catherine SIMON ROBERTS THANKS: work, Roberts has received several awards including the Vic Rose, Chandrima Biswas, Charles Griffin, Chris Gravett, Odden Award from the Royal Photographic Society (2007) - Chris Hutchinson, Chris Lyttle, Chris Stoddart, Christina Firstly, I’d like to extend my sincere thanks to the original offered for a notable achievement in the art of photography Quinnell, Christopher Gallagher, Clare Allison, Clive members of the Speaker’s Advisory Committee on Works of by a British photographer, a bursary from the National Egginton, Clive Watt, Cllr Pearl Lewis, Colin Revell, Art, and its Chairman, Hugo Swire MP, for entrusting me with Media Museum (2008) and grants from Arts Council England Cornflake Couture, Craig Stead, Damien Anderson, Dan this unique commission, and also to their external advisory (2007) and the John Kobal Foundation (2009). He has McCurry, Daniel Collada, Daniel Lillie, Daniel Navarrete, panel for the nomination: Greg Hobson at the National published two monographs, Motherland (Chris Boot, 2007) Daniel Norwood, Daniel Weir, Danika Westwood, Darren K, Media Museum, Clare Grafik and Stefanie Braun at The and We English (Chris Boot, 2009). For more information go Darren Zlatareff, Dave Bird, Dave Heslop, Dave Nash, Photographers’ Gallery, Dr. Marta Weiss and Susanna Brown to: www.simoncroberts.com. Dave Neita, Dave Raval, David Birkitt, David Cottis, David at the V&A. Dunnico, David Matthews, David Oliver, David Pearson, Roberts’ election artwork is a series of twenty-five landscape Dawn Verdaguer, Dean Davis, Dean O'Brien, Dean Rush, My thanks also to John Bercow MP, Speaker of the House of photographs (120x90cm, Edition 1/3), which have been Derek, Derek Schultz, Dhara Syal, Dick Jones, Dominic Commons, for his generous support of the project and to the acquired for the Parliamentary Art Collection at the House Clark, Donna Hardcastle, Doug Glenn, Doug Harris, Dr Committee Secretary, Jyoti Chandola. of Commons. Kaihsu Tai, Duncan Elliot, Duncan Morris, Ed Balls, Elizabeth Dunningham, Ellie Whitney, Elvis, Emma Hope I’m extremely grateful for the support of the staff in the Extended commentary on the artwork can be found at: Allwood, Emma Laverock, Emma Lawson, Emma Titcombe, Palace of Westminster Curator’s Office: Malcolm Hay, Claire www.theelectionproject.co.uk. Fay Alexander, Felix Wilkinson, Finn Strivens, Fiona Brenard, Melanie Unwin and in particular, Emma Gormley, Nugent, Francis Steer, Francisco Osorio, Frozen In Time, who has worked tirelessly behind the scenes and dealt More information on the Parliamentary Art Collection can Garry Cook, Gary Bourne, Gary Morris, George Bull, George graciously with my numerous requests. Thanks also to be found at: http://art.parliament.uk/about/art-in-parliament. Hill, Gerry Atkinson, Giles Kenningham, Gillian Collins, Laura Humble in the Parliamentary Media Office and Clare Gowinda Goonewaradana, Graeme C Hall, Graham Bennett, Cowan in Parliamentary Outreach. This newspaper was published in September 2010 in an Graham Richard Reed, Harry, Harry Hayfield, Hazel edition of 3000. Designed by FUEL. Humphreys, Heather Tait, Helen, Henry MacRory, Hope Not I’m indebted to all the political candidates who agreed to be Hate, Hugh Carswell, Hugo Feio Machado, Ian Weeks, photographed, and their aides for making it happen. Thanks All photographs (apart from those in The Public Gallery) Impact Party, Isabel Bottoms, J Boomer, J Rickman, J to Liz Sugg and Sacha Nehorai in the Conservative Party © Simon Roberts, 2010. Singh, James Beckett, James Browne, James Corrin, James Press Office; Victoria Collins in the Labour Party Press Hill, James West, Jane Martin, Janette Watson, Janie Orr, Office; and Simon Waddington in the Liberal Democrats Janny, Jason Alvey, Jennifer Hainsworth, Jim Driscoll, Jim Press Office. I’m grateful to Philip Berman, Ben Williams and McKeever, Jim Templeton-Cross, Jim Thomson, Jingye Victoria Butt whose thorough research was invaluable. Luo, J Rowe, JJ Waller, Jo Eddings, Jo Foster-Murdoch, Joanne Green, Jocelyn Underwood, Joe, Joe Childs, Joel I would like to thank Greg Hobson, Peter Wilby and Sean Goodman, Joel Porter, Johanna Empson, John, John O’Hagan for their insightful contributions to this publication; Baucher, John Bickerdike, John Byford, John Coster, John and Damon Murray and Stephen Sorrell at FUEL for their Ferreria, John Hales, John Oxley, John Roberts, John elegant design work. Skinner, John Wild, John Wilson, Johnno, Jonathan Banks, Jonathan Marsh, Jonny White, Josef A Kunzler, Julia Hines, Special thanks must go to my assistant, Daniel Lillie, who Front cover: Juliet Ralph, K Hygate, Karen Hand, Kate Ferris, Katy accompanied me on the road and who managed to maintain Polling station, Goodman Park, Slough Barnes, Keith Davidson, Kerry Long, Kerry Peterson, Kevin an air of calm during a frenetic twenty-five days. His reliability, Slough constituency C Moore, Kevin Taphouse, Kit Fordham, Lafcadio De La resourcefulness and sense of humour were much appreciated. 6th May 2010