Comments on: Election expenses & ‘swiftboating’ – still relevant? http://blog.localdemocracy.org.uk/2010/03/01/election-expenses-swiftboating-still-relevant/#utm_source=feed&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=feed Promoting innovation and a conversational local politics Wed, 28 Dec 2011 13:58:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Paul Evans http://blog.localdemocracy.org.uk/2010/03/01/election-expenses-swiftboating-still-relevant/comment-page-1/#comment-1531 Paul Evans Wed, 03 Mar 2010 19:33:43 +0000 http://blog.localdemocracy.org.uk/?p=2214#comment-1531 Mark - Tom Freeman has made a similar point here: http://viva-freemania.blogspot.com/2010/03/ashcroft-missing-point.html I don't really know much about this - its been a while since I had to know the rules. But it seems that a lot of work these days is about campaigning *against* parties rather than *for* them. Lots of people - both inside and outside the Labour Party will be financing campaigns against the BNP in East London, for example. The net beneficiary is likely to be Labour but it many not all happen with Labour's cash - or indeed, even with their consent. Mark – Tom Freeman has made a similar point here: http://viva-freemania.blogspot.com/2010/03/ashcroft-missing-point.html

I don’t really know much about this – its been a while since I had to know the rules. But it seems that a lot of work these days is about campaigning *against* parties rather than *for* them. Lots of people – both inside and outside the Labour Party will be financing campaigns against the BNP in East London, for example. The net beneficiary is likely to be Labour but it many not all happen with Labour’s cash – or indeed, even with their consent.

]]> By: Mark Pack http://blog.localdemocracy.org.uk/2010/03/01/election-expenses-swiftboating-still-relevant/comment-page-1/#comment-1521 Mark Pack Mon, 01 Mar 2010 13:34:27 +0000 http://blog.localdemocracy.org.uk/?p=2214#comment-1521 To a (limited) extent the law covers this, because there are rules and expense limits covering "third party" expenditure. However, those controls aren't perfect, in particular because of the problem of deciding when general promotion of a viewpoint starts becoming campaigning to vote for / against someone. To a (limited) extent the law covers this, because there are rules and expense limits covering “third party” expenditure. However, those controls aren’t perfect, in particular because of the problem of deciding when general promotion of a viewpoint starts becoming campaigning to vote for / against someone.

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