You’re quite right, of course, that people won’t generally vote on issues, and that there is a large element of theatre and street-fighting to this election campaign as with all others. We’re not trying to turn the down-and-dirty of electoral politics into a Regency salon.

However, there are two things I’d add.

First, there are some people *do* want to vote on the basis of what the issues are, or at least try to understand them better. I know a few likely non-voters who don’t want to be taken in by the spin, but feel that they don’t really understand what the parties stand for.

Second, and I think this is the more important motivation for me, the election campaign brings political issues to the fore, and makes more people think about them. We are looking to engage them now, while they’re interested in a particular issue or position, and keep that interest going post-election.