Political Communications: The General Election Campaign of 2005

Front Matter....Pages i-xvi
Introduction: General Election Campaign Communication in Perspective....Pages 1-14
Front Matter....Pages 15-15
Labour’s Political Strategy....Pages 17-24
Conservative Party Strategy....Pages 25-32
Liberal Democrat Strategy: a New High Watermark for the Liberal Democrats....Pages 33-40
The Labour Campaign....Pages 41-48
The Conservative Campaign....Pages 49-55
The Charles Kennedy Campaign....Pages 56-62
Front Matter....Pages 63-63
Political Communication: Party Advertising in the General Election....Pages 65-78
Constituency Campaigning in 2005: Ever More Centralization?....Pages 79-92
The Internet and the UK General Election....Pages 93-107
Front Matter....Pages 109-109
The Public and the Polls....Pages 111-118
Poll Methodology, Weighting and Adjustment Systems....Pages 119-125
Internet Versus Conventional Polls in the General Election....Pages 126-132
Challenges Facing the Pollsters Next Time....Pages 133-144
Front Matter....Pages 145-145
Looking Through the Other End of the Microscope: How the Public Experienced the General Election Campaign....Pages 147-164
Viewers and Voters: Attitudes to Television Coverage of the General Election....Pages 165-183
Hearts or Minds?: Leader Evaluations by Men and Women in the General Election....Pages 184-202
Front Matter....Pages 203-203
Reconnecting with the Viewers: Sky News’ Election Coverage....Pages 205-214
Politics as an Appearance and Reality Show: The Hermeneutics of Suspicion....Pages 215-229
Front Matter....Pages 231-231
The ‘Take a Break Campaign?’: National Print Media Reporting of the Election....Pages 233-247
Front Matter....Pages 231-231
Amateurs or Adversaries?: Local Journalists’ Coverage of the UK Non-General Election....Pages 248-263
Conclusion 2005: Themes and Future Questions....Pages 264-276
Back Matter....Pages 277-288