Aspects of Electioneering

Abstract

So far this book has been concerned with what politicians, pollsters and newsmen did at the national level. But Britain had 36 million people of voting age — and over 27 million of them voted. There were 1,757 candidates in the 630 constituencies, most of whom at the very least made some speeches and sent literature to every home in their area. They all had agents (nearly half of them full-time professionals) and they had active supporters ranging from a score to several hundred, who filled envelopes and canvassed and drove cars. It is not possible to chronicle all that went on in the constituencies. Even to provide a rough estimate of the volume and nature — let alone the effectiveness — of local party activities is very difficult.