North East CF campaign in Harrogate & Knaresborough
By Gareth Llewellyn-Stevens (North East CF Head of Media & Online Campaigning)
On Saturday December 12, Conservative Future activists from various branches across the North East joined local PPCs and members on a 7am battle bus from Newcastle to Harrogate to help deliver a letter and survey from David Cameron to the constituents of Harrogate and Knaresborough.
This campaign project was directly targeted at voters who want change but are unsure how to achieve it.
Every voter in the constituency received a letter and survey from David Cameron highlighting that the only way to change the government is to vote Conservative and that the role of local champion in Harrogate and Knaresborough is passing to Andrew Jones with the retirement of the MP Phil Willis.
After a cold, misty morning session we were treated to quality sandwiches and cups of local favourite Yorkshire Tea, before embarking on a busy afternoon session that took us through to 4pm and being late for the bus back to Newcastle.
The day was rounded off in style with an impromptu drinks session in Newcastle city centre, where on reflection, everyone was very happy with the work we did, and were impressed with how organised the Harrogate and Knaresborough Conservative Association is in their efforts to turn Harrogate and Knaresborough blue again.
Harrogate and Knaresborough PPC, Andrew Jones said:
“Thank you to everyone who came to Harrogate over the past few days to help with our campaign project – to deliver by hand a letter to all 75,000 voters in the constituency in one week. You made a big difference and with your support we achieved our objective.
“Every time we go canvassing we meet people who say that they have voted for the retiring Lib Dem MP, but are no longer confirmed LDs because they want a change of government. That message is coming back to us all over the country, not just in the Harrogate and Knaresborough constituency.
“Our communication of this key message is critical, and this mailing is a key part of that communication.
“The CF role in this effort was really helpful, and highlights one of the ways CF can make such a difference in elections – by going to where the battleground is and taking the fight to our opponents.
“That is what we are doing here, and we are seeing good progress. The proof of this is in the canvass returns, and the gains we made in the County Council elections in June. We achieved a swing to us of just under 10%. We need 8% to win at the General.
“There has never been a Conservative government without Harrogate and Knaresborough returning a Conservative MP. We are working hard locally to win this seat to help the Party deliver the national change that our country needs.”
North East CF activists are working hard across the country, as well as on our own doorstep, with a number of activists also making the trip up to Glasgow last month to help Ruth Davidson in the Glasgow North East By-Election.
On the back of the successful campaign in Harrogate, North East CF activists have been invited back to help out again in the future, an offer we’re sure to take up.
You can view Harrogate and Knaresborough Conservative Association’s website here.
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