UK General Election 2012 - Campaign Thread (FULL RESULTS)

[Barnes]

The Leader of the Opposition, Mrs May, taking to the hustings in Bolton, in the new North West England constituency.

Thursday 5 January 2012

Theresa May kicked off the Conservative campaign in traditional Labour territory by pledging she had turned her party firmly towards the interests of working class communities.  Mrs May's remarks were in part:

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Friday 6 January

Mrs May traveled to Manchester and spoke primarily on youth issues:

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Saturday 7 January

Mrs May spent the day field working Greater Manchester with local Tory HQ and door-knocking with local area list candidates.

Sunday 8 January

Mrs May traveled to Liverpool and visited local Tory HQ.

Monday 9 January

Mrs May delivered a speech primarily focusing on unemployment and urban poverty in Liverpool and then drove to north Wales where she phone banked at Tory HQ in Wrexham.

Tuesday 10 January

Mrs May traveled to Wrexham and held a campaign launch with the Welsh Conservative AM team, promising a commitment to devolution and the delivery of greater powers to the Welsh Assembly and local governments.  

Wednesday 11 January

Speaking in Conwy, Mrs May attacked UKIP's "obsession with ripping apart our economy over the European Union" stating that withdrawing from the EU would remove billions of pounds of investment in Wales creating "hardships that no flashy banner or dodgy maths could solve." Pledging she would veto any new EU deal with saw an "erosion of national sovereignty," Mrs May vowed to put trade and job investment at the top of Brussels's priority:

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Thursday 12 January

Mrs May flew to Halifax in West Yorkshire with the full Tory frontbench to launch the Conservative manifesto.  The choice of a location in a northern Labour heartland was a deliberate shot across the Government's bow as Mrs May upended Tory rhetoric to promise "guaranteed places in every board room in this country" for workers.

During a press conference following the manifesto launch, Mrs May confirmed her attendance at the leaders' debate.

Following the manifesto launch, Mrs May door-knocked with several Shadow Cabinet members in Leeds.


Conservative CP Totals--Round I
Canvasing teams in North West, Yorkshire, and Wales: 15

[Barnes]

May swings through Tory heartland, touting tax cuts and Europe

12 January

Mrs May, speaking in Norfolk, touted the Conservative manifesto's commitment to tax cuts and spending reduction:

You must be logged in to read this quote.

13 January
Traveling to Ipswich, Mrs May door knocked with local Conservative list candidates for East of England and addressed concerns on Europe:

You must be logged in to read this quote.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

May goes on the attack over housing prices in London

14 January

You must be logged in to read this quote.

15 January

Mrs May spent the day in London at Conservative Central Office, developing the campaign strategy.  She attended a rally in Richmond Park, targeting the Liberal Democrats over tuition fees:

You must be logged in to read this quote.

May flies to Scotland, taking the fight to Labour and Nats front door

16 January
Mrs May flew to the Scottish Borders and blasted the failures of the SNP Government and Labour as having "consistently ignored the rural areas which underpin Scotland's society and history."  She touted the Conservative's commitment to withdraw from the London Fisheries Agreement which would give British fishermen exclusive rights to waters extending twelve nautical miles.

17 January
Spending a second day on the Borders, Mrs May attacked the SNP Government for continued cuts to education funding, saying they had "squandered the promise of devolution."

Mrs May then traveled by car to Edinburgh where she praised the city's modern, innovative economy and restated the Conservative plan to support small businesses and start-ups.

18 January
On her final day in Scotland, Mrs May made a major speech in Perth and North Pertshire, saying only the Conservatives could fight for a strong Scotland within the United Kingdom:

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Following her speech, Mrs May flew overnight to London to prepare for the Leaders' Debate.

19 January

Mrs May prepped for the Leaders' Debate on the BBC and discussed campaign strategy.


Conservative CP Totals--Round II
Canvassing:
London: 10 points
Scotland: 5 points
East Midlands: 5 points
West Midlands: 5 points

Total: 25 points

[Barnes]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

[Barnes]

May hammers on the economy; labels Lab and Lib Dems "Coalition of Chaos"



20 January--Rally in Cambridge, East of England

You must be logged in to read this quote.

21 January--Rally in Chelmsford, East of England

You must be logged in to read this quote.

22 January--Rally in Lincoln, East Midlands

You must be logged in to read this quote.

23 January--Rally in Chesterfield, East Midlands

You must be logged in to read this quote.

[Barnes]

May touts small businesses and taxes



24 January--Rally in Stoke-on-Trent, West Midlands

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Tory PR blasts Cable for prophesying his own policies and opposing his own agenda

You must be logged in to read this quote.

25 January--Rally in Birmingham, West Midlands

You must be logged in to read this quote.

26 January--Conservative Facebook video

Our country deserves so much more, and together, we can deliver so much more. Our plan will reduce taxes, reduce the deficit, and reduce our debt. We have to relieve the burdens on to the people put in place by Labour and the Liberal Democrats.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Conservative CP Usage
Canvassing: 10 for London, 10 for South West, 10 for North East England, 10 for Scotland

[Barnes]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

[Barnes]

"Our country deserves better than school yard squabbles," May takes on Clegg and McDonnell


Mrs May kicking off the penultimate week of the election campaign in Northumberland

27 January, North East England

You must be logged in to read this quote.

"The only job the Prime Minister wants to save is his own," May returns to Labour north

28 January, Yorkshire

You must be logged in to read this quote.

29 January, Yorkshire

You must be logged in to read this quote.

"Clegg is running against his own record," blasts May in Bristol

30 January, South West

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Lib Dems conveniently myopic about that time they were in government



31 January, South West

You must be logged in to read this quote.

1 February, South East

You must be logged in to read this quote.

2 February, London

Mrs May traveled to London to participate in the Leaders' Debate on the BBC; earlier in the day, she held a rally in Battersea:

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Canvassing: 5 for London, 5 for East of England, 5 for South West, and 5 for North West.

National Seat Projection: 10

[Barnes]

[quote]And now a party political broadcast by the Conservative Party:

(We open on an upbeat, hopeful tone.  The skies are cloudy and grey, but as the music takes hold, sun begins to emerge and we see people, old and young, from all walks of life, on the move; in their homes, their neighborhoods, their schools, and their workplaces.  There is a visceral feeling of dynamism and action.  Over this montage, we hear Theresa May's voice.)

"I can feel something moving in our country; we have been through some hard, difficult times. You know first hand how difficult it has been to make ends meet, to balance the cheque book, and make sure that your kids are looked after.  We have to get Britain on track again, we have to deliver a better future.

(As the music reaches a high point, we cut to a montage of Theresa May meeting with voters, talking about their concerns and visiting their homes; along with this, we see high profile regional figures, like Boris Johnson campaigning in London and Ruth Davidson in Scotland.)

"The Conservative Party has a plan which will help every family in this country which needs it.  We are going to energize our economy and energize our country.

(We cut to Theresa May speaking to small business owners on the campaign trail; as the voice over continues, the policies appear on the screen in accompaniment.)

"We will slash taxes on small business immediately and institute a start-up fund to help support new businesses in their first year.

"Our apprenticeship program will see young people being trained in their local communities and revitalize their economies.

(Cut to footage of young couples with their new families, playing in their homes.)

"Our tax cuts will benefit every family in the country and put more money in your budget to help out your family and loved ones.  Our plans to fix the education system will see the greatest amount of choice possible given over to parents about their children's education, and not in the hands of Whitehall.

(Footage now of Theresa May and the Conservative Shadow Cabinet touring workplaces and meeting with industrial workers.)

"We will give a voice to every single worker in this country by requiring employee representation on every corporate board and a commitment to a fair share in how their workplace in run.

(We cut to Theresa May standing outside as the sun emerges, facing the camera.)

"Our entire vision is about growing families, communities, and regions. We wan to enhance freedoms and choices for every man, woman, and child in our country and get the government and politicians out of the way.  This is our vision, for a strong, responsible, stable government; but there is another option.

(The tenor of the music changes to a fast and ominous track as we cut through dark flashes of John McDonnell, Nick Clegg, and Paul Nuttall.)

"For four weeks you have watched Labour and the Liberal Democrats tear each other down as they will do and say anything to cling on to power; these are the very same people who served in the same government together, sat around the same Cabinet table, and made the choices to double our deficit, increase taxation, and sell Britain short.  They have both delivered the same empty promises and bad government, and will do so again.

(Cut to archive footage of Paul Nutall responding to May's attacks, claiming to believe in fairy tales and media coverage of proposed NHS privatization.)

"On the other hand, you have UKIP which has no plan and no clue for how to govern this country.  They complain about taxes, yet want to increase them; they attack the NHS, yet want to sell it off; they are a one-issue party and yet want to govern a country of sixty-seven million people. They don't have a plan, and frankly don't have a clue.

(We return to Theresa May, now surrounded by some of the Shadow Cabinet and Conservative volunteers.)

"It is finally time for you to have your voice heard, loud and clear, to show what kind of country we are, and the values we truly believe in.  Hard work, families, communities, a good, positive way of life for us and the next generation.  By voting Conservative on February 9, we can deliver that future: together."

[Barnes]

'May kicks off final week of campaign in Tory heartlands blasting UKIP.'

3 February, East of England

You must be logged in to read this quote.

4 February, East of England

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Later that same day, Mrs May and the Tory battle bus drove to the East Midlands.

5 February, East Midlands

'May blasts Clegg and Lib Dems as 'more of the same".'

You must be logged in to read this quote.

'May taunts other parties, pledges new deal for workers.'

6 February, Yorkshire and the Humber

You must be logged in to read this quote.

[Barnes]

"May swings through Scotland, pledging to protect local industry."



7 February, Scotland

You must be logged in to read this quote.

"May finishes campaign back where it all began in Bolton."

8 February, North West

You must be logged in to read this quote.

9 February, Maidenhead, South East



Theresa and Philip May arrived in Maidenhead early on polling day and walked with Conservative door-knockers on the street before going to vote at their polling station.  The couple then retired to their home and rested in the afternoon; Mrs May confirmed that she will be following an election superstition of not watching the exit poll at 10 pm, but will have her husband relay the news.


Campaign Television ad: 10 CP
Canvassing team: 15 for East of England, 10 for London, 10 for Yorkshire, 5 for Scotland, 10 for North West, 5 for East Midlands, and 5 for West Midlands.

[Barnes]

Justine Greening, Shadow Education Secretary, discussing the exit poll.

"Well I think that if this exit poll is proved correct, and remember, this is the first election under the new system, we have scored a clear victory. We are clearly going to be the largest party in Parliament and have the largest number of votes.

"I think Theresa May has every right to lead the charge to form a government and become Prime Minister. Now, the process is going to be very different than what we may be used to, but I think the Conservatives have plainly won."

[Barnes]

Ruth Davidson MSP, Leader of the Scottish Conservatives, celebrating the Tories success north of the border.

"This is just a fantastic result for the Scottish Conservatives. I cut my teeth in politics in 1997, so you can imagine the feeling of joy tonight to see Scotland vote in such strong numbers for the Conservative Party. I think what is very clear is how successful our campaign for a modern, dynamic Conservative Party has resonated in Scotland, with UKIP not even showing on the map.

"I know some of my English colleagues are still getting used to this system, but we have something a little similar in Holyrood, and I think Theresa May can clearly claim victory tonight."