A survey of Prospective

Parliamentary Candidates conducted

on behalf of:

March 2010
CONTENTS

Introduction and Methodology page 3

Executive summary page 4

1.1 All Candidates page 5

1.2 Results by party page 7

1.3 Further analysis page 8

Information about ComRes page 9

Full data tables page 10

2
Introduction

ComRes included a question for Fishburn Hedges in our Candidates Survey regarding PPCs‟ use of
new media. The question was designed to gauge Candidates‟ current use of these technologies, as
well as their intended use should they be elected to the House later this year. This information will
be useful to Fishburn Hedges, enabling them to better shape and tailor communications with PPCs
and MPs going forward.

Methodology

ComRes surveyed 101 Prospective Parliamentary Candidates who are likely to win or retain their
seats at the next general election. Surveys were completed online between 5th February and 9th
March 2010.

Likelihood to gain a seat has been calculated by taking a view of polls conducted by major firms
since 1997; from that, a „line of best fit‟ has been extrapolated to predict what the Conservative
lead in the polls will be, come May 2010.

The exact make-up of the panel is determined by our in-house team of psephologists with
participating candidates selected not only on the basis of projected national swings but taking into
account unique factors such as recent local government election results and the impact of the
Westminster expenses scandal.

It is worth noting that due to the sample size of Labour and Liberal Democrat Candidates, these
percentages are indicative rather than definitive.

ComRes is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules
(www.britishpollingcouncil.org). This commits us to the highest standards of transparency.

The BPC‟s rules state that all data and research findings made on the basis of surveys conducted
by member organisations that enter the public domain, must include reference to the following:

 The company conducting the research (ComRes)

 The client commissioning the survey
 Dates of interviewing
 Method of obtaining the interviews (e.g. in-person, post, telephone, internet)
 The universe effectively represented (all adults, voters etc)
 The percentages upon which conclusions are based
 Size of the sample and geographic coverage.

Published references (such as a press release) should also show a web address where full data
tables may be viewed, and they should also show the complete wording of questions upon which any
data that has entered the public domain are based.

All press releases or other publications must be checked with ComRes before use. ComRes
requires 48 hours to check a press release unless otherwise agreed.

3
Executive summary

 Overall, Candidates appear to embrace new media, using them in their current
parliamentary campaigning, with intentions to use them should they be elected as MPs.

 An overwhelming majority of Candidates use Facebook in their campaigns (83%), while

half of Candidates say that they use Twitter in the same way (50%).

 Candidates do not tend to follow political blogs using an RSS reader (73%).

 This new wave of “future MPs” may indeed mark a move towards a more technologically
friendly House. The vast majority of Candidates intend to use social networking tools, such
as Twitter, Facebook and blogs, to communicate with their constituents if they are elected
to the House (84%).

 Indeed, 82% of Candidates say that, as an MP, they would treat constituents‟ requests
received through these media with the same priority as those received by letter or email.
However, slightly more than one in ten Candidates would view requests sent via these
media as less important than those sent through other means (13%).

 Two thirds of Candidates would favour electronic briefings (67%), while just less than a
third would rather receive briefings in written format (31%).

 Although Candidates for each of the three main parties tend to use Facebook in their
campaigning equally, Conservative Candidates are significantly less likely to use Twitter.

 As well as being less likely to prefer emailed parliamentary briefings than their Labour and
Liberal Democrat counterparts, Conservative Candidates are less likely to say that they will
use social networking sites to communicate with constituents.

 Interestingly, female Candidates are more likely to favour the use of social networking both
in their current campaigns and in their future intentions for work as an MP.

4
Q: Thinking about your own use of social media and the internet now and how you might use it if
you are elected, would you agree or disagree with each of the following statements?
 I currently use Twitter in my campaign
 I currently use Facebook in my campaign
 I follow political blogs using an RSS reader
 As an MP, I would use Twitter, Facebook and blogs as a way of communicating with my
constituents
 As an MP, I would treat constituents‟ requests received by social media with the same
priority as those received by letter or email
 In general, I would prefer to receive electronic parliamentary briefings from stakeholders
(including links to further information)
 In general, I would prefer to receive written parliamentary briefings from stakeholders

1.1 All Candidates

Overall, Candidates appear to embrace new media, using them in their current parliamentary
campaigning, with intensions to use them should they be elected as MPs. Looking at the use of
these media in Candidates‟ campaigning, it is apparent that Facebook is very widely used. Indeed,
83% of Candidates say that they campaign through this social networking site. Just 16% do not
use the site. However, turning to Twitter, Candidates are split. Half of Candidates say that they use
this microblogging service as part of their campaign, while 49% do not.

Figure 1.1 PPCs‟ agreement with each statement

Base: All PPCs

5
Candidates do not tend to follow political blogs using an RSS reader, with almost three quarters
answering in this way (73%). Nevertheless, a quarter of Candidates do follow political blogs using
this system (24%).

As it has been suggested, this new wave of “future MPs” may indeed mark a move towards a more
technologically friendly House. The vast majority of Candidates intend to use social networking
tools, such as Twitter, Facebook and blogs, to communicate with their constituents if they are
elected to the House (84%). Just 8% do not plan to use these sites.

82% of Candidates say that, as an MP, they would treat constituents‟ requests received through
these media with the same priority as those received by letter or email. However, a little more than
one in ten Candidates would not give the same priority to requests sent via these new media as
those sent by the more conventional methods (13%).

Candidates‟ preference for electronic parliamentary briefings from stakeholders over written
briefings again demonstrates this shift towards the “online realm”. Two thirds of Candidates would
favour electronic briefings (67%), while just less than a third would rather receive briefings in
written format (31%).

6
1.2 Candidates by party

Analysis of the results by party reveals some interesting differences. Although Candidates for each
of the three main parties tend to use Facebook in their campaigning equally (82%, 89% and 86%
of Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat Candidates respectively), Conservative Candidates
are significantly less likely to use Twitter. 41% of Conservative Candidates use the microblogging
site in their campaigning, while 58% do not (compared to 83% of Labour and 71% of Liberal
Democrats who use Twitter).

Figure 1.2 PPCs‟ agreement with each statement by party

Base: PPCs by party

Interestingly, Liberal Democrat and Labour Candidates tend to be more positive towards using
these forms of technology generally. Indeed, Conservative are less likely to say that they will use
social networking sites to communicate with constituents and that they will treat requests from
constituents via these media with the same priority as those received via other media if they are
elected as MPs (79% of Conservative Candidates for each statement, compared to 100% of Labour
Candidates for each).

Conservative Candidates are also more likely than their Labour and Liberal Democrats
counterparts to prefer written parliamentary briefings, with a third of Conservative Candidates
answering in this way (34%), compared to 22% of Labour and 14% of Liberal Democrat
Candidates.

7
1.3 Further analysis

It is interesting that female Candidates are more likely to favour the use of social networking both
in their campaigns and in their future intentions for work as an MP. For example, almost two
thirds of female Candidates use Twitter in their campaigns (65%), compared to 44% of male
Candidates. Moreover, 84% of female Candidates would prefer to receive electronic parliamentary
briefings, while just 60% of male Candidates answer in the same way.

8
About ComRes

ComRes is a leading market research agency founded to fill a gap in the market for
communications research conducted by communications experts. We offer a unique range of
omnibus panel research tools and the full range of bespoke quantitative and qualitative research
techniques.

ComRes tools include three public opinion omnibus surveys every week, an unrivalled range of
political omnibus tools among MPs, MEPs, devolved legislators and local councillors, and a wealth
of specialist omnibuses including the only available survey of UK Christians.

ComRes also offers bespoke telephone, online and face-to-face quantitative research, as well as
focus groups, qualitative depth interviews and other innovative techniques.

We offer our clients a full service package, bringing to projects a wealth of experience and
contextual understanding. ComRes conducts its research in collaboration with clients, end-to-end,
bringing its full expertise to bear on question design, identification of respondents, data processing,
data analysis, and producing directly actionable reports.

ComRes is a retained agency on the COI Market Research framework, the Department of Work
and Pensions Social and Economic Research framework, and the Electoral Commission‟s
framework for research services. ComRes has also provided research services on behalf of public
sector organisations like Transport for London and the British Broadcasting Corporation, major
corporations including Microsoft, Scottish Widows, Lloyds Banking Group and Coca-Cola, and
charities and campaign groups including Cancer Research UK, Friends of the Earth, Oxfam, and
the Red Cross.

ComRes is a member of the British Polling Council, the Association for Qualitative Research and
the Consultation Institute and employs members of the Market Research Society. In December
2009 ComRes was „Highly Commended‟ in the Research Magazine Awards „Best Agency‟ category.

9
Full data tables

10
 Survey of Prospective Parliamentary Candidates (February - March 2010)
Thinking about your own use of social media and the internet now and how you might use it if you are elected, would you agree or disagree
with each of the following statements? I currently use Twitter in my campaign

Party Swing
Total Liberal Seat currently held by PPC's
Conservative Labour 0 - 2.5% 2.51 - 5% 5.01 - 7.51 - 10.51 -
Democrat party 7.5% 10.5% 18.5%
Total 101 100% 76 100% 18 100% 7 100% 24 100% 11 100% 14 100% 15 100% 17 100% 11 100%
Agree 51 50% 31 41% 15 83% 5 71% 17 71% 6 55% 3 21% 6 40% 7 41% 7 64%
Disagree 49 49% 44 58% 3 17% 2 29% 7 29% 4 36% 11 79% 9 60% 10 59% 4 36%
Don’t 1 1% 1 1% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 1 9% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0%
know

Prepared by ComRes. Fieldwork conducted online between 5th February - 9th March 2010.
 Survey of Prospective Parliamentary Candidates (February - March 2010)
Thinking about your own use of social media and the internet now and how you might use it if you are elected, would you agree or disagree
with each of the following statements? I currently use Twitter in my campaign

Country / Region Country / Region Gender

Total
England Scotland Wales London South Midlands North Male Female
Total 101 100% 81 100% 6 100% 5 100% 10 100% 25 100% 25 100% 21 100% 70 100% 31 100%
Agree 51 50% 41 51% 3 50% 2 40% 3 30% 12 48% 17 68% 9 43% 31 44% 20 65%
Disagree 49 49% 39 48% 3 50% 3 60% 7 70% 12 48% 8 32% 12 57% 38 54% 11 35%
Don’t know 1 1% 1 1% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 1 4% 0 0% 0 0% 1 1% 0 0%

Prepared by ComRes. Fieldwork conducted online between 5th February - 9th March 2010.
 Survey of Prospective Parliamentary Candidates (February - March 2010)
Thinking about your own use of social media and the internet now and how you might use it if you are elected, would you agree or disagree
with each of the following statements? I currently use Facebook in my campaign

Party Swing
Total Liberal Seat currently held by PPC's 5.01 - 7.51 - 10.51 -
Conservative Labour Democrat party 0 - 2.5% 2.51 - 5% 7.5% 10.5% 18.5%
Total 101 100% 76 100% 18 100% 7 100% 24 100% 11 100% 14 100% 15 100% 17 100% 11 100%
Agree 84 83% 62 82% 16 89% 6 86% 20 83% 10 91% 12 86% 10 67% 15 88% 10 91%
Disagree 16 16% 13 17% 2 11% 1 14% 4 17% 0 0% 2 14% 5 33% 2 12% 1 9%
Don’t 1 1% 1 1% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 1 9% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0%
know

Prepared by ComRes. Fieldwork conducted online between 5th February - 9th March 2010.
 Survey of Prospective Parliamentary Candidates (February - March 2010)
Thinking about your own use of social media and the internet now and how you might use it if you are elected, would you agree or disagree
with each of the following statements? I currently use Facebook in my campaign

Country / Region Country / Region Gender

Total
England Scotland Wales London South Midlands North Male Female
Total 101 100% 81 100% 6 100% 5 100% 10 100% 25 100% 25 100% 21 100% 70 100% 31 100%
Agree 84 83% 67 83% 4 67% 5 100% 7 70% 20 80% 24 96% 16 76% 57 81% 27 87%
Disagree 16 16% 13 16% 2 33% 0 0% 3 30% 4 16% 1 4% 5 24% 12 17% 4 13%
Don’t know 1 1% 1 1% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 1 4% 0 0% 0 0% 1 1% 0 0%

Prepared by ComRes. Fieldwork conducted online between 5th February - 9th March 2010.
 Survey of Prospective Parliamentary Candidates (February - March 2010)
Thinking about your own use of social media and the internet now and how you might use it if you are elected, would you agree or disagree
with each of the following statements? I follow political blogs using an RSS reader

Party Swing
Total Liberal Seat currently held by PPC's 5.01 - 7.51 - 10.51 -
Conservative Labour 0 - 2.5% 2.51 - 5%
Democrat party 7.5% 10.5% 18.5%
Total 101 100% 76 100% 18 100% 7 100% 24 100% 11 100% 14 100% 15 100% 17 100% 11 100%
Agree 24 24% 19 25% 3 17% 2 29% 7 29% 2 18% 4 29% 3 20% 5 29% 3 27%
Disagree 74 73% 54 71% 15 83% 5 71% 16 67% 7 64% 10 71% 12 80% 12 71% 8 73%
Don’t 2 2% 2 3% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 2 18% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0%
know

Prepared by ComRes. Fieldwork conducted online between 5th February - 9th March 2010.
 Survey of Prospective Parliamentary Candidates (February - March 2010)
Thinking about your own use of social media and the internet now and how you might use it if you are elected, would you agree or disagree
with each of the following statements? I follow political blogs using an RSS reader

Country / Region Country / Region Gender

Total
England Scotland Wales London South Midlands North Male Female
Total 101 100% 81 100% 6 100% 5 100% 10 100% 25 100% 25 100% 21 100% 70 100% 31 100%
Agree 24 24% 19 23% 1 17% 1 20% 2 20% 7 28% 5 20% 5 24% 16 23% 8 26%
Disagree 74 73% 59 73% 5 83% 4 80% 8 80% 16 64% 19 76% 16 76% 52 74% 22 71%
Don’t know 2 2% 2 2% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 1 4% 1 4% 0 0% 1 1% 1 3%

Prepared by ComRes. Fieldwork conducted online between 5th February - 9th March 2010.
 Survey of Prospective Parliamentary Candidates (February - March 2010)
Thinking about your own use of social media and the internet now and how you might use it if you are elected, would you agree or disagree
with each of the following statements? As an MP, I would use Twitter, Facebook and blogs as a way of communicating with my constituents

Party Swing
Total Liberal Seat currently held by PPC's
Conservative Labour 0 - 2.5% 2.51 - 5% 5.01 - 7.51 - 10.51 -
Democrat party 7.5% 10.5% 18.5%
Total 101 100% 76 100% 18 100% 7 100% 24 100% 11 100% 14 100% 15 100% 17 100% 11 100%
Agree 85 84% 60 79% 18 100% 7 100% 22 92% 10 91% 10 71% 13 87% 14 82% 9 82%
Disagree 8 8% 8 11% 0 0% 0 0% 2 8% 0 0% 1 7% 0 0% 2 12% 1 9%
Don’t
know 8 8% 8 11% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 1 9% 3 21% 2 13% 1 6% 1 9%

Prepared by ComRes. Fieldwork conducted online between 5th February - 9th March 2010.
 Survey of Prospective Parliamentary Candidates (February - March 2010)
Thinking about your own use of social media and the internet now and how you might use it if you are elected, would you agree or disagree
with each of the following statements? As an MP, I would use Twitter, Facebook and blogs as a way of communicating with my constituents

Country / Region Country / Region Gender

Total
England Scotland Wales London South Midlands North Male Female
Total 101 100% 81 100% 6 100% 5 100% 10 100% 25 100% 25 100% 21 100% 70 100% 31 100%
Agree 85 84% 69 85% 6 100% 3 60% 7 70% 24 96% 21 84% 17 81% 56 80% 29 94%
Disagree 8 8% 6 7% 0 0% 1 20% 2 20% 0 0% 2 8% 2 10% 7 10% 1 3%
Don’t know 8 8% 6 7% 0 0% 1 20% 1 10% 1 4% 2 8% 2 10% 7 10% 1 3%

Prepared by ComRes. Fieldwork conducted online between 5th February - 9th March 2010.
 Survey of Prospective Parliamentary Candidates (February - March 2010)
Thinking about your own use of social media and the internet now and how you might use it if you are elected, would you agree or disagree
with each of the following statements? As an MP, I would treat constituents’ requests received by social media with the same priority as those
received by letter or email

Party Swing
Total Liberal Seat currently held by PPC's
Conservative Labour Democrat party 0 - 2.5% 2.51 - 5% 5.01
7.5%
- 7.51 -
10.5%
10.51 -
18.5%
Total 101 100% 76 100% 18 100% 7 100% 24 100% 11 100% 14 100% 15 100% 17 100% 11 100%
Agree 83 82% 60 79% 16 89% 7 100% 22 92% 9 82% 13 93% 10 67% 12 71% 11 100%
Disagree 13 13% 12 16% 1 6% 0 0% 2 8% 1 9% 1 7% 5 33% 2 12% 0 0%
Don’t 5 5% 4 5% 1 6% 0 0% 0 0% 1 9% 0 0% 0 0% 3 18% 0 0%
know

Prepared by ComRes. Fieldwork conducted online between 5th February - 9th March 2010.
 Survey of Prospective Parliamentary Candidates (February - March 2010)
Thinking about your own use of social media and the internet now and how you might use it if you are elected, would you agree or disagree
with each of the following statements? As an MP, I would treat constituents’ requests received by social media with the same priority as those
received by letter or email

Country / Region Country / Region Gender

Total
England Scotland Wales London South Midlands North Male Female
Total 101 100% 81 100% 6 100% 5 100% 10 100% 25 100% 25 100% 21 100% 70 100% 31 100%
Agree 83 82% 64 79% 6 100% 4 80% 7 70% 21 84% 20 80% 16 76% 56 80% 27 87%
Disagree 13 13% 13 16% 0 0% 0 0% 3 30% 2 8% 5 20% 3 14% 9 13% 4 13%
Don’t know 5 5% 4 5% 0 0% 1 20% 0 0% 2 8% 0 0% 2 10% 5 7% 0 0%

Prepared by ComRes. Fieldwork conducted online between 5th February - 9th March 2010.
 Survey of Prospective Parliamentary Candidates (February - March 2010)
Thinking about your own use of social media and the internet now and how you might use it if you are elected, would you agree or disagree
with each of the following statements? In general, I would prefer to receive electronic parliamentary briefings from stakeholders (including links
to further information)

Party Swing
Total Liberal Seat currently held by PPC's
Conservative Labour Democrat party 0 - 2.5% 2.51 - 5% 5.01
7.5%
- 7.51 -
10.5%
10.51 -
18.5%
Total 101 100% 76 100% 18 100% 7 100% 24 100% 11 100% 14 100% 15 100% 17 100% 11 100%
Agree 68 67% 48 63% 13 72% 7 100% 18 75% 8 73% 9 64% 10 67% 12 71% 5 45%
Disagree 22 22% 19 25% 3 17% 0 0% 4 17% 1 9% 3 21% 4 27% 3 18% 4 36%
Don’t 11 11% 9 12% 2 11% 0 0% 2 8% 2 18% 2 14% 1 7% 2 12% 2 18%
know

Prepared by ComRes. Fieldwork conducted online between 5th February - 9th March 2010.
 Survey of Prospective Parliamentary Candidates (February - March 2010)
Thinking about your own use of social media and the internet now and how you might use it if you are elected, would you agree or disagree
with each of the following statements? In general, I would prefer to receive electronic parliamentary briefings from stakeholders (including links
to further information)

Country / Region Country / Region Gender

Total
England Scotland Wales London South Midlands North Male Female
Total 101 100% 81 100% 6 100% 5 100% 10 100% 25 100% 25 100% 21 100% 70 100% 31 100%
Agree 68 67% 55 68% 5 83% 4 80% 9 90% 16 64% 17 68% 13 62% 42 60% 26 84%
Disagree 22 22% 19 23% 0 0% 0 0% 1 10% 5 20% 7 28% 6 29% 18 26% 4 13%
Don’t know 11 11% 7 9% 1 17% 1 20% 0 0% 4 16% 1 4% 2 10% 10 14% 1 3%

Prepared by ComRes. Fieldwork conducted online between 5th February - 9th March 2010.
 Survey of Prospective Parliamentary Candidates (February - March 2010)
Thinking about your own use of social media and the internet now and how you might use it if you are elected, would you agree or disagree
with each of the following statements? In general, I would prefer to receive written parliamentary briefings from stakeholders

Party Swing
Total Liberal Seat currently held by PPC's
Conservative Labour 0 - 2.5% 2.51 - 5% 5.01 - 7.51 - 10.51 -
Democrat party 7.5% 10.5% 18.5%
Total 101 100% 76 100% 18 100% 7 100% 24 100% 11 100% 14 100% 15 100% 17 100% 11 100%
Agree 31 31% 26 34% 4 22% 1 14% 7 29% 1 9% 4 29% 6 40% 6 35% 4 36%
Disagree 56 55% 39 51% 11 61% 6 86% 15 63% 7 64% 7 50% 8 53% 10 59% 3 27%
Don’t 13 13% 10 13% 3 17% 0 0% 2 8% 3 27% 3 21% 1 7% 1 6% 3 27%
know

Prepared by ComRes. Fieldwork conducted online between 5th February - 9th March 2010.
 Survey of Prospective Parliamentary Candidates (February - March 2010)
Thinking about your own use of social media and the internet now and how you might use it if you are elected, would you agree or disagree
with each of the following statements? In general, I would prefer to receive written parliamentary briefings from stakeholders

Country / Region Country / Region Gender

Total
England Scotland Wales London South Midlands North Male Female
Total 101 100% 81 100% 6 100% 5 100% 10 100% 25 100% 25 100% 21 100% 70 100% 31 100%
Agree 31 31% 26 32% 0 0% 1 20% 3 30% 9 36% 7 28% 7 33% 24 34% 7 23%
Disagree 56 55% 45 56% 5 83% 4 80% 6 60% 13 52% 16 64% 10 48% 36 51% 20 65%
Don’t know 13 13% 10 12% 1 17% 0 0% 1 10% 3 12% 2 8% 4 19% 10 14% 3 10%

Prepared by ComRes. Fieldwork conducted online between 5th February - 9th March 2010.