Sera Miller's favourite campaigns of 2010: The General Elections
The General Elections threw out a Labour Government and threw in a controversial coalition Government, but the media campaigns leading up to the election itself, not least the first live debates, made it a fascinating media event.
And then someone said, “yeah, why not, let’s let little Nick have a go, his inexperience will make Dave look even more like a well oiled robot leader”. But yet, it didn’t go that way did it. Regardless of the fact that Clegg based his entire debate strategy on policies created for campaigning towards opposition, not ones he thought would ever have to live up to leadership, it was clear he won far more out of it than “Dave” and “Gordon”, the live TV environment highlighting their public flaws: Cameron a little too perfect, Brown far from it.
But for me, the real winner of this campaign was the medium. These TV campaigns changed the face of politics in this country: you may argue that this is the “Cowellisation” of politics, and that we are one step away from a judging panel and a voting phone line, but at least it took the Election to a new audience. The resulting impact will be felt for a long time, and in a post-social media revolution world, the further democratisation of the issues can only be a good thing. Although, as Mr Clegg now provides such a cautionary tale to prove: be careful what you say to win an argument and even more so, be careful what you wish for. You might just get it.