How to Win a Marginal Seat

During the 2015 general election, the contest in Gavin Barwell’s constituency of Croydon Central was by any measure - the amount of money spent, the frequency of visits by ministers, the volume of literature delivered or the number of political activists pounding the streets - one of the most intensive constituency campaigns this country has ever seen. At the end of it, he had clung on by the skin of his teeth. The experience had been both physically and psychologically gruelling, and provided a story well worth telling.Journalists produce a huge amount of commentary on the leaders of our political parties, their campaign strategies and key messages. Elections, however, are won and lost on the pavements of only about 100 so-called marginal constituencies - places like Croydon Central.This book gives an unparalleled insight into what it’s like to be an MP defending an ultra-marginal seat. It answers questions such as: why do activists knock on your door - do they really think a quick conversation is going to change your mind? Why do they stand outside polling stations wearing coloured rosettes?What is it like to find yourself splashed across the front page of a national newspaper? How do you cope with abuse on social media, or the pressure of knowing your job, and those of your staff, are on the line?This unique book is for anyone who is interested in what goes on at the coal face of politics.