campaign

• Relevant - growth of partistan dealignment means that campaigns have become increasingly important
• Not relevant - influence can be exaggerated as voters generally make up their minds about who they will be voting for
• Relevant - 1979 -> Thatcher campaign in Cardiff
• Relevant - 1992 -> Major (Cons) abandoned stage-managed events which contrasted with Kinnock’s (Labour) hubris at the Sheffield rally. Won Conservatives an unexpected victory
• Relevant - 2017 -> Corbyn’s rallies and popular manifesto commitments against May’s uninspiring campaign and unpopular dementia tax led to Labour support increasing from less than 30% to 40%
• Not relevant - 1970 -> Heath’s (Cons) campaign dismissed as bland and uninspiring yet had surprise victory over Wilson (Lab)
• Not relevant - 1987 -> Labour had dynamic and modern campaign starring Kinnock but Cons still won third election victory with a 102-seat majority
• Not relevant - 2017 -> Cons ran “the worst campaign in living memory” yet managed to increase vote share from 37% to 42% - same vote share as Thatcher in 1983 with a better campaign