The iron laws of internet campaigning

I will confess that my constituency isn't quite at the cutting edge of the Internet Age. Next week we're having a meeting to consider switching from our trusty wax tablets to carbon-paper Shuttleworths for our polling-day operation.

But even so, I get a little frustrated when, every single time we discuss improving our internet campaigning (blogs, websites and email) the same two questions are asked and receive the same two answers.

When discussing emailing constituents, someone always asks "this isn't going to replace our Focus leaflets, is it?". Even when I open the discussion by saying "this is in addition to our paper campaigning, not instead.", the question gets asked every single time. No, of course it isn't going to bloody replace our Focus leaflets. That would be a mind-bogglingly stupid thing to do. We might not have a cabinet full of ALDC trophies, but we're not that bad.

Shortly after this, someone will, without fail, ask whether we should be doing internet campaigning when not every constituent has web access. There's a feeling that giving extra information out is somehow unfair to those without an internet connection.

I point out, in my kindliest tone, that we're trying to win elections, that internet campaigning has proven value as tool to do that and every other bugger from the Government to Jim's Butchers on the High Street is using the internet to enhance the service they offer and those without access seem to be surviving. I also add, if I'm provoked, that the assumption that elderly people don't use the internet is not only pretty patronising but also simply wrong.

Then the next meeting rolls around and the same questions get asked again. Perhaps I should print off some cards with the answers on to save time.

Having got that off my chest, I shall now get on with my evening's work: I've got a stack of two hundred wax tablets with knocking-up information from the last election scratched into them. With the help of a box of candles, I've got to melt the wax ready for next June, just in case we decide to hold off on the Shuttleworths a year or two longer.