The Digital Election: Why big money might swing it
The surprise election announcement made for a sluggish start to the campaign in most ways.
But the speed of digital meant the online campaign was up and running in minutes – in fact, as we’ll see, the shadow campaign was already being waged.
Every election, we talk about it being the biggest digital election. That’s not untrue. With five years between each vote, platforms move on – last time, TikTok was not the behemoth it is now, for example.
But this is different, for a very old-fashioned reason: money. Lots of it.
First, though, the launches. Despite being in ostensible control, the Conservative effort was lacklustre.
Compare that to Labour, which put this slick video out within minutes.
The lacklustre nature of the Tory launch was surprising, to say the least.
“This is borderline negligent for a modern digital campaign where the first 24 hours are a real opportunity to create some momentum,” Sam Jeffers, executive director of Who Targets Me, which tracks digital political advertising, tells Sky News.
He points out how slick equivalent launches by Democrat candidates in the US are in comparison.
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“As it stands, only one of the parties appeared to be ready for the digital campaign, and it wasn’t the one who had control of the timetable. There’s time for the Conservatives to fix this, but not a lot of it.”
The weak Conservative launch also meant that their message was swamped by memes instead, like this:
A little later the Tories had got their act together to some extent.
The nature of digital means you can see strategies evolving almost in real time.
Back to the money.
Spending limits have been raised – almost doubled in fact, from £19.5 million to £35 million.
Only so much of that can really be spent on old-school campaigning, because that infrastructure is limited more by organisational ability – the number of volunteers and door knockers.
But you can pour it into digital, very easily. And it seems to be happening already.
Digital spend well under way
“In 2019, we saw over £10m spent on Google and Facebook during the election campaign, but since January we’ve already seen just under £5m spent on Meta advertising alone – and that’s before the campaign had even kicked off,” says Kate Dommett, professor of digital politics at the University of Sheffield.
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Professor Dommett says that campaigns will combine that sort of paid advertising with other methods, especially new tools to combine digital and online campaigning.
And that’s before we get to influencers and other new ways of reaching a consumer audience that is the most fragmented it’s ever been.
“What is likely is that we’ll see parties from across the spectrum try and reach out in newer ways than ever before,” says Professor Dommett, “Using WhatsApp messages, unskippable online advertising, social media influencers, and their own multi-media posts alongside the now familiar doorstep conversations, leaflets and public events.”
Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News
You could avoid previous elections by not turning on the TV or radio.
This time though, if you have a phone, there will be no escape. Welcome to the unskippable election.
Digital is the vital campaign battleground – and I’ll be surveying it carefully over the next six weeks.
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has called on Sir Keir Starmer to sack Treasury minister Tulip Siddiq over allegations she lived in properties linked to allies of her aunt, Sheikh Hasina, the deposed prime minister of Bangladesh.
It comes after the current Bangladeshi leader, Muhammad Yunus, said London properties used by Ms Siddiq should be investigated.
He told the Sunday Times the properties should be handed back to his government if they were acquired through “plain robbery”.
Tory leader Ms Badenoch said: “It’s time for Keir Starmer to sack Tulip Siddiq.
“He appointed his personal friend as anti-corruption minister and she is accused herself of corruption.
“Now the government of Bangladesh is raising serious concerns about her links to the regime of Sheikh Hasina.”
Ms Siddiq insists she has “done nothing wrong”.
Her aunt was ousted from office in August following an uprising against her 20-year leadership and fled to India.
Ms Siddiq is also named with her aunt in Bangladesh court documents about meetings with the Russian government.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has called on Sir Keir to sack the minister
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As economic secretary to the Treasury, Ms Siddiq is responsible for policy on both the City and tackling corruption.
She referred herself to the prime minister’s ethics watchdog on Monday following the reports about the properties.
On the same day, the prime minister said: “Tulip Siddiq has acted entirely properly by referring herself to the independent adviser, as she’s now done, and that’s why we brought into being the new code.
“It’s to allow ministers to ask the adviser to establish the facts, and yes, I’ve got confidence in her, and that’s the process that will now be happening.”
Police in Aberdeen have widened the search area for two sisters who disappeared four days ago in the city.
Eliza and Henrietta Huszti, both 32, were last seen on CCTV on Market Street after leaving their home on Tuesday at around 2.12am.
The sisters – who are part of a set of triplets and originally from Hungary – crossed the Victoria Bridge to the Torry area and turned right on to a footpath next to the River Dee.
Eliza and Henrietta Huszti were last seen on CCTV in Market Street. Pic: Police Scotland/PA
They headed in the direction of Aberdeen Boat Club but officers said there is no evidence to suggest the missing women left the immediate area.
Specialist search teams, police dogs and a marine unit have been trying to trace the pair.
The sisters crossed Victoria Bridge before walking along a footpath next to the River Dee
The pair were heading in the direction of Aberdeen Boat Club on the south side of the River Dee
Further searches are being carried out towards the Port of Aberdeen’s South Harbour and Duthie Park.
Police Scotland said it is liaising with authorities in Hungary to support the relatives of the two sisters.
Chief Inspector Darren Bruce said: “Eliza and Henrietta’s family are understandably extremely worried about them and we are working tirelessly to find them.
“We are seriously concerned about them and have significant resources dedicated to the inquiry.”
The sisters, from Aberdeen city centre, are described as slim with long brown hair.
Henrietta Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
Eliza Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
Officers have requested businesses in and around the South Esplanade and Menzies Road area to review their CCTV footage for the early morning of Tuesday 7 January.
Police added they are keen to hear from anyone with dashcam footage from that time.
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