“This handbook, for local party officers and other interested members, is an important new step … a valuable guide for the experienced and inexperienced alike.” Mark Pack, President of the Liberal Democrats & Caroline Pidgeon, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on the London Assembly
“a relevant, impactful and vital guide”, Toni Brodelle, Chair of the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidates Association
This book is a practical handbook for building a Local Party – all the way from starting out and appointing your first officers through to winning your first council seats. It systematically covers all the vital knowledge you need step by step. It explains the different roles and responsibilities of party officers, how to build your data on the local electorate and target effectively, how to recruit members, canvass voters, campaign on issues, work with the wider party, and deal with the complexities of managing party finances. The book culminates in the longest chapter of all, on how to run an election campaign. For ease of use there is a detailed index and a glossary of terms.
Throughout there are helpful checklists, examples and advice based on real-world experience brought together by Christopher Hudson with the help of party members around the country. There is a particular emphasis on understanding what you explicitly MUST and MUST NOT do to ensure your local party organisation runs efficiently and complies with all the rules.
