ABSTRACT
Modern British general election campaigns are fought at two clearly distinct levels. On the one hand there is the national campaign. This is dominated by leading party figures and increasingly by the party leaders themselves. The leaders jet around the country, accompanied by teams of aides, 'minders' and security personnel, as well as a 'media scrum' of radio and television crews and press reporters. They address large meetings and rallies of supporters, visit hospitals, schools and factories and give interviews to local media. Occasionally they meet and talk to ordinary voters, though usually this is done so that they can be seen doing so on television. In addition, this campaign involves launching the party's election manifesto, party election broadcasts, interviews and discussion programmes on television and radio, carefully staged daily press conferences in London, organised 'photo-opportunities' and advertising in the national press. All of this forms the basis for the reporting of the campaign by the national media. For most people, this is the campaign; it is the aspect of campaigning which impinges most persistently and directly on their consciousness as it is played out before their eyes on television and, although the vast majority of the electorate are mere spectators, it generates a considerable degree of interest and excitement.
