Can we get some Barack over here?

Labour have launched their attempts to engage people online with a blog called Labour List. There’s a good piece on it on Channel 4 news which featured former spin-doctor Derek Draper.

The question was put – can we have Obama-style fundraising in politics in the UK? It was the opinion of Tim Montgomery, editor of Conservative Home – the Tory blog – that it was the funding system that prevented this. Big donors (fat cats for Tories, Unions for Labour and who knows for the Lib Dems) mean that parties don’t have to fundraise on mass. For him it was a question of not enough push factors.

But I disagree. I think the UK context is different for a few reasons. Firstly, we’re a party-based system where as the US presidential race is a system based on personalities. The product is the individual – and during the election they need your help. If you believe in them then you need to help them. In the UK, to get the PM you also need to support the party and elect your local MP, which is a very different kettle of fish.

Secondly, you need the right product at the right time. Change was needed and Obama was the charismatic individual at the right time to take advantage of this. He was a person that people were willing to get behind. Can we say the same of UK politicians?

Thirdly, donations were only one of the ways that people could get involved. Most importantly engagement was key. Campaigning, rallies, blogging, member get member, all other activities were ranked and scored on mybarackobama.com. Also, money that your friends gave added to your rating. People were made into multipliers. It was this wholistic approach to engagement that made the fundraising campaign a success.

It’s too easy for journalists and commentators to ask why UK political parties aren’t emulating the success of Obama’s campaign and imply that UK parities are falling short. UK parities need to get to grips with the digital audience here on their own terms. There’s potential – they just need to tap it.