Election Campaigning
These are the 2 main candidates in the next UK election.
What’s your impression of them?
Keir Starmer
Age: 61
career: lawyer, public prosecutor
Party: Labour (left wing)
Rishi Sunak
Age: 44
career: investment banker
Party: Conservatives (right wing - they have been in power for 14 years)
In the UK the Prime Minister can choose when the next election is held. The next one is on July 4th.
When is a good time to have an election? (season? after big news?)
What kind of voters won’t vote on a rainy day?
What kind of voters won’t vote in the winter?
Generally young people don’t like voting on rainy days or in the winter
Conservatives are usually less affected by weather
These days many countries (the UK, US) allow voting by post which helps avoid weather problems
Should Japan allow postal voting?
Rishi Sunak announced the election date on May 22nd. On that day it was raining.
He didn’t use an umbrella while making his speech. Why not?
Some politicians believe using an umbrella makes you look weak.
Do you think he made the right choice?
In the UK politicians often play football or visit football clubs while campaigning.
Rishi Sunak has visited at least 4 football clubs in the last 2 weeks.
Why do they do this?
Playing a sport makes politicians seem young and active. Sunak is 18 years younger than his rival.
Most politicians are very rich. If the politician is a football fan, he seems like “one of us” to other fans
If the politician is bad at football, should he try to play?
A left wing newspaper said: “Rishi Sunak nearly falls over as he shows off 'shocking' football skills”
Keir Starmer is a serious football fan. He plays regularly and he has a season ticket at Arsenal and often drinks at pubs near the stadium to watch games.
Should he talk about his love for Arsenal? … or will fans of rival teams like him less?
Does Starmer look good at football?
The left photo is from a left wing newspaper. The right photo is from a right wing newspaper.
Right wing papers only talk about Starmer when his team loses a game…
When I found out Starmer was an Arsenal fan, like me, I immediately liked him 3 times more…
In the UK campaigning politicians must be shown drinking beer. Why?
They also have to be seen serving beer. Why?
Drinking beer makes him see “normal.” He enjoys the same things as us.
Serving beer makes him seem like he understands what working class people in the service industry have to do everyday.
What should politicians in Japan do to try to seem normal and relatable?
relatable = we can feel a connection to him (often due to something we have in common)
Drink at an izakaya
Visit a manga cafe (Taro Aso)
In the US, supporters often give their babies to politicians. Politicians often kiss the babies. Why?
Have you ever seen Japanese politicians doing this?
Would it make politicians in Japan more popular?