The document discusses the new generation of Prospective Parliamentary Candidates (PPCs) who are running for election in 2010. It notes that over 129 seats do not have incumbent MPs running again, meaning more new MPs could be elected than since 1945. The typical PPC is described as being mostly male, white, middle-class, and having previous experience running for office. However, there are some changes, with more female and business background PPCs. The economic and environmental crises shape the outlook of PPCs. Surveys found PPCs have more business and management experience than current MPs, and high numbers also have local council experience.

1. The new Prospective Parliamentary Candidates Who are they, where are they, how do you get to them and will they care?

3. At every election, most of them lose

4. Big difference this time – more of them are likely to get elected than in any election since 1945.

5. At least 129 seats don’t have incumbent MPs running in them this time.

7. Mostly male

8. Mostly white

9. Mostly middle-class

10. Mostly run before

11. 12½ years in politics

12. Average age in swing seats is 43

13. Younger than the people we’re replacing

14. But not younger than new MPs of the past

15. In my own constituency, the Lib Dems took the bold step of replacing one 45 year old man with another 45 year old man

16. Some things haven’t changed at all

17. Andrew – former President of NUS

19. We love to play with the latest technology

20. CD:

21. Re-recordings of Gladstone on a wax cylinder

22. Asquith on 78 rpm record

23. Lloyd George on the radio

24. If any of them around

25. Playing with Twitter and email and Facebook

27. Over half the new candidates in currently held Lib Dem held seats are women

28. Possibly a temporary change

29. More likely to come from a business background

30. Less likely to come from a voluntary or public sector background

31. Doesn’t mean not interested.

32. On a personal level:

33. Volunteer with several environmental and homelessness groups

34. On a business level:

35. CSR + Cause Marketing

38. 62% of LD candidates are councillors

39. 45% of Lab/Tory candidates

40. Extremely busy – campaigning extremely hard

41. If an election is close

42. Local voters matter

43. No-one else does

45. For the Liberal Democrats – not just MPs and policy researchers:

46. Policy Working Groups

47. Federal Policy Committee

48. Conference delegates

49. Don’t underestimate the power of party bloggers

51. Give us the chance to meet groups of local people

52. Not least because we’re always very interested in people active in the community

53. Source of information – important networkers

54. Contact us with local facts

55. Offer us PR opportunities that will work with local people and local media

58. Will depend on the party and the person

59. Either – about personal interests

60. Homelessness

61. Technology

62. Environment

63. Economy

64. Autism

67. What are the characteristics of the new generation of PPCs?

68. What does having younger, more diverse and more technologically savvy MPs mean for campaigners?

69. What makes them different from MPs in previous years?

70. What experiences/events shape their political outlook and that of their peers?

71. What have PPCs learnt from the expenses scandal?

72. How do they view the voluntary and community sector?

75. PPCs standing in the next General Election have more BMFS experience than current MPs (as surveyed in April 2008)

76. There are twice as many PPCs with 15 years or more BMFS experience (14%) in comparison with the MPs surveyed in April 2008 (7%)

77. Conservative PPCs have considerably more BMFS experience than their counterparts in Labour or the Liberal Democrats

78. In the seats surveyed, a PPC is twice as likely to be male rather than female

79. In comparison to the current House of Commons, there are a higher proportion of female PPCs standing for each of the three main political parties

80. The average age of a PPC standing in the next General Election is 43

81. 55% of PPCs have previously stood for election in a general election

82. Just over a third (35%) of PPCs are current elected representatives

84. Reasonable numbers of candidates have some form of business background (Conservatives 46%; Lib Dems 30%; Labour 18.2%)

85. Very high numbers of candidate have local government experience (Lib Dems 61.9% are or have been councillors; 44.8% Conservatives; 44.2% Labour)

86. A significant number of PPCs have experience working for a political party (15%), and working in Parliament (10%).