A presentation to the LSE Government dept on May 8th 2013 that looks at political communications implications of the political insurgency of Nigel Farage and Ukip and more generally in how the mainstream parties have failed to find a discourse to connect to the public during the economic crisis. You can read the text here: http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/polis/2013/05/08/st-george-farage-and-the-mainstream-party-dragons-political-communication-in-the-age-of-austerity/

1. Political communications in the age of
austerity.
Or:
How St George Farage took on the party dragons
Prof. Charlie Beckett
Director, Polis, LSE
Head, Dept of Media and Communications, LSE
@CharlieBeckett

2. The George and Dragon

3. Why populist insurgency matters
• It shows that something is wrong with the
system
• It has the potential to shift policy outcomes
• It has the potential to exacerbate potentially
damaging structural trends towards
democratic malfunctioning

4. What’s happened to mainstream
political communications?
• The internet
• Professionalization of political PR,
• Personalisation of political discourse both by
politicians and public.

7. Andrew Mitchell on pleb-speak
“I am afraid the Ukip leader has a style and a manner of speaking that
connects with ordinary mortals much better than professional
politicians.
“He is unafraid to be filmed with a pint of beer and a cigarette in his
hand when all of our media training tells us to eschew either image.
“He also uses soundbites that appeal to Conservatives. I suspect many
are unrehearsed – again something professionals are trained never to
do.
“You and George [Osborne], in particular, have been portrayed as
public school toffs.
“You have to work out how to be one of us without affectation or silly
gimmicks and to speak the language of Joe Public.”
Daily Telegraph May 8th

8. (and he smokes)

9. Re-connecting politics

10. Perpetual Engagement

11. Connecting not marketing