Written by 5 live's head of news Stephen Mawhinney
I have a guilty secret: I love elections. I’m also aware, however, that some 5 live listeners do not share my enthusiasm. They let us know about their disaffection with politicians and the political process often and loudly. That means the challenge of covering the election campaign in a way that will engage and inform all of our listeners is tougher than ever but all the more important for that. In the next few weeks we will be doing our best to rise to the challenge.
At the last election in 2010 I was the BBC’s Editor of Political News, cocooned in Westminster. It gave me a rare insight into how politics works (or doesn’t) but also reaffirmed my strong conviction that general elections are not about SW1 but about the villages, towns and cities scattered across the UK and the myriad of people who live there. Elections are the moment voters get to make their voice heard and help shape their future.
That’s why at the centre of the 5 live election coverage will be an ambitious plan to host 20 programmes across 20 weekdays in 20 of the key marginal seats around the UK. From Fermanagh to Thanet, Cardiff to Dundee, Stockton to St. Ives, we will be aiming to get to the heart of what you really care about and finding out how that will shape the way you vote.
We also want to let your voice be heard through another big commitment: the Friday Takeover. The simple idea is to let you take charge of our election coverage for the four key Fridays during the campaign – setting the agenda and asking the questions directly to the politicians vying for their votes.
We know that while there are some common issues that many voters feel strongly about, our listeners also have more personal concerns borne of their own experiences. We will be trying to capture these in our #myfirstelection social media campaign. Do please share with us what will be new for you this election and how that may affect the way you will vote.
Each weekday the Drive team will be rounding up everything you need to know in the 5 live Election Report at 6.30pm and throughout we will be using the BBC’s Reality Check team and Newsnight’s policy editor, Chris Cook, to help us put all the parties’ pledges and policies to the test, so you can make your own mind up based as far as possible on the facts rather than the spin.
Finally, 5 live’s Chief Political Correspondent John Pienaar will be our trusted guide, testing the party’s big figures in major interviews on an extended Pienaar’s Politics each Sunday and spending a day on the road with the party leaders.
We really hope you’ll join us for the 5 live election journey, even if you don’t share my belief that this has the potential to be the most interesting and exciting vote in a very long time.
