William Hague on the Next Election

By Linda Haywood • August 16, 2008

William Hague has been making waves in the news in his position as Shadow Foreign Secretary for the Conservatives. With a victory for the Tories in the next election looking ever more likely, Linda Haywood probed the views of the former party leader. Read the fourth in the set of serialised articles here:

Many politicians are turning to the internet as a way of reaching voters under 34 years of age who are unlikely to vote. I asked Mr Hague about this new development in campaigning:

What is your opinion on the use of Youtube for political campaigning? Are you planning any digital “fireside chats” of your own for the next election?

I very much believe that politicians should embrace new technology and mediums, such as Youtube, to reach the public. Webcameron, David Cameron’s personal website with videos, blog, photos and news has proven to be popular and in this day and age it is important to engage with people on as many levels as possible. It is too early to say which web campaigns I may be involved in for the next general election but you can currently watch me on YouTube building a goat-run on a farm in Gateshead as part of a wider Conservative Party Social Action project!

See the video above for a look at this particular clip of the MP for Richmondshire trudging about in an urban farm. But does Mr Hague envision more elevated climbs for next year?

With David Cameron ahead in the polls, how do you assess the Conservative Party’s prospects for the next election?

Although the Conservative Party is currently ahead in the opinion polls there is no room for complacency. The government, led by Gordon Brown, has clearly lost its capacity to govern and there should be an immediate general election in order for the British people to have their say and vote on the matter.

I tried to press the Shadow Foreign Secretary for more details on his personal prospects in the event of a Conservative victory but got a diplomatic response: