As some of you know, I have been doing a fair amount of campaigning with the Pirate Party UK, everything from pushing on-line efforts and generally spreading the message through to knocking on doors and talking to the public.  I have expressed my frustrations and, rather than sulking about the issues faced I have made a fairly serious attempt to solve the problems that caused them, both by trying, together with Loz Kaye to shape the way we campaign.

It’s been a good year in that regard, we have done a lot.  I managed to work with a couple of great candidates standing in a raft of elections.  I supported Tim Dobson in Gorton, Loz Kaye in Oldham and most recently Graeme Lambert in Bury.  It’s been fun, it’s been hard work and most of all it has been an opportunity to really see what works and what doesn’t.

It has also meant doing research, polling and analysing the work that has been done, something that really has spurred me on.  There is nothing quite like doing something, getting feedback on how well it has gone and collecting evidence to show how it can be done better.

In any case I might now have an opportunity, with Peter Brett standing down as the Party’s campaigns officer, to do the same in an official capacity and hopefully with a few more resources and more support,  so I am standing for the post.

So now more than ever it is time for me to think about ‘evidence based’ campaigning, working out the best way of pushing out our message and connecting with people in a more than superficial way and building a future for a party that is so important in the current world.

I am laying out what I think needs to be done and how it should be done over in the Pirate Party forums and hopefully answering questions as they come up, so do take a look at the discussion and get involved.

Oh and if you are interested in getting involved, especially if you want to get out and campaign, make some noise, or simply help get the party message out, then do.  Join the party, or get in touch with me or one of my colleagues and you can help make a difference. Oh and if you are already a member of the party have a look at the various campaigns officer nominations and make sure you vote for the one you want.