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While most of us are enjoying a bit of rest and recuperation following the election, spare a thought for our agents.
After ensuring that a “thank you” leaflet went out, most of them are having to knuckle down to sort out the expenses.
They are over-shadowed by a huge pile of receipts and facing a form, the complexity of which makes an HMRC Self-assessment form look simple.
Added to that, they face legal penalties if they don’t do it all correctly and on time.
No pressure then…
So this is a big “thank you” to all our agents for the complex and highly responsible job that you do!
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6 Comments
Thank you for posting this.
you are right, agents get forgotten, unless of course they do anything wrong or upset people.
John Fletcher has been agent for our 2 constituencies since 2011 ( after he retired from a job where he was not allowed to do such); I was an agent for the 1980’s elections, and candidate having to be more or less agent too for 3 elections after that.
Even minimal campaigns have to get everything right legally, and sort out the expenses.
We need to look after our agents in support available more, and start looking for, and supporting ( and I mean far more than training at conferences and training days far away) new agents for the next general election. We are in our mid 70’s now, so this will not be the only local party that needs to be looking for new blood for this exacting and thankless role.
But thank you again for thinking of posting.
Yes every agent deserves our thanks and gratitude.
Not an agent this time, but a candidate, but still conscious that the Electoral Commission deadlines on receipt of invoices, payments and submission of expenses are calculated in calendar days and, as such, take no notice of such fripperies as Christmas and New Year holidays.
Agents are clearly expendible…… Grrrrrrrrrrrr…… Paid agents and organisers get sacked after every election, and this is a great loss to the party.
I think we need to get back to the idea of voluntary organisers in every constituency, with full support from the Region, if not from the centre, so that we start to build up our collective experience and best practice.
Strongly agree with the above comments. I have been agent at 8 parliamentary elections (6 Westminster and 2 Euros) and several local elections, the latter being by far the worse to manage (multiple candidates, some in unwinnable wards who promptly disappear after polling day!).
The party needs to get serious over agents. A proper association, regular training and dare I say it? Yes I will, pay us a fee! Even if it’s just a nominal £50 it’s a reminder to members that we carry a legal responsibility and the potential for a heavy personal fine or even imprisonment if we get it seriously wrong.
Until about 3 years ago, there was a body called the Agents and Organisers Association which supported Agents in a lot of useful ways. It seems to have faded away. (Thinks: Am I still paying them an annual sub by Standing Order?)