94:, co-ordinating support in marginal constituencies. Vote-OK head office consists of half a dozen people supporting Vote-OK Directors allocated to target constituencies. Liaising closely with the local candidate, the Directors role is to organise volunteers in the most effective way. Vote-OK is independent and are working with Conservative, Liberal Democrat and
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Vote-OK came into being in 2005 through the efforts of
Gloucestershire farmer Charles James Mann, his wife Carole (nickname 'Chipps'), and Jeremy Sweeney, a former lobbyist. Charles Mann, a longstanding pro-hunt campaigner and Beacon Co-ordinator during the
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The group stands as a single issue lobby group and is a
Registered Recognised Third Party, one of only 11 in the country. Its main aim is to galvanise and organise more people to get involved in
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in August 2019 to take up a ministerial role in the
Cabinet Office, confirm that there are no current links between the two campaigning organisations.
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Vote-OK's rural origins as a campaign solely to repeal the
Hunting Act are not emphasised, on the basis that it is not considered a 'vote winner'. As
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where the sitting MP supported a ban in order to bring about a government that will repeal the
Hunting Act. This usually means supporting the
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had pledged to give a free vote on repealing the
Hunting Act if he won, but within the coalition that won this was not possible.
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109:... We've got to go into these constituencies campaigning on health, education, crime." Both Charles Mann and Simon Hart, who
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contested in the election). After the election the group claimed to have helped defeat 29 MPs as well as reducing the
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stage of the election. They became involved in telephone canvassing, leafleting and other activities as required.
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between 1997 and 2005 but was required to step down because of legislation regarding electoral campaigning.
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177:. It is difficult, however, to separate out such local swings from the national swing in the election.
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294:"Fox-hunting lobbyists fronted by Otis Ferry target backing of Tory candidates in stealth campaign"
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Vote-OK stated it had helped more than 30 pro-hunt MPs win or keep seats. Conservative leader
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374:"General Election 2015: Pro-hunt volunteers delivering leaflets for Alex Chalk in Cheltenham"
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of 21 anti-hunting MPs to under 3%, although anti-hunt groups such as
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candidate. They did not focus efforts in campaigning against the
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It would be much cleverer if we never mentioned hunting at all
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which were active on the topic of hunting animals during the
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Vote-OK is a group of active campaigners which includes
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who they have claimed to have helped defeat include
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stepped down as
Chairman of the Countryside Alliance
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263:Duncan Campbell and David Hencke (30 April 2005).
169:, the minister in charge of handling the ban, and
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265:"Hunt lobby in covert bid to oust Labour MPs"
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121:They targeted 139 seats (out of a total of
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202:reported that they believed candidates
46:Liberty and Livelihood campaign marches
349:"Hunt backers claim scalps of 29 MPs"
241:Pressure groups in the United Kingdom
133:dismissed this claim as "ludicrous".
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432:2015 United Kingdom general election
427:2010 United Kingdom general election
422:2005 United Kingdom general election
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48:, ran the Action Office for the
218:) accepted help from Vote-OK.
163:Parliamentary Private Secretary
38:2015 general election campaigns
380:. 6 April 2015. Archived from
347:Duncan Campbell (9 May 2005).
226:) received help from Vote-OK.
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63:who voted in favour of the
16:UK political activist group
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292:Tom Bawden (22 May 2015).
79:itself but provided extra
208:Ealing Central and Acton
59:in order to defeat any
193:2015 general election
181:2010 general election
135:Members of Parliament
131:Save Our Wild Animals
117:2005 general election
61:Members of Parliament
57:political campaigning
378:Gloucestershire Echo
326:Western Morning News
236:Countryside Alliance
50:Countryside Alliance
26:political activists
73:Conservative Party
384:on 14 August 2015
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407:Official website
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77:fox hunting ban
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328:. 5 April 2015
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386:. Retrieved
382:the original
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353:The Guardian
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330:. Retrieved
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301:. Retrieved
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272:. Retrieved
269:The Guardian
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175:Peterborough
173:(Labour) of
167:Alun Michael
161:who was the
139:David Rendel
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98:Candidates.
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69:constituency
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388:16 November
212:Ben Howlett
171:Helen Clark
96:Plaid Cymru
85:campaigning
83:during the
416:Categories
247:References
224:Cheltenham
220:Alex Chalk
204:Angie Bray
159:The Wrekin
127:majorities
103:Simon Hart
81:volunteers
105:put it, "
230:See also
147:Newbury
22:Vote-OK
358:22 May
332:22 May
303:22 May
274:22 May
210:) and
155:Labour
157:) of
145:) of
390:2018
360:2015
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36:and
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30:2005
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