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the evidence on negative campaigning
All of the major parties are overwhelmingly negative in their
campaigning. Over 50% more press releases contain something that
attacks the opposing parties than positive campaigning messages.
This analysis is based upon a total of 123 press releases from the web sites of
the Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties (21st
March to 1st April 2005). The data shows the percentage of all
press releases that contained either positive or negative campaigning
messages. Negative campaigning is essentially 'attack' politics: making
adverse statements about your opponents, as opposed to promoting your own
achievements, policies or proposals (positive campaigning).
Consequences of negative campaigning
Although negative campaigning can result in greater media coverage, it
has been shown to depress voter turnout at the polls (Ansolabehere
& Iyengar 1996). With voter turnout having dropped to an all-time
low in the UK at the last General Election, negative campaigning is something
the major parties should be avoiding - or so we might have hoped! 
Data from Richard
Kimber, Political Science Resources, University of Keele.
The extent of the negative campaigning by the major political parties
suggests that they may reduce even further the number of people who bother to
vote in the 2005 General Election.
Links:
Conservatives;
Labour; Liberal
Democrats