Friday, October 05, 2007

Is This the Message the Tories Should be Pushing?



Gordon Brown has a history of ducking out of big decisions, which is all the more ironic when you consider he has had ghosted for him written two books on the theme of courage. In 1978 he failed to challenge George Robertson for the Labour selection in a by election. In 1994 he let Tony Blair walk all over him. For ten years he failed to make Tony Blair stick to his promise to stand down in his favour, culminating in last September's abortive coup.

If Brown ducks out of calling an election on Tuesday are these type of posters (from TheWrongMan.org) the Conservatives should be using, or should they just let the media dump on Gordon and stay out of it themselves? I just so look forward to PMQs on Wednesday.

18 comments:

Mulligan said...

No need to push anything, after Basra cyclops is doing a great job hanging himself.

James Burdett said...

I am never massively in favour of overdoing these type of things. It is not too far from these style of posters to the 'Demon Eyes' kind. I suggest that is not a place we want to return to. Have a sly word in the ear of friendly journalists and play it scrupulously by the book for my money.

Anonymous said...

No, not these. The first is comprehensible only to politicos and even then not much good, the second utterly obvious and feeble.

Also, I can think quite easily of some much meaner pictorial attacks on Cameron, which I won't mention but think that you can imagine.

Nor should the Conservatives sit back and let the press do the job (a suggestion eerily like what they have been doing for most of the past ten years).

Go for the man's *recent* record, within the short memory of the public.

Anonymous said...

Play the ball, not the man.

Anonymous said...

Definitely stay above it and leave it to Littlejohn and Co.

Anonymous said...

Use that rubbish and it will come back and bite,I don't like that trash and I think the public don't like it ,Jonah is doing the job himself,we need more shouting every time Jonah make a mistake not sounds of silence.

Ted Foan said...

These type of "clever" poster ads can backfire and produce an equally strong reaction in favour of Brown amongst some of the general voting public.

Just add them to the galleries and wheel them out in blogposts from time-to-time?

Anonymous said...

Re PMQs;
Two years ago, people were saying Cameron would be murdered by Blair/Brown in the House.
He's shown he's got more bottle and balls than the pair of them.

Fitaloon said...

I always love looking at these type of posters even if they are against the tories. They are fun but nothing else.
Using personal attacks like these as a main plank to get a message across will backfire. Leave them to bloggers to use if they want to make a point, but the Conservatives need to get out the personal message.
Use all the people who made good speeches at the conference and get them out face to face, to argue the case. Get them on TV and Radio and don't turn it personal at this level.
There are few politicians who can do comedy well (apart from Boris of course). They have to be seen out there as serious players.
The slogan and banners etc can be used on this sort of platform but not the wider audience.

Anonymous said...

agreed: GB has a terrible history 4 prevarication. let the press do it and 4 free!

Anonymous said...

He may have a history of ducking big decisions, but he's prime minister. your just a blog writer. It probably doesn't keep him awake at night.

Anonymous said...

Our Great Leader is more than capable of pushing the message. No adverts, no posters. Just Gordon being himself.

Anonymous said...

Well they ain't no "Labour isn't Working" are they?

How about, "Watch out for the Bogeyman"?

Anonymous said...

I don't agree with some of the previous posters. I think these kinds of ads can be subliminally effective. It's just that the two examples are awful.

M. Hristov said...

I think that the point will be made by a furious media. Cameron can throw some fuel on the flames at PMQs but there is a danger that posters, such as these, might pull the media back behind Brown.

Ted Foan said...

I urge you all to look at Fitaloon's site - http://www.microshaft.co.uk/ - this is an up and coming blogger who has great insight. And he lives in Scotland. He needs our support!

Anonymous said...

why not just a picture of a toilet with "flush gordon"?

Anonymous said...

No. The point has been made. Be more subtle. Focus on your policies: get out there explaining and selling them. Let's hear more from the front bench. Let's hear more about how a Conservative government will make things better for us. Put in the boot when you have to but at the same time explain what you would do and why it would be better.