Recently we had a mock
election at my school. There were candidates from all the major parties. Unfortunately the
Labour candidate insisted on running a ridiculous campaign based solely on putting up derogatory posters about the opposition. He refused to discuss his own policies (he actually had none). Many of us took issue with this and confronted him, how were we to know he was following the
Labour party recommended line.
Having spent three weeks mocking the Labour candidate at school for absurd and childish election campaigning I am shocked to see Labour come out and do the same thing.
I have been disappointed by all the advertising from the two main political parties, the Conservatives and Labour, in the run up to the General Election However I am astounded with the low quality of Labour's campaign.
They begun with posters in the style of Film advertising. Generally with the slogans criticising the conservatives and leading Tory figures playing amusing parts.
They then moved on to a truly appalling poster superimposing Margaret Thatcher's hair on William Hague's face. Most depressing is the slogan:
Get out and Vote.
Or they Get In.
My biggest problem with these posters is their utter negativity. I have not seen one poster giving me a good reason to vote Labour, just lots telling me not to vote Conservative. I actually agree with many of the Labour policies but I don't hear them, I just hear how disastrous the Tories would be. I understand that negative campaigning has been part of politics for some time but I feel that this year we have hit an all time low.
Film style poster - http://www.labour.org.uk/lp/new/labour/docs/IMAGES/EDIIMEDIUM.JPG
Thatcher/Hague Poster - http://www.labour.org.uk/lp/new/labour/docs/IMAGES/HAGUEINTHATCHERWIGPOSTER.JPG