Tories make Brown an issue in the local elections

This Freddie Starr-style leaflet will be distributed to voters at train and tube stations this morning by Tory activists.  The party wants to exploit voter anger at Gordon Brown's pensions raid - particularly amongst older voters (always the most likely to vote).  By deploying these leaflets the Tories will also be able to attach Brown to expected poor results for Labour on May 3rd and so further undermine his leadership credentials.  Click on the image to enlarge.

Comments

[Tapestry]

Picture of Brown here is too flattering. To go with such a headline, his belly should be hanging over the front of his trousers or his mutiple chins sagging over his collar. He looks wrecked in current photos. The one used above gives him 5 years at least. Otherwise brilliant and well presented.

[Praguetory]

I don't like it. I prefer a generic anti-Labour message making a play on May 3rd being a chance to send Blair packing.

[Sally Roberts]

Oh I think this is good! It will attract people's attention and hit home with a strong message.

[comstock]

Good to know you are focusing on local issues.....

[Inamicus]

Why tube stations? There's no elections in London!

[J.Johns]

Keeping up the pressure on Gordon means letting someone else into the Labour leadership seat.Who,exactly,would we prefer as the next Labour leader?I can think of nobody at the moment with as many chinks in their armour as Gordon.Better the devil you know,springs to mind.

[Simon Chapman]

Inamicus,

People outside London do take the tube you know. They visit London, work in London...

[HF]

As these leaflets are aimed at voters in the South, why do they not go after the Lib Dems association with Labour?

Are there several thousand Labour council seats in the South?

[Chris]

We haven't received any of these in Southampton, and we're one of the few places left in the south with a lot of Labour councillors...

[Opinicus]

Modern campaigning is done nationally not locally. There are probably only a couple of thousand leaflets and 10 activists. Several million will see the leaflet when it is taken up in the national press tomorrow morning as a news story.

[Chris]

"Modern campaigning is done nationally not locally. There are probably only a couple of thousand leaflets and 10 activists. Several million will see the leaflet when it is taken up in the national press tomorrow morning as a news story."

You can't guarantee that this will make it to the papers though, there is always a chance that there won't be room for it. So far tommorow's papers will be covered with the rise in inflation, Brown no-confidence vote and follow up stories to the virginia shootings.

Considering that we'll have paid someone some silly amount of money to design this, it just strikes me as odd that none of us in CF were even offered the opportunity to hand some out.

[Yet Another Anon]

I prefer a generic anti-Labour message making a play on May 3rd being a chance to send Blair packing.
Tony Blair is going anyway and probably nothing that happens now will make any difference to when he is going, the opposition can try and claim they pushed him out but the story will still be that he was PM for 10 years, unless Labour were to get less than 25% of the vote in the Local Elections and end up in opposition in both the Welsh Assembly and Scottish Parliament he would be largely unaffected, and then even if he is affected, any blame he takes probably goes with him and isn't left on the people in Labour picking up the pieces.

[Andrew Young]

THAT LEAFLET AVAILABLE TO BUY FROM CONCEPT AS OF TODAY - www.TPFgroup.co.uk/Concept

[michael.mcgough]

With up to ten years of cumulative pension shortfall caused by fiscal drag artist Brown ,voters might be inclined to ask,WHY NOW ,and WHAT is Osborne proposing to do about it?
It is all very well sharing the proceeds of economic growth but I dislike sharing my pension pot growth!

[Richard]

"Good to know you are focusing on local issues....."

We are, this is just a bonus extra.

[Brenda]

Do you think this is one of the reasons that Mr. Cameron has invited the "Governator" over? To help Mr. Blair sort out his problems?

Well, this blog needs a little humour from time to time!

[Peter Hatchet]

Anyone have any predictions for what might happen in Southampton?

It's pretty much "even steven" right now with all parties on 16 councillors each, correct?

Any chance of a Conservative minority administration?

[Peter Hatchet]

Actually, I'll answer my own question!

Just had a look at the 2004 results, there's only 4 or 5 Labour councillors up for relection this year.

Maybe the chance of 3 or 4 gains at most??

NOC with Conservatives largest party a distinct possibility. But I wouldn't but it past the Liberals to team up with Labour to keep us out.

Anyone know how Southampton has been run since last year?

[Chris]

Peter, I'm a first year at Southampton, and recently joined the CF committee here. We've spent the past year assisting Neil Fitzgerald in Coxford ward in his fight against an incumbent Lib Dem. At first I thought it was a long shot, but Neil has been beating the Lib Dems at their own game, with a focus on local issues, such as saving the local swimming pool. In the end I'm still a bit sceptical, but neil should at the very least be able to significantly reduce the Lib Dem majority in the ward.

I know that a lot of people are unhappy with the Lib Dem administration which was installed by Labour last year. More schools seem set to close, taxes are set to rise and yet more services are being cut (2 week bin collection is here now).

[Chris]

Oh, and there is a by-election in Millbrook ward due as well, which is being fought by the Tory who failed to win Basset last year, when it should have in all honesty been a safe Tory seat.

[Nasty Tories]

What a nasty negative campaign.

I suppose that is what happens when you have no policies to sell. It is not even as if the ad proposes a solution to the pension mess! Awful. Unnecessary. Nasty.

[Richard]

"I suppose that is what happens when you have no policies to sell. It is not even as if the ad proposes a solution to the pension mess! Awful. Unnecessary. Nasty."

And we're going to win, haha!

[Richard Carey]

I suppose that is what happens when you have no policies to sell. It is not even as if the ad proposes a solution to the pension mess! Awful. Unnecessary. Nasty.

Don't worry - your man Brown won't have to take it, I'm sure. After all, he's never been anywhere to be found in critical moments for the Government or for the country before, and so I don't imagine he'll start with standing up and being counted when we give his Labour colleagues in local government a hammering in May.

Brown's Labour - never there by your side, always there on your back...

[Mark Fulford]

"It is not even as if the ad proposes a solution to the pension mess!"

At least you admit it is a mess... Gordon seems to think that everything is fine.

[artyfartblast]

"distributed to voters at train and tube stations this morning by Tory activists" Those weren't activists - they were paid media people - welcome to the future of state subsidised political parties who have no members, just taxpayers giving them the dosh to keep going.