David Cameron will play Punch and Judy with the Labour leadership today in a hard-hitting message at a pre-election rally in Swindon:
"On Tuesday, we'll have had 10 years of Blair and Brown. On Thursday, you can tell them what you think of their 10 years. Tell them what you think of their NHS cuts. Tell them what you think of their pensions tax and their tax-con Budget. Tell them what you think of the Dome, the dodgy dossiers, the stealth taxes and spin. It's your last chance to vote against Tony Blair. It's your first chance to vote against Gordon Brown."
2.30pm update: PDF of David Cameron's full text.
The problem with this is that it doesn't tell people to vote Tory as well. Or is there some of it missing where he says that?
Posted by: Richard | April 29, 2007 at 09:19
That's just a key extract Richard. It's a proper speech so I'm sure there'll be the 'vote blue and green' etc messages, too.
Posted by: Editor | April 29, 2007 at 09:32
Sounds like a good speech but I thought we were supposed to be moving away from Punch and Judy politics? It's good to see the leadership finally beginning to go for the jugular on this corrupt administration but we musn't lose sight of our focus which is to form a credible alternative government which you can only do through letting people know what your policies are.
Posted by: chrisblore | April 29, 2007 at 09:46
Governments lose elections but oppositions have to do a lot more than we have done so far to win them.
Posted by: David belchamber | April 29, 2007 at 10:13
Good slogan. Cameron knows we all need a bit of punch and judy politics now and then. In spite of what people say about it, it does make politics a bit more exciting.
Posted by: MrB | April 29, 2007 at 11:24
The anti-Labour campaign seems to be effective, but of course it depends on being seen as 'big' enough to win in any particular seat. In Scotland it will mainly be the SNP, in England (and possibly Wales?) it will either be Tory or LibDem.
The comment by Gordon Brown this morning "Look, the only result that matters in the end is when it actually comes to a general election.." elicited the following response on the Scottish Herald website:
"Aye Gordon just you wait till the general election. I will be the first person to every vote Tory in my family. None of my friends and colleagues in England will be voting Labour next time round either. I have always voted Lib Dem since moving to England, but next time I'll be damned if I waste my vote.
To all my fellow Scots, please take the brave step towards a better, fairer, more confident Scotland. VOTE SNP 1, 2, 3"
I think Cameron is very much in tune with the public and it's a great tactic to spoil Gordon's imminent honeymoon period as PM.
Posted by: Giffin | April 29, 2007 at 11:52
So what do we say in a fight with lib Dems?
How about vote Ming get Brown?
Posted by: HF | April 29, 2007 at 12:38
I'm very concerned about the reports that the projected Tory share of the vote this year will be lower than last year's 40%.
Why is this?
Surely, both the polls and Cameron's popularity should mean the Tory projected vote should be higher this year than last.
Posted by: Andy Stidwill | April 29, 2007 at 15:21
I suspect an expectations management game, Andy. Lower than 40% would be very poor for us.
Posted by: Alan S | April 29, 2007 at 15:24