David Cameron has just launched this long poster - it will appear across the country (sorry it's split in two halves but my iPhone lacks a wide lens!):
The message at the bottom of the poster is: Labour's debt crisis: Every child in Britain is born owing £17,000. They deserve better.
Tim Montgomerie
11.30am: Associated video:
Absolutely excellent
Posted by: GS | January 12, 2009 at 11:49
Very powerful. Well done to whoever conceived this!
Posted by: Mark Fulford | January 12, 2009 at 11:55
I hope that there are also posters of the same kind coming out directed at young people who are (or soon will be) paying and voting at the next election
Posted by: Mrs Campbell | January 12, 2009 at 11:58
Why is a four-week-old baby being bottle fed? It is pretty stupid. Of course a breast-feeding baby might distract from the message, but there is plenty of other imagery they could use.
BAD message.
Posted by: matthew | January 12, 2009 at 12:02
Why is the baby being bottle fed? This sends out all the wrong messages.
Posted by: matthew | January 12, 2009 at 12:04
matthew said: "Why is the baby being bottle fed? This sends out all the wrong messages"
Amazingly, many babies are bottle feed from birth and they survive. Weird huh?
For goodness sake, get a grip. "Breast is best" but bottled milk is not a death sentence.
Posted by: Hawkeye | January 12, 2009 at 12:11
'Amazingly, many babies are bottle feed from birth and they survive. Weird huh?'
It's not weird, it is however conclusively that breast feeding is better for babies.
You would think that the Conservative Party would send out positive messages, not reinforce the numerous influences encouraging people to bottle feed. Levels of breast feeding are low enough already in this country.
Posted by: matthew | January 12, 2009 at 12:18
Yeah, because when I see an advert telling me that my children are born £17,000 in debt, the message I'm going to take away is 'don't breastfeed'.
Posted by: Ash Faulkner | January 12, 2009 at 12:29
The Tories. Why bottle-feed when you can have the real thing?
Posted by: resident leftie | January 12, 2009 at 12:30
I like the debt one, very powerfull, but not the bottle one.
I'd like to see posters like how America did the drug ads!
You know!
This is you're brain on cocaine!
Instead it could be.
(Shows an empty wallet) This is your wallet under Labour.
Do the Tories ask us grunts for advert ideas?
Posted by: T. England | January 12, 2009 at 12:39
A google search for the name of the new conservative ad campaign brings up a weird result....
http://chelsea-sw3-girl.blogspot.com/2009/01/new-conservative-campaign-googles-death.html
Posted by: ChelseaSW3Girl | January 12, 2009 at 12:40
Well it could be water I suppose...
A pity to cloud an otherwise excellent ad.
Posted by: jennywren | January 12, 2009 at 12:40
Pump it out and save it for later (in a bottle). It's called freedom of expression.
Labour's cradle to the grave robbery: You now pay for the privilege of being born as well as already being taxed senseless for the luxury of dying.
Can you tax the after-life? If I turn up in heaven and some blinking ghosty Scotsman pops up and demands some sort of ectoplasm tax I shall be most dischuffed.
Posted by: Pulvertaft | January 12, 2009 at 12:41
Resident leftie said: "Why bottle-feed when you can have the real thing?"
If you mean that Labour Gordon and Alastair are a pair of t*ts then for once I agree with you.
Posted by: Hawkeye | January 12, 2009 at 12:41
There may be a small fuss about the bottle-feeding "message", but I suspect a baby on the boob on a Conservative poster would have caused much more controversy, silly or not.
Posted by: Steve Tierney | January 12, 2009 at 12:42
Fantastic. As for "breast is best" the chavs can't be bothered, too much effort.
A terrific message; true, succinct and very hard hitting. Well done. As for the stupid criticisms, b****r off. This is real, angry, fighting stuff. Labour will be apoleptic with rage!
Posted by: m dowding | January 12, 2009 at 12:43
What is the basis for £17,000 per child?
The governments 45% of GDP works out at around £10,000 per child, but when you add in PFI, N Rail, bank support and public sector pensions and a bit more, I get a figure around £2.4 trillion, or £40,000 per child.
Posted by: Mark Williams | January 12, 2009 at 12:45
Oh come on - focus on the fact that they're campaiging on debt not on the milk thing.
Posted by: focus on the issue | January 12, 2009 at 12:46
Its time to worry when your baby has Gordon Browns eyes and nose and mum and dads debt.
Posted by: tom keys | January 12, 2009 at 12:49
The milk issue didn't even occur to me until some strange obsessive people mentioned it on here.
Posted by: RichardJ | January 12, 2009 at 12:50
Maybe in view of the leader a silver spoon would have been more appropriate?
Posted by: Ray Breach | January 12, 2009 at 12:52
Excellent stuff.
Perhaps we could follow it up with adverts showing young people (18-30) facing life with student debt, higher taxes and the prospect of having to pay more because of Brown's debt.
Posted by: Cleethorpes Rock | January 12, 2009 at 12:58
BIG HAT TIP TO GUIDO FAWKES order.order.com for this little beaut!
Read and enjoy
McNulty Slams Brown's "Desperate" Golden Hello Jobs Plans
Gordon Brown's Job Summit at the Science Museum in London will announce plans to pay employers "golden hellos" of up to £2,500 for recruiting jobless people. What does the DWP's Jobs Minister, Tony McNulty, say about the plan?
Press release
Tuesday 11 November 2008
For immediate use
Tories making headlines on the hoof - McNulty
Tony McNulty MP, Labour's Employment Minister, responding to the Tory announcement on unemployment said: "This is desperate stuff from the Tories, who continue to scrabble around trying to find a coherent economic policy.
"There is no way they can get 350,000 new jobs out of these proposals. There are too many restrictions being applied, the incentive is too small and many of these 'new' jobs will simply displace other people seeking work.
"In addition, the Conservatives just cannot pay for this tax cut - it is misleading of Cameron to say he can pay for getting the short-term unemployed back into work by using figures of savings you would make from the long-term unemployed.
"Osborne's judgment is wrong yet again. They are making headlines on the hoof and they will be found out. "They need to make their sums add up - particularly at such a difficult time for the global economy."
ENDS
Editor's notes:
1. Their figures on how many jobs would be created are complete fantasy. The Tory plan assumes that an employer would create a new job for someone unemployed for more than a year for just £2500. The Tories have failed to take account of the displacement of workers who would have gotten jobs anyway. Currently 60% of people come off job seekers allowance within three months - this number would drop dramatically under Conservative proposals as employers would be incentivised to overlook people who have been out of work for 13 weeks or less.
The sharper among you will point out that this is a Tory plan he is criticising as a "complete fantasy" and "desperate stuff". So what will McNulty say about the plan now the government has lifted it lock, stock and barrel? McNulty's Shadow, Chris Grayling, welcomed the chance to implement his policy by proxy "I think it is the right step to take. But it is ironic ministers are walking around saying the Conservatives are a do nothing party, then adopting our policies." Ouch!
Posted by: A massive U Turn by Brown leaves McNultly without a paddle | January 12, 2009 at 13:02
apologies and hat tip Bloomberg originators for McNulty info
Posted by: Bloomberg as well | January 12, 2009 at 13:05
I think this is great. I hope it will prove to be very successful.
Posted by: Andrew S | January 12, 2009 at 13:10
I don't think we should sound too triumphilist over this U-turn. By saying we proposed it in the first place, and that we've been calling for it for ages, we look like we're the ones with the big ideas. Similarly, when Brown FINALLY goes for the loan guarantee scheme, we can say the same.
Saying "We proposed the idea, but we're big enough to support you because the important thing is that it happens, not who thought of it first." makes us look far better and neutralises the "do nothing" line.
Posted by: Cleethorpes Rock | January 12, 2009 at 13:22
Posted by: Hawkeye | January 12, 2009 at 12:41
Resident leftie said: "Why bottle-feed when you can have the real thing?"
If you mean that Labour Gordon and Alastair are a pair of t*ts then for once I agree with you.
Touché!
Posted by: resident leftie | January 12, 2009 at 13:24
Is it Mandleson and Osbournes baby? i'm sure uncle Rothschild and uncle Deripaska will pay its debt?.Fiat currency was invented for the sole purpose of enslaving us forever,Labour or Conservative matters not: NEW WORLD ORDER- here we come, like lambs to the slaughter mark my words.
Posted by: planning for a crash | January 12, 2009 at 13:24
http://www.citywire.co.uk/personal/-/news/money-property-and-tax/content.aspx?ID=325787&re=4505&ea=200169&Page=1
City wire sums up Gordons latest wheeze on buying jobs for £2500
Posted by: Citywire Express said | January 12, 2009 at 13:33
"Fiat currency was invented for the sole purpose of enslaving us forever,Labour or Conservative matters not: NEW WORLD ORDER- here we come, like lambs to the slaughter mark my words."
Oh no, don't tell me the NWO conspiracy brigade have landed here.
Posted by: RichardJ | January 12, 2009 at 13:35
Cleethorpes rock
Absolutely and I agree.
I was just making it known that the supposed do nothing party are not. Bit like the Inheriatnce tax etc etc.
By the way read in the paper this morning that Assistance is to be targetted at buiness with problems and not an overall loan guarantee scheme. Wonder how long that will last?
Bank printing money now but of course due to changes the government made in the banking bill they are hiding the fact.
See Redwoods blog
Posted by: A massive U Turn by Brown leaves McNultly without a paddle | January 12, 2009 at 13:38
Very powerful stuff - I expect We'll be seeing a lot of very nasty lies coming out of the labour camp after this attack - Let's go check labourlost :)
Of course breast is better, but I think there's symbolism in the bottle feeding of labour there.
Posted by: Norm Brainer | January 12, 2009 at 13:52
A word of Warning:
You may have heard of Derek Draper's new Labour List website, part of New Labour's plans to counter the Conservative message online.
What you may not know is that much of the counter-attack is done by carrying out anonymous, low-level sabotage.
Among other things, this includes Rapid Rebuttal Activity. This is done by subscribing to Conservative Blog Feeds which means that Labour gets an instant notification once Conservative Home has a new post and they have time to leave a negative/distracting comment right at the top of the thread mostl ikely before any of the regular readers. These inital comments then distort any follow-up conversation, will cause in-fighting and off-topic debates which will hopefully provide rich pickings about hostility among grassroots members to our campaign to the Mainstream Media, especially the BBC and the Guardaian.
I suspect they have managed to do this on this thread by turning it into a discussion on breast feeding and "silver spoons".
There will be a few lemmings who will aid Labour in destablizing us, but I hope most people will take heed and not get drawn into this nonsense.
Posted by: Knowledgeable Insider | January 12, 2009 at 13:52
I hope the inheritance tax pledge will not be dropped if we win the next election..?
Posted by: Andrew S | January 12, 2009 at 13:52
Please note that my comment above is not in any way related to the "Word of Warning" comment above that, it looks like it fits nicely to the theme of that but it was really not my intention!!
Posted by: Andrew S | January 12, 2009 at 13:56
I don't think it's that hard hitting. What is the message? That a baby is born in debt and has to pay that off? That a baby will have to pay more in taxes under Labour? It's not clear enough i'm afraid.
A poster campaign has to be simple and effective. The baby imagery is good but the message is not clear so 5/10 from me...
Posted by: Dan | January 12, 2009 at 13:57
Come to think of it we should just put out the 'Labour Isn't Working' poster again. Everything still applies....
Posted by: Dan | January 12, 2009 at 14:00
ARE YOUR SAVINGS SAFE?
http://www.moneyweek.com/news-and-charts/economics/punishing-savers-is-no-way-to-help-the-economy-14429.aspx
Posted by: The building society | January 12, 2009 at 14:05
I think the message is coming through well. On the radio bulletins I heard, the posters and video are explained clearly:
"Dad's nose, Mum's eyes, Gordon Brown's debt.
Each baby born today enters the world with £17,000 of Labour debt."
In describing the campaign, the MSM are helping spread the message.
Posted by: Cleethorpes Rock | January 12, 2009 at 14:07
Come to think of it we should just put out the 'Labour Isn't Working' poster again. Everything still applies....
Posted by: Dan | January 12, 2009 at 14:00
We should get millions posted because lets face it the child in the poster above will also be able to use it when finally (if ever) Zanulabour do get back in power.
Just call it investing in the future. No ...Wrong.. I have a great title for it:
"Building tomorrow today"
Bet no ones thought of that before or err maybe they have??
Posted by: Building tomorrow today | January 12, 2009 at 14:08
Powerful add. As a mum the fact my children are now in debt has been a worry of mine as well as the fact that their savings accounts are now doing little for their futures. And things don't look to be getting better anytime soon. I'm a bit shocked to see the breastfeeding/bottlefeeding arguement in these comments. While I did breastfeed all of my children it didn't cross my mind that the Conservatives were sending a sub-message against breastfeeding until it was pointed out. If we wait for a campaign that will make every single person happy we may be waiting for a very long time.
Posted by: meli | January 12, 2009 at 14:19
"Very powerful. Well done to whoever _conceived_ this!"
boom-tish!
Posted by: Stefan | January 12, 2009 at 14:29
"While I did breastfeed all of my children it didn't cross my mind that the Conservatives were sending a sub-message against breastfeeding until it was pointed out"
I really don't think they are...It's just not all that nice seeing people breastfeed. A breast has no place in a party political message!
Posted by: Andrew S | January 12, 2009 at 14:33
No one understands the concept of Government debt and no one will understand how a child can be born "owing money" so this is a complete waste of time. As a simple test, turn to the person nearest to you and explain to them in less than 15 seconds how and why a child owes £17,000 and why this is bad.
Posted by: Tory | January 12, 2009 at 14:34
Gorgeous little baby! Powerful ad! Well done.
Posted by: Sally Roberts | January 12, 2009 at 14:36
As a simple test, turn to the person nearest to you and explain to them in less than 15 seconds how and why a child owes £17,000 and why this is bad.
Easy - It may not be factually correct, but you say "Remember that £10k loan that you struggled to pay off all those years and the sacrifices you had to make to do that - Brown has decided for you that your yet-to-be-born child has to go through worse"
As someone on the youtube comments say - the bottle could contain breastmilk, but I agree that this is the low level disruption that "Knowledgeable Insider" does speak.
It's a bottle full of labour lies.
Posted by: Norm Brainer | January 12, 2009 at 14:41
It's about time too !
Now do one for Tony Blair's legacy to Britain too.
Focus it on the Lisbon Treaty if you'd be so kind as I haven't the money to pay for all this advertising.
Cheers.
Posted by: rugfish | January 12, 2009 at 14:48
A newly born Labour baby happens every 4 minutes and is so sweet.
Education - Education - Education.
Yeah right.
Posted by: rugfish | January 12, 2009 at 14:50
Not if you are a single mum, it doesn't.
Posted by: griswold | January 12, 2009 at 15:23
Tony @14:34
The concepts of indentured Labour and slavery are still easily recalled, and that is the environment Labour is providing for the new generations: "Pay off our mistakes before you you enjoy the fruits of your endeavours."
Posted by: snegchui | January 12, 2009 at 15:28
We won't be an independent state in the very near future, so more accurately the poster should explain that we will be picking up a large share of the collective debts, unfunded pensions, and the like, of the European Union (Bulgarian, Romania, Ireland, Lithuania, Poland, etc., etc.)
Posted by: Peter | January 12, 2009 at 15:44
Well said resident leftie:
"The Tories. Why bottle-feed when you can have the real thing?"
and also Haweye's response:
"If you mean that Labour Gordon and Alastair are a pair of t*ts then for once I agree with you".
I am glad that humour prevails; it reminds me of a poster campaign in France many years ago when they were trying to encourage more breast feeding. There was a picture of a delectable French mum breast feeding with the strapline:
"sous emballage plus attrayant" or "in more attractive wrapping".
Posted by: David Belchamber | January 12, 2009 at 15:48
Interesting that I am regarded as a spy because of my comment re: silver spoons.I would have had no criticism of,for example,the late Alan Clark,surely no better example of a toff.Just that Cameron wants to be all things to all men.It worked once for Blair, it won't work again.Start taking bets on Dave's successor?
Posted by: Ray Breach | January 12, 2009 at 15:49
If I was that baby and knew what I know now they'd have to use forceps to get me out.
I wouldn't be surprised to hear Gordon Brown's new economic policy includes an extention to the term of pregnancy to 18 months as it's about the only thing he hasn't seen fit to muddle up yet.
Posted by: rugfish | January 12, 2009 at 16:05
What?
The complaint of the Labour trolls today is that there's no breastfeeding in the poster?!
Stop making a tit of yourselves.
Posted by: Casino Royale | January 12, 2009 at 16:45
Very good work!
Posted by: Raj | January 12, 2009 at 20:22
Make sure you all get this on your association websites.
The message is simple. Labour like to refer to "Global Financial Turbulence". We need to say "The Debt Crisis".
Whenever any of our people get in the media, they need to refer to "The Debt Crisis", "Labour's Debt Crisis", "Brown's Debt Crisis" etc.
This not only frames the problem facing the country in the context of what people are experiencing iin their everyday lives, but also gets us to buy into the idea of spending restraint, government living within its means, cutting our cloth accordingly and all the other good buzzphrases we need to be using.
Posted by: Cleethorpes Rock | January 12, 2009 at 21:32
Ultimately if a child is born with debt at all, it's the parents fault for not living within their means, rather than the government. End of tbh.
Posted by: Gavin Earnshaw | January 12, 2009 at 22:01
Very good poster and video.
Knowledgeable Insider's comment @ 13.52 is interesting, and would explain why recently ?Jack Stone? has been springing up, if not at the top of the comments, then as near as possible.
Posted by: Patsy Sergeant | January 12, 2009 at 22:19
Whilst i would agree that i always prefer breast to a bottle! if the worst people can come up with is that she is not breast feeding i think you can say you have done a good job. it is a hard hitting clear message and will hit home well done cchq best ad ina few years.
Posted by: Onthejob | January 13, 2009 at 08:36
I'm really surprised some Tories are so anti bottle feeding and into the New Labour 'breast is best' propaganda. I've just uncovered an EU/Dept of Health scandal that forces people to pay excessive prices for formula baby milk:
http://cobdenscomments.blogspot.com/2009/01/eu-to-blame-for-excessive-cost-of-baby.html
Posted by: Cobden | January 13, 2009 at 21:46
It's wonderful that you have found what you perceive to be an EU conspiracy to rip us all off (well, not all - my wife breast fed), by forbidding promotions on breast milk, however, if you thought about it a bit more you'd realise that 1/3 off baby milk one week has to be paid for in higher prices all the rest of the time.
'Breast is best' has got absolutely nothing to do with New Labour, and everything to do with the obvious fact, scientifically proven beyond all doubt, that we produce better milk for our young than a cow does.
In addition, the prohibition of baby milk discounting was first implemented by a CONSERVATIVE government, via the Infant Formula and Follow-on Formula Regulations (1995), and in accordance with the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes, adopted in1 982.
Posted by: matthew | January 15, 2009 at 00:15
Reflect Who,extent research challenge sexual assess seriously representative fairly miss component variation library control dead confidence line start tradition press contrast adult right could no variety without feeling capacity corner analysis past effect secretary individual test commission only player with mind where size above star elsewhere nobody hope gain allow outside individual smile quick state programme operate tooth vote figure black potential match may division rather lady pleasure computer restaurant afraid half aspect air could single wonder wish medical high atmosphere point difficulty sound plan important wife enterprise
Posted by: Hotdistinction | January 02, 2010 at 00:35
A friend of mine just emailed me one of your articles from a while back. yours truly read that one a few more.
Posted by: charts in excel | July 13, 2010 at 04:58