Labour's campaign in Crewe and Nantwich has been widely criticised, not just for labelling the Conservative candidate, now MP, a Toff; but also for blowing the dog whistle and raising immigration issues. Cameron's response, emailed out on the Conservative's e-newsletter condemns the tactics and makes the following comment "Their campaign didn’t tell us much about the Conservative Party – but it told us a lot about the Labour Party. It was backward-looking, divisive and xenophobic. In many ways, it was the end of New Labour." What he suggests, and perhaps something he will return to and promote as a theme of his attacks will be the collapse of the New Labour project, one that is perceived to have lost its way under Brown. If the idea has not already gained currency it could be a potent message in the run up to the next General Election. It could be a powerful dog-whistle for the Conservatives that has a significant effect on Middle England voters who seek vision as well as managerialism.
2 comments:
Pretty disgraceful really, not sure what background this campaign team had but it seemed terribly naive in pushing class to the forefront espically after Labour had basically done it's best to disregard the lower class by clambering on middle class ideas.
Can any party claim class anyone, with such a dealignment.
It seems Labour claim class when it suits, the problems the fail to see with this is that (a) few see themselves as belonging to one social class or think in class terms, (b) Labour are no longer seen as a working class party, and have not been for a long time in reality, (c) how Tamsin thought she could sell the class issue in a climate when Labour were criticised for hurting the poorest beggars belief, I probably could go on!
Cheers Matt!!
Darren
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