A often used technique in political campaigning is to build a fake website, in your opponent's name or something close, and then use it to undermine that opponent. While it is fairly obvious that the website is the creation of the opposition, it always has the veneer of being unofficial and can be denied if pushed. WebCabinet is a dig at the Conservatives, it has the shape of a chat room and in it leading Conservatives are supposedly chatting candidly about the way they are deceiving the public by offering tax cuts (see the pic you get the idea).
The odd thing is that it is actually embedded within Labour's official website with logo and everything and invites visitor to get involved. Now it can be applauded for being an honest attack, but it also links it directly to the party. It can also be seen as somewhat childish, perhaps not something we would want the party of government to produce, so perhaps an own goal. Whatever the verdict, depending on if it gets any airing in the media, it proves that Labour is proving the believe that old adage that the best means of attack is defence is correct, however should a government defend itself by purely by making its case or is this an appropriate weapon in the political campaigner's arsenal? In an age of cynicism it may hit the right chord or it might turn voters away from politics all together as both sides increase their attacks; the academic jury is out.
5 comments:
Would this be as childish as attacking a leader of a party for the jacket he wears.
Or as Vince Cable said "He's less like Stalin more like Mr Bean"
The point is there all a bit like kids, they never lose it from the days of student politics and the ones who don't are usually ones who never were involved.
tried this once already....!
if one political party has a valid argument against the other, it should always be made known to the tax paying public. it is, afterall, what we have every right to know.
There is one real web site where you can vote about the future of the EU: www.FreeEurope.info.
Vote YES or NO to Free Europe Constitution!
I think Matt that, sadly, there are too many childish attacks in politics. I agree with Jack that if a party has a valid argument it shoudl be made public, it is the style of the attack I wonder about. If the boss of Coca-Cola was to put a cartoon on the official website of the Pepsi boss, just for example, urinating in a can they would be sued and rightly so. In politics this does not happen, yet here Labour are suggesting there is somethign underhand and substandard about the Conservative's argument. Now for me they should make a strong case to explain this, not do it in cartoon format. For some this may be appealing and have impact, but I wonder about its appropriateness for a party for government or one aspiring to govern. This is one example of something that happens perhaps too much - or at least I think it happens too much! Do disagree I don't mind!
Perhaps the reason why they treat it all like childs play is becayse it is all one big joke?
There is very little difference between the agendas of the political parties, if they were to ever get serious about the job the public would quickly see that they are nothing but puppets?
The Anonymous blogger has a point bringing Europe into this. More and more power is being taken away from government and being given to NGOs and unelected organisations like the EU. Not only is that undemocratic but it leaves the parties with little to do but take cheap swipes at each other.
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