Voting Reform

[Mao Cap]

Hmm, it is the world we live in now, but wasn't it Mandelson and Alistair Campbell that ratcheted up the spin when compared to previous governments (of either persuasion) and almost made it an art form.

 

New Labour changed the rules....

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/1841213.stm

http://www.spinwatch.org.uk/blogs-mainmenu-29/nicholas-jones-mainmenu-85/5276-the-rise-and-fall-of-the-spin-doctor

 

Live by the sword, die by the sword (and all that)

 

As for Cameron, he himself was a former Spin Doctor and so he is the re-incarnation of Blair-Campbell-Mandelson all rolled into one.

 

I don't think a great deal has changed except the methods. Spin doctoring is still only the "selective" presentation of facts to make your party appear to have the right ideas, which is as old as politics and used by all shades of politician.

 

New Labour's obsession with focus groups and bandwagon-jumping (rather than political principle) itself came from the lessons of the 1980s, when the slick campaigns that the Conservatives run with the aid of Saatchi & Saatchi were far more convincing than their own old-fashioned amateurish efforts. If anything, "spin" organisations like the Policy Exchange and Taxpayers' Alliance have in recent years given the right a marked advantage in this area. I imagine in a decade or so it'll swing back the other way.

[sotonjoe]

meh ...

[Johnny Bognor]

I don't think a great deal has changed except the methods. Spin doctoring is still only the "selective" presentation of facts to make your party appear to have the right ideas, which is as old as politics and used by all shades of politician..

 

Yes, makes sense.

 

New Labour's obsession with focus groups and bandwagon-jumping (rather than political principle) itself came from the lessons of the 1980s, when the slick campaigns that the Conservatives run with the aid of Saatchi & Saatchi were far more convincing than their own old-fashioned amateurish efforts.

 

The difference being that the tories paid for Saatchi during their election campaigns, whilst the taxpayers funded Campbell and Co during a political term. A subtle difference, but an important one nonetheless. With Cameron, the tories have now taken it one step further, by cutting out the middle man and putting a spin doctor straight in at No 10. I suppose it helps to cut the budget deficit.

 

If anything, "spin" organisations like the Policy Exchange and Taxpayers' Alliance have in recent years given the right a marked advantage in this area. I imagine in a decade or so it'll swing back the other way.

 

Didn't the Socialist Worker give the left an advantage in the 70's and 80's?

I even bought a copy myself on the way to the Dell once because I thought it looked well-hard. Binned it on the way home and read my copy of the Ugly Inside instead.

 

The left still have a substantial foothold in the media. A significant part of the Guardian's advertising revenue comes from Public Sector recruitment advertising, so it is in effect a left leaning Government subsidised newspaper. That in itself is as distasteful as the oh-so-evil-murdoch empire.

[bridge too far]

 

............................

 

The left still have a substantial foothold in the media. A significant part of the Guardian's advertising revenue comes from Public Sector recruitment advertising, so it is in effect a left leaning Government subsidised newspaper. That in itself is as distasteful as the oh-so-evil-murdoch empire.

 

Even though the majority of local authorities are conserative controlled these days?

 

The reason the Guardian gets a lot of public sector recruitment advertising is probably the same reason that bastion of the left wing, the Times, gets a lot of (public sector) teaching recruitment advertising.

 

Because they're known for it and that's where likely recruits look.

 

Had you read the Guardian today you would have seen that it is critical of the government on a number of counts.

[Gemmel]

Back to the OP

 

I'm still waiting for my "vote" on the European constitution

 

You and me both

[Rattlehead]

I don't think the general public should be allowed a say on such things as the European constitution, mainly because most will be too thick to make an informed and rational decision.

 

Of course, why anybody ever said there would be a vote on the subject is another matter all together.