Palatinate Elections: Election Blog Day 4

Originally published  online in Palatinate Elections here:

http://www.palatinate.org.uk/blogs/palatinate-election-2010-blog-day-four-twitter-claims-first-election-scalp/

As if the media weren’t revelling enough in the catty exchanges between politicians, the controversies of this election are already picking up speed. Both Labour and the Conservatives have gaffes to add to what will undoubtedly soon be long lists, though economic policy and law and order have mostly been the order of the day.

Labour have been busy, with Gordon Brown starting off his day in Stevenage talking tough on crime (tough on the causes of crime?). With the mother and sister of murder victim Sally-Ann Bowman among those present, he paid tribute to their campaign for justice while arguing in favour of the government’s plans to retain DNA evidence on the national database for six years. Although he asserted that it was the national database which allowed Bowman’s killer to be found, the Conservatives insisted that their plan to retain data for three years would have had the same effect.

However, trouble brewed north of the border with the first of Labour’s electoral casualties- their candidate in the Scottish constituency of Moray, Stuart MacLennan, following revelations about the content of his Twitter feeds, which used offensive language and personal attacks on politicians including David Cameron. MacLennan was initially supported, then sacked just hours later.

Senior figures, including Mr Brown, condemned him quickly and tried to move on, but criticism continued to come in from the other major parties. Both Conservative and Lib Dem figures asked why no-one had picked up on the offensive posts earlier and why it had taken so long for MacLennan to be sacked, when the issue behind tomorrow.


The other memorable gaffe of the day came from the blue corner of the political ring, with who else but Cameron’s illustrious fellow cyclist Boris Johnson. On a visit alongside Cameron to Chelsea Pensioners’ Club, where the leader again mentioned his proposal for a voluntary National Citizens’ Service, BoJo told the press that “it should be compulsory”. When questioned, he qualified himself by saying it should be as compulsory as possible “without cheesing people off”. Boris, we salute you.


Other, albeit less entertaining, events in the Conservative camp occurred in another jet-setting day which saw Cameron campaigning in both London and Aberdeen. Plans were announced to remove benefits from persistent cheats for 3 years, drawing concern from Child Poverty Action Group who suggested that all parties work harder to ensure that the right people claim the benefits to which they are entitled.


There were plenty of other economic arguments flying around. Public sector job losses were at the forefront, with the Conservative plans for efficiency savings in particular raising questions about whether compulsory redundancies would be necessary as well as closing open positions.


In addition, apparently having missed the invention of email, Alistair Darling and George Osborne spent the day exchanging letters criticising each other’s plans. The Chancellor demanded that Osborne explain how efficiency savings could save over £30bn of public money; Osborne in turn demanded Darling publish internal documents which indicated the implications of the NI hike.


Of course, the row over National Insurance rolls on. 54 Scottish businessmen signed an open letter endorsing the Conservative position on the planned increase today, while Labour can now boast two Dragons under their belt: following James Caan, Duncan Bannatyne reiterated his staunch support for the government on the matter via (where else?) Twitter, where he said that the rise would cost his company no jobs whatsoever.


Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats were busy in Cardiff this morning, where Nick Clegg shared tea in a sheltered housing complex with pensioners who, perhaps slightly awkwardly, didn’t know much about him, but won a little favour when he asked one resident whether her recent birthday was her 45th. Get your coat, Nick.


But, before he had chance to enjoy his new found friendship, he was on his way to Solihull and rubbishing Lord Adonis’ plea to Lib Dem supporters to vote for Labour instead to prevent a Conservative victory. Playing on the perception of the Lib Dems as the party for wasted votes, Adonis’ remarks make him the first politician to openly advocate tactical voting, and it’s likely to be more and more important as the campaign rolls on.


But, before the policy gets a bit too serious, remember that sometimes it’s the petty insults that really make the election worthwhile. In addition to BoJo’s latest stroke of genius comes this remark from John Prescott on David Cameron: “It’s not the baby face that worries me, it’s the baby mind that does”.