Kentish Town: Bad Politics Watch

This week I've picked up a leaflet from the Tories which attacked Labour leader Ed Miliband for being a Manchester United supporter (yes, really) and witnessed the Lib Dems destroy the economy simultaneously with any chances of future electoral support. So when I saw the following attack leaflet in its proud blue inks I thought "bloody Tories, more personalised attacks".

Indeed it's a pretty terrible leaflet (click images to see in detail, but they're quite big files) which includes printing candidates home addresses along with a handy map to help any baying mobs in the vicinity to track them down. While it's publicly available information there's something distinctly creepy about ensuring every single member of the public gets a street map to help them find the candidates of the other parties.

The map is something the Tories had used before and coupled with the blue you immediately think you're reading a Tory leaflet which really, really goes for the throat against their coalition partners. Not nice for the Lib Dems but a miscalculation for the Tories too as the public aren't keen on this kind of attack politics - particularly when it gets personal..

Hold on though... where's the Tory logo? In fact, where's any logo of any kind? Where are the contact details? Where's the exhortation to vote for a party? Weird - there's none of that. But this is a leaflet being delivered to every home during a tight byelection... surely someone's responsible?

It's in there, but you'll have to look hard for it. Take your time... here's a clue: you might need a magnifying glass.

Here's another clue, it's not on the front page... give up?

OK. Back page, bottom left hand corner in what I estimate to be point four text size we have the words "Printed and promoted by an on behalf of Camden Labour Party, all at 110 Glouster Avenue, NW1 8HX". That is the only indication on the entire leaflet that this was produced and distributed by the Labour Party.

If I was deliberately distributing rival candidates addresses with a map marking their homes I'd be fucking ashamed as well, no wonder they don't want people to know who's responsible.

This is exactly the sort of thing that we need to see the back of in politics. I've no problem with attacking the politics or record of other parties but you should do so honestly and propose alternatives in their place. This is a deliberate attempt to deceive the public and should have no place in a democracy which relies on properly informed voters. By putting out a fake Tory leaflet of this kind Labour have shown themselves to politically bankrupt and Labour candidate Jenny Headlam-Wells should hang her head.