Scaremongering, Smears and Secrecy: A General Election Campaign Like No Other

The Tories have resorted to nasty,
desperate and personal smears and
scaremongering. Image - Conservative
Party. 

"Vote Labour, get SNP" has been Cameron's favourite catchphrase over the past four weeks. What does it tell you about the Tory election campaign that, instead of being able to trumpet what you would get if you voted Conservative, Mr Cameron feels he has no option but to scaremonger about the consequences of another party getting into power? David is desperate and determined not to be evicted from Number 10, whatever the cost, including resorting to scaremongering and nasty smears on his opponents.

Neither Labour or the Conservatives have actually given us anything to vote for. 

It should never have ended up like this for Cameron and his lavish-dinners-funded campaign. His 'long term economic plan' is supposed to be working, and he says he is giving Hardworking Brits 'the good life'. So why do the opinion polls say 6 in 10 of the electorate will not vote for him? Similarity, if the majority of voters are fed up of Tory-led government (which is what the 6 in 10 figure would suggest) why do only 30% of people say they will vote for Labour? It's because neither party has given the electorate anything to vote for.

The Conservative Election
Manifesto. Image - guardian.com

Think about all the manifesto pledges the parties have made over the past six weeks.. How many can you actually remember off the top of your head? I could count how many I can recall on one hand. The truth is there have been no pledges that stand out, there's nothing that really excites and engages people and makes us feel positive and optimistic about the future.

The mainstream parties are acting like eight year old's being bitchy at break time. 

The papers have loved the
election getting personal.
Image - The Sun. 

Now think about what will be fresh on your mind on Thursday morning. It is most likely to be the desperate Tory smears on 'weak' Wallace lookalike Ed, and Conservative Party HQ scaremongering on possible coalition deals that may emerge after the nation has voted. Is it any wonder that so many people have been turned their backs on the mainstream parties? They act like eight year olds being bitchy at break time and the more they make personal attacks on other politicians - taking the spotlight off their own policies - the more of a farce this election campaign becomes.

The parties know they can't afford for their pledges and policies to be scrutinised. 

Why are the parties turning this election campaign into a personality contest where they rely on smears and scaremongering in a desperate bid to secure the keys to Number 10? It's because they know they can't afford for their pledges to be scrutinised. The parties have been purposefully vague when it comes to detail on policy. This is in part in ensure that they get those all important soundbites on the flagship news bulletins, an in part to cover up their lies and deceit about policies and how they will end up funding them.

 

Mr Miliband says he has 'a better plan'. The problem is no one knows what that plan  actually is. 

Ed unveiling his 'Better Plan'.
 Image - independent.co.uk

The Tories are simply saying they have a 'clear economic plan' - they are keeping quiet on what that plan actually is and quieter still on where they will find the billions of pounds worth of cuts to services and the welfare bill that they say will fund other flagship policies and their deficit reduction plans. In the mean time, Ed Miliband is proclaiming (on a giant limestone slab, no less) that his party has a "better plan" for the economy and the country...but he is refusing to say what that plan actually is. What tax rises would there be? How would he find the money to fund his populist pledges - how much would he be forced to borrow? The answer is we aren't being told, and as a result uncertainty and fear has been allowed to grow. This fear has then been exploited by other parties so that they can make gains at the Ballot Box.

Best of Friends? Cameron and
Miliband - who will have the keys
to Number 10?
Image - telegraph.co.uk

Whatever the outcome of Thursday's vote, and it really could go either way, things are going to be messy, and there is no chance the parties will be able to return to 'Business as Usual' first thing on Friday morning. If Cameron does remain Prime Minister, he must remember he has only clung onto his job through Scaremongering, Smears and Secrecy. If his record in office was as fabulous as he makes out, he should be winning a clear majority. If Ed Miliband manages to put together a government, he will have a tough time implementing his populist policies and finding the money to do so.

  Let's just say it's going to be a very interesting five years.