Ealing Liberal Democrats

Tories Can't Win: Lib Dems are the real opposition

Ealing Southall Lib Dem Nigel Bakhai has urged voters to back the Lib Dems at the next General Election as the real opposition to the Labour Government following the Daily Mirror newspaper revelations that the Conservatives have admitted they can't win and are "out of touch, anti-women, greedy and divided".

Nigel said: "The Tories are a shambles and they are finally coming to terms with what the rest of the country already knows - they cannot win the next General Election. The majority of people in this country now see the Liberal Democrats as the real opposition. On so many issues that matter to voters like tuition fees for students, ID cards, Council Tax and the Iraq War it is the Liberal Democrats who have challenged this Government. At the General Election, the public will have the opportunity to vote for the real opposition in Britain: the Liberal Democrats."

The full text of the Daily Mirror article was as follows:-

REASONS NOT TO VOTE TORY - BY THE TORIES

Daily Mirror, Feb 10 2005

By Oonagh Blackman, Political Editor

TORIES fear they are distrusted so much they are advising election candidates on how to fight off fury on voters' doorsteps.

A leaked training manual bearing the Conservative logo admits the party is seen as "out of touch, anti-women, greedy and divided". It also says Tories are associated with lack of concern about public services, economic mismanagement under Margaret Thatcher and anti-Europeanism.

Astonishingly, the document admits the list of gripes could go on, and tells candidates: "Add your own", knowing there are plenty to choose from. It then suggests they cool criticism by "sincerely acknowledging" voters' emotions and turning hostile statements into positive ones.

The hugely embarrassing document is a stark illustration of the Tories' panic about their public image and disastrous ratings in the polls only weeks from an expected general election.

Last night a blustering party spokesman said: "It is a sign of an effective organisation that we prepare candidates to deal with the sort of vitriolic attacks which come out of the Labour Party."

A Labour spokesman countered: "Voters remember the Tories gave us 15 per cent interest rates, negative equity and mass unemployment. It's little wonder their candidates have to be taught how to listen and be sympathetic.

"This is a gross insult to the electorate. But the British people will see through this synthetic sympathy and Tory spin."

Called "Campaigning: Engaging the Individual Voter" the pamphlet was produced by training consultancy AchieveGlobal, which is linked to wealthy Tory donor Lord Laidlaw.

Under the heading "Challenging Assumptions", it lists the party's four main sins of being out of touch, anti-women, greedy and divided.

It also lists a string of negative statements such as "Conservatives can't win", "Conservatives can't be trusted" and "Conservatives don't care about public services".

Candidates, says the manual, should "reframe" the hostile statements into something less threatening. Accusations of "savage frontline cuts" on public services should be fielded by referring to "providing better services with less waste".

And economic stability under Labour could be described as "blowing the benefits of the Thatcher reforms".

Under a second heading "Acknowledging Emotions Statements", the document then predicts how voters with memories of the grim Thatcher and Major years might accuse candidates. It lists possible complaints, such as:

"How can I vote Tory? I was a miner; my community was devastated by Thatcher."

"I remember the last war - that's why Europe means so much to me. I'm terrified you lot will mess it up"; "You are anti-women."

"I lost my house through negative equity. I blame the last Tory Government for that and will never forget what you did to me."

"How can I believe you are sincere about state schools and the NHS when you send your kids to private schools and go to private hospitals?"

Candidates, says the manual, should use listening tricks to make them appear interested in other people's complaints.

They should also practise responses to common anti- Conservative statements.

It says: "Have one person make the negative statement. The rest of the group then challenges the under-lying assumptions and reframes." It also advises candidates to use "vivid language" and "humour" to impress weary voters.

But its example of "humour" ridicules mentally ill people on incapacity benefit:

"The numbers claiming incapacity benefit on the grounds of poor mental health have risen by 38 per cent to 718,000.

"It would be unkind to inquire why nearly 200,000 more of us should have sunk into depression since Blair's new dawn. Labour Sends You Mad."

AchieveGlobal said: "We do not comment on work for clients."

Tory HQ is in turmoil in the run-up to the election - planned for May 5 unless Tony Blair calls a snap poll - with the Conservatives still trailing nine points behind Labour.

Michael Howard's Aussie election guru Lynton Crosby and Party co-chairman Lord Saatchi are at war over election tactics.

Mr Crosby, who was behind election wins for Australia's Liberal Party, is renowned for his aggressive campaigns about race and crime. He provoked an outcry after using the stabbing of a young girl in a 1992 TV advertising blitz.

The tactic had to be abandoned after a public backlash and complaints from the victim's family.

Mr Crosby backed another campaign about a second murdered woman which resulted in her four children being terrorised at school.

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