Photo opportunity

In the last parliamentary duel before campaigning began in earnest, Howard teasingly asked Labour MPs to raise their hands if they were planning to use photographs of Blair in their campaign material. It was a fine performance by Howard. Most Labour MPs did not raise their hands. They could, as a show of unity, have done so, but you could bet that journalists would have pursued the issue and expose the liars.

In my constituency- Birmingham, Sparkbrook- the opposition parties fully understand the power of photographs. Recently some campaign material, masquerading as ‘South Central Birmingham News’, came through the letterbox. It was actually from the Liberal Democrats. On the front page was a large picture of the affable local candidate. What struck me, however, was the other, slightly smaller picture. It was of Blair and Bush, together. There was Blair with his smirk and Bush with his somewhat perplexed looks. The photo was clever electioneering- it pressed the right anger buttons. And in my constituency, with a large Muslim population who have an antipathy towards Blair and Bush, it was meant to press a lot of anger buttons.

Labour candidates may want to decline the opportunity of Blair’s photo on their leaflets, but for some opposition candidates images of Blair and Bush are useful vote winners.