Published by , March 21st 2010 at 11:13 am
Tory race row in east London
The Observer today carries a story about the Conservative party “airbrushing” ethnic minority candidates from campaign leaflets. It is alleged that the Tories in Dagenham and Rainham omitted non-white election candidates from their literature in areas where they are fighting the BNP. Left Foot Forward today publishes the leaflets in question.
Literature prepared in a number of wards contains pictures of all three local council candidates but the leaflets for the wards of Eastbrook, Whalebone, and Village (see below) – where black and minority ethnic (BME) candidates are standing – contain pictures of only the white candidates. The BNP have 12 councillors on Barking and Dagenham council including one in Village ward where Samson Omosule was omitted from the leaflet.
The Observer says:
The Tories said it was “fiction” to suggest that non-white candidates had been left off deliberately and said there was plenty of material showing these candidates. They forwarded different material to the Observer with photographs of the non-white candidates prominently displayed. But it appeared that these images had been superimposed onto the new material so that they were next to their white colleagues. They were not original, group photos.
The local candidate, Simon Jones, is not quoted in the article while Tory candidate in Eastbrook, Wale Oguntona, says, “I have been told that all inquiries have to be handled by Simon Jones.” It is unclear who, if anyone, is taking responsibility for the literature. The leaflets can be downloaded here, here and here.
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RT @leftfootfwd Tory "airbrushing" race row in east London http://cli.gs/EE5s2
RT @leftfootfwd: Tory "airbrushing" race row in east London http://cli.gs/EE5s2
RT @leftfootfwd Tory "airbrushing" race row in east London http://cli.gs/EE5s2
RT @leftfootfwd Tory "airbrushing" race row in east London http://cli.gs/EE5s2
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RT @leftfootfwd: Tory "airbrushing" race row in east London http://cli.gs/EE5s2
Appalling. Cam should act on this (but won't) RT @leftfootfwd Tory "airbrushing" race row in east London http://cli.gs/EE5s2 #toryfail
RT @leftfootfwd: Tory "airbrushing" race row in east London http://cli.gs/EE5s2
RT @leftfootfwd: Tory "airbrushing" race row in east London http://cli.gs/EE5s2
RT @leftfootfwd: Tory race row in east London http://cli.gs/EE5s2
RT @leftfootfwd: Tory "airbrushing" race row in east London http://cli.gs/EE5s2
RT @paulwmk: Tory race row in east London | Left Foot Forward http://cli.gs/EE5s2
[...] be today is a shocking but strangely unsurprising story in the Observer, and followed up on Left Foot Forward, alleging that the Conservative party has messed about with photos on its campaign literature to [...]
Good pt from @leftfootforward – will the Tories take action over Dagenham tories' airbrushing? or do they condone it? http://bit.ly/91CKdC
I can’t stand Cameron and his cronies but I don’t think there is a story in this. Couldn’t it just be that they chose certain photos and it wasn’t a racially motivated decision? The race debate in this country is quite fragile and this story seems to be a lot of guess work on motivation and the leaflets aren’t offensive in anyway. I can’t speak about them superimposing pics of people onto other pics but where is the EVIDENCE that the decision made on what pictures to use was based on race??? There doesn’t seem to be any evidence too suggest this.
RT @BevaniteEllie: RT @paulwmk: Tory race row in east London | Left Foot Forward http://cli.gs/EE5s2
I thought the whole point of LeftFoodForward was 'evidence based blogging'? This is awful. Again. http://tinyurl.com/ylkpxw8
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[...] Tory race row in east London | Left Foot Forward [...]
Will, the Observer said that this called in to question Cameron’s claims to be promoting ethnic minorities.
That’s wrong.
Cameron’s own “modernization” agenda is yet again plunged in to crisis!
is shocked by Tory "airbrushing" of black candidates
http://tinyurl.com/ylkpxw8. What on earth is their problem?
BTW Will, I see that ‘Tory Stories’ have an interesting editorial on this, in which they say I believe that Tory material will first have had to be vetted by the Chief Whip:
http://www.torystories.com/2010/03/cameron-pictured-on-controversial-%e2%80%98airbrushed%e2%80%99-calendars/
It is what I expect from all of the main political parties.
A slightly different message sent to voters depending on the demographic information.
I suppose women recieve different flyers from those addressed to men, with pictures of children on the cover instead of a man in his overalls et c.
I think for the main political parties, is all about just saying anything to squeeze past the latest scandal towards the next election.