Welcome to my blog. I am a former local journalist who now works in PR and a Conservative and community activist in Woking and Horsell. This blog will keep updated on local issues as well as my interests and quirky news stories.
A couple of weeks ago I blogged that Lib Dem canvassers on the doorstep had been misleading voters in Horsell West about the size of the existing Conservative majority in Woking. It’s not that the size of the majority is particularly important because it’s the vote on May 6 that counts but my feeling was that people deserved to know how a majority of 6,612 was being misrepresented as 2,000-4,000 to manipulate the psychology of the election. Clever – yes, honest – no.
I did not name the culprit as reported to me because I don’t think it’s hugely fair or relevant – the Lib Dems can’t simply cite one “rogue” doorstepper as any canvassing operation is a carefully organised process. That didn’t stop the Horsell Lib Dem candidate and her sidekick from challenging me on this allegation and demanding proof. Fair enough – I’d have done the same, although I am at least aware of what my team are telling people on the doorstep.
What I’d like to know is that if the Lib Dems really are serious about stamping this misleading information out, if they are taking it so seriously, why is it repeated in their latest leaflet?
Unless of course it’s a typo and the word “thousand” has been missed out between “few” and “votes”. Come to think of it, that’s probably the explanation. It would be no great surprise to learn that their proofreading is as bad as their maths.
