Posts Tagged ‘politicians’

Picture Perfect

May 1st, 2010

Another politician gets into trouble on the run-up to the UK General Election, to be held next Thursday, May 6.

The Liberal Democrat candidate for Arfon in Wales (that’s Bangor & Caernarfon to you and me) illustrated her campaign leaflet with photographs sourced — let’s be kind — thoughtlessly.

The slogan “Regenerating Welsh Towns” was accompanied by a photograph of a derelict building in the very English city of Bath, Somerset.

Her concern for jobs was illustrated by a Job Centre in Sidmouth, Devon. Another photograph showed a team of builders in Barnet, North London.

We must praise candidate Sarah Green for her international outlook, but when a campaign is fought on local issues, she really ought to source local pictures. There is an excellent picture library based in her county Gwynedd, I believe. We Welsh are particularly sensitive about such matters!

When Labour launched its campaign with an image of sunrise over a cornfield, I contacted them via their website to ask where they sourced the picture. It looked somehow American to me (yes, sunrise is sunrise, and a cornfield is a cornfield, but if you study a lot of images every day, as I do, national differences such as colour preferences become more marked).

Strangely enough, I haven’t had a reply. I would love to know where the British Labour Party purchased the picture. It would be great if it was a British picture library, a British photographer and a British field.

I wonder.

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Gwyn Headley

by Gwyn Headley

Managing Director

In BBC’s Question Time, recorded in affluent suburban Chorleywood, the panelists were asked if they liked the idea of ebooks.

Harriet Harman said No — you can’t lend a book you like to a friend.

Tristan Hunt said Don’t lend books — buy them! (He has just had a new book published).

Philip Hammond said No — you can’t hide behind them on the tube.

David Steele (the oldest panelist) thought the ebook was a rather good idea.

Chairman David Attenborough asked the questioner how she felt. She hated the idea.

Then he asked the audience. Amid laughter, he announced the result was that “they are not going to sell very well in Chorleywood.”

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