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February 12, 2005
'Backing Blair'
‘Backing Blair’, an ironic (their adjective is Orwellian) election campaign targeting the prime minister, was launched on 10 February.
They are supporting no less than 45 SNP candidates in the forthcoming election, including all the present SNP incumbents, and SNP principal challengers in Labour seats.
Run by Tim Ireland (the UK internet’s answer to Michael Moore) and friends, this is much more ambitious than the tactical voting plan of the Save our Scottish Regiments (5 February). It covers the whole of Britain. The site has some terrific graphics and a splendid ‘Vote Blair’ Flash Video (see below).
The idea behind Backing Blair is to support the strongest non-Labour candidates in each constituency. This means they are opposing anti-war Labour MPs (like Robin Cook) as well as pro-War ones.
Unfortunately they are now supporting the Tory here in Stirling. I have appealed to the campaign to drop their support for him. Many other would-be campaign supporters are less than delighted at the idea of supporting right-wing, possibly pro-war Conservatives.
www.backingblair.co.uk/vote_blair/index.htm
Posted by Simon Holledge at February 12, 2005 03:12 PM
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Comments
I'm beginning to think that Tim Ireland has seriously misfired on this one. Just about everybody is saying the same thing. By effectively asking people to vote Conserative, he is simply asking too much.
Why vote against Labour if you're only going to vote for something just as bad or even worse? It simply doesn't make sense. There are more important things in life than trying to make Tony Blair look a bit silly.
Posted by: doctorvee at February 12, 2005 07:02 PM
Welcome, Duncan, thanks for your comment.
And yes, there must be an awful lot of people who don't have a good, modestly progressive, liberal type of challenger available to vote for.
Will Tim et al. be willing to make exceptions?
Posted by: Simon Holledge at February 12, 2005 07:51 PM
"Just about everybody is saying the same thing"?
Now, now... let's be accurate. Just about everybody who is *bitching* about it is saying the same thing.
;oP
"there must be an awful lot of people who don't have a good, modestly progressive, liberal type of challenger available to vote for"
A major point we hope to raise.
Stirling: The constituency pages are in the early stages of development. Some new boundaries/candidates have yet to be taken into account.
We're discussing alternatives/exceptions in Stirling as per your request. In the meantime, we have this for you:
http://www.backingblair.co.uk/2005/02/tories-are-terrorists.html
Posted by: Tim Ireland at February 14, 2005 09:36 AM
Welcome, Tim, and congratulations on a great site and the characteristic panache with which you have launched it. The ‘Vote Blair’ Flash Video is terrific. Any chance you can get it on television? Thank you also for considering supporting the SNP in Stirling.
As it stands now, the campaign will be more effective in some constituencies than others. If you can work out some kind of policy to deal with the special cases/anomalies (e.g. anti-war Labour Vs. pro-war Tory contests) it would strengthen the appeal of Backing Blair.
Posted by: Simon Holledge at February 14, 2005 01:18 PM
Whatever you may think of Blair there's a really great little number going around called the 'The DD Rap' by Simmering Sam. Even if you're a Blair supporter you can't help smiling at it in parts, and if you don't like the man it will have you rolling on the floor with laughter. Here's the lyrics:
Bro:
Now dis election ? Blair is ? sure to win,
But let us ? dent ? dat great big grin;
Let's ? wipe-a the smirk ? clear of-a the face
Of dis cheap ? and sleazy ? slimeball ace.
Blair:
The Tories ? they are ? off the board,
And the Libdems ? WHY ? they?ve never scored;
So I don't give a damn ? what I do ? or I say,
Cause I'm going to ? WIN ? on the 5th of May!
Bro:
Now when it come to ? election day,
Don't vote for Blair ? dat's all I say;
Vote Tory, Libdem ? and I don't give a farty
If yus vote MONSTER RAVING LOO'OONY PARTY.
Blair:
Now Brussles going to sow ? your life up ? in stitches,
And you're going to be nannied ? by those ? Chelsea bitches;
It's certain ? to be ? a great victory,
Cause I'm a-going ? DOWN ? in history!
Bro :
Now Blair's a ? Christian man ? or so he say,
Why he pray with Bush ? both night and day;
But I tell yus ? when he get to da ? pearly gate,
The Thumb ? it be a-pointing ? DOWN ? mate.
Blair:
Now ? every night ? when I pause to pray,
These are ? the very words that I say:
Let the people grovel ?
1000
on bended knee,
And pray to the greatest of GODS ? that's me!
Bro:
Now ? would you trust Blair ? to send your son ? to war?
Maybe yus a-wondering ? what it was all for?
Well I tell you bro ? just use your noodle:
Dis lowlife's nothin? but ? BUSH's poodle.
Blair:
Now folks ? you can ? believe what I say,
Except ? huh, huh for that ah ? dodgy dossier;
I've screwed the left ? and I've screwed the right,
But I'm still going to ? WIN ? on election night!
Bro:
Now IF ? under-Blair ? ye wan ta put a bomb,
Then just ? check-out ? backingblair ? dot com;
De tell you te dude ? da you should vote for,
So te slimy bastard ? goin? te get what he OUGHT TA!
It's like a musical version of DeadRingers. They've got Blair's self-congratulatory tone of voice off to a tee. The MP3 is available as a free download from 'www.soundclick.com'. Enter 'simmering sam' in the search box, click 'go', and then click on the 'simmering sam' link. Under 'Quick Links' click on 'Music', and then against 'The DD Rap' click on 'lo-fi (modem) / hi-fi (broadband)' to stream or 'MP3' to download.
Enjoy!
Posted by: saffriesse at April 15, 2005 05:08 PM