Sunday, December 6, 2009

The SNP need not fear negative campaigning, the people don't vote people into public office because they are nice but because they are fighters





















Dear All

First Minister Alex Salmond has a point about people using the internet to smear opponents by making up lies about them.

People should tell the truth because the truth is always the most effective campaign weapon.

The truth of Margaret Curran lying her head off destroyed her election chances at Glasgow East.

At the SNP's National Council meeting in Perth, Alex Salmond issued this advice because of the “cybernat” row;

"If you get angry, DON'T go online anonymously go out and campaign."

This seems fair advice, I never post anonymously but to campaign effectively you have to highlight your achievements and your oppenents failings.

Alex Salmond also said;

“We must use the internet for positive campaigns, and not get engaged in the negative agenda."

At Glenrothes, the SNP went with a positive campaign, never countered the negative Labour campaign and lost.

In Glasgow North East, the SNP went with a positive campaign, never countered the negative Labour campaign and lost.

If Alex Salmond believes that negative campaigning has no role to play in politics, he should look at what his nearest political rivals are doing.

SNP MP John Mason will lose the Glasgow East seat at the General Election if he doesn’t fight hard to keep it.

That’s right; he has to fight hard to win it.

The pertinent word in that sentence is “fight”.

So, should the SNP use limited campaigning techniques so that they can be good losers?

The SNP say they want to win 20 seats in Scotland at the General Election, it is possible but only if they change their attitude.

The Labour Party will run their Westminister campaign on devolved issues, is the SNP strategy to issue a leaflet or statement saying that the Labour Party is producing lies or misrepresenting facts, after the damage has been done?

What is the point of that?

The purpose of entering an election is to win it, it is to be pro active and yes ruthless because the SNP are dealing with ruthless people.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

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