Proof, as if we needed it, that Liberal Democrat and Tory mindsets are very different can be seen from Danny Alexander’s reaction to Grant Shapps’ “Bingo”poster.
#budget2014 cuts bingo & beer tax helping hardworking people do more of the things they enjoy. RT to spread the word pic.twitter.com/5vbL7RDAg5
— Grant Shapps MP (@grantshapps) March 19, 2014
Danny talked about it on last night’s Newsnight and you can watch it here. This is what he said:
I thought it was a spoof at first. It’s pretty extraordinary. [Paxman: it’s your budget they’re talking about] It may be our budget but it’s their words. I think it’s rather patronising and I think it actually demeans some sensible things. You know, there are good reasons to be supporting bingo. There are good reasons to encouraging our pubs to be stronger. That’s the analysis behind these measures. I don’t know if this is a tweet to try to prove Michael Gove right in one second but it’s an extraordinary thing to do.
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11 Comments
Our budget, their words – exactly! Classic Tories.
Osborne is just like David Walliams’ Raj-the-shopkeeper character: ‘One free pint with every 360 bought…’
Its a wonder there was not a tax cut for hobnails,to put in our boots.Or the flat cap is now vat free,to help Hard Working People.
Well said Danny!
Grant Shapps is one of the most patronising and out of touch person in the Conservative party, and it shows with this sort of condescending and patronising tweet.
Surprised he didn’t make reference to other working class stereotypes.
I know I’m scraping the barrel here, but suppose the Tories recognise that they’re seen as out of touch, but do want to be known to be cutting beer and bingo duty.
By being so clumsily out of touch they are getting their opponents to spread the word on beer and bingo.
This is the talk of the office today. Talk about 1 step forwards 2 steps back, the budget was pretty well received until this.
To be fair: if a Tory Chancellor tries to put VAT on pasties he’s attacked for being out of touch with ordinary people and trying to tax their food. If the same Chancellor cuts taxes on beer and Bingo, he’s attacked either for being condescending to the poor or simply not cutting it enough, or if he’s really lucky, both.
You can’t use diametrically opposite pieces of evidence to prove the same conclusion, fun though it may be.
To RT or not to RT, that is the question?
Until yesterday, “hardworking” covered people of all classes and earnings. After this infographic it’s suddenly a cloth-cap epithet. Shapps is off-message there too.
I think that it was hilarious and the tweet, tweet, comeback made me chuckle:
Eton’s Den – No 10
Bullingdon’s Mates – 88
With a bit of luck, this kills “hardworking families” dead as a phrase.
Not to be mourned.