“I thought it was a spoof” Danny Alexander on Shapps’ “patronising” Bingo tweet

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.

 

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.

  • This is the talk of the office today. Talk about 1 step forwards 2 steps back, the budget was pretty well received until this.

  • Malcolm Todd 20th Mar '14 - 1:48pm

    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.

  • Bill le Breton 20th Mar '14 - 2:59pm

    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.

  • Shirley Campbell 22nd Mar '14 - 11:30pm

    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.

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