UUP Party Political Broadcast: Confused?
If you had your TV tuned into the news tonight, and waited until the evening news was over, you would have seen the UUP/Tory Party Political Broadcast.
If you did however miss it it is now on YouTube.
“Join with us”
Using the ‘sit down’, take note and ‘listen’ approach in telling people why they should vote for you, the catch phrase: “Join with us” featured prominently. However it did not appear to be an advert with a purpose to persuade a potential voter of the advantages of voting for them. The term “Join with us” simply suggests that the aim of the broadcast was a direct call for new members under the leadership of Sir Reg and ‘Dave’ Cameron. Instead of telling people who they were, and what they were about, the broadcast provided more a recruitment drive aimed at potential members instead of rallying potential voters.
The broadcast was dry, dull, and flat and just didn’t make much sense. In fact if you watched the Lib Dem broadcast (on afterwards) you probably would have noticed a big difference. Leader Nick Clegg was out on the streets asking people what they thought and felt about the Labour government and current state of affairs. It was interactive and innovative.
The advert reminded me of the UUP Party Political Broadcast of 2005; very dry with no clear message.
What about “For all of us“?
A reminder of the UUP election theme for the March 2007 Assembly election: “For all of us” did get a mention and we got a run down of the then Ulster Unionist Party ‘achievements’ of the last ten years. However the focus quickly switched to the Tory link up and what it can offer the people of NI – a piece of government. What I think the UUP need to remember is that government is based in NI now, with limited powers and control remaining at Westminster – the position the UUP set in 1998 and indeed in 1921.
What I saw was a party that had lost its way, and that was nearly losing the plot altogether. Confusion featured prominently, as the language was unclear and message skewed. Perhaps Sir Reg is looking to ‘Dave’ Cameron for guidance as he appears to be losing control of his own party to the Cameron and Osbourne puppet show. This is certainly the feeling I get from their conference agenda (posted by Michael on Slugger earlier today) with David Cameron essentially stealing Sir Reg’s position in the ‘Leader’ speech tomorrow due about 12 noon.
I think the UUP are leaving their grassroots behind, striping themselves of their ‘Ulster Unionist’ identity and applying David ‘Dave’ Cameron’s new age, tree hugging image available in the form of a ‘new age man’ moisturiser.
The electorate will decide, but I sense that the DUP are not very worried as the UUP, with their Tory moisturising apply, appeals to a very narrow margin of voters who are ashamed of the NI they see today and grew up in (not a good appeal when you are appealing to an electorate soaked in tradition). The NI Tories have failed to achieve much ground in years gone by, and I suspect that the UUP is simply playing a dangerous game of Russian roulette.
Yeah I saw that myself and thought it was very odd both in content and timing – still there’s always the Cameron Direct debacle to provide some light hearted entertainment tomorrow morning!
The Tories… Simply too British?
“not a good appeal when you are appealing to an electorate soaked in tradition”
Yes…it’s a shame that, really, isn’t it? A terrible affliction for so many to have their heads so firmly turned towards the past.
Same old approach from the UUP; lecture people on what they should do and think. Unfortunately for Wedge those days are long gone.
It didn’t work in ’03, ’05 or ’07 and it won’t work now.
Seriously, who wrote that script?? Michael Shilliday?
That was terrible. Cheap and not at all cheerful.
The slow pan shots on the oh so interesting and backward looking books, manifesto and flag. Eh?
The only thing of interest was the clear prospect of even closer ties with the Tories.
Though I’ve got to say when they see Cameron tomorrow at conference compared to their current leader they’ll probably be biting the hand off him just for the charisma.
It was – without doubt – one of the most boring 3 minutes of television I’ve ever had the misfortune to witness.
What a complete waste of an opportunity for the UUP. Dull doesn’t even come near it.
One of the things the UUP should be doing is learning from the Tories, and that includes PEBs. One of the first things the Tories should do is teach the UUP that this kind of crap won’t wash any longer.
I think it was not all that bad. I think it was supposed to be calm to suggest this was such a serious and momentous event (whether it actually is is the question) that one should pause, listen and reflect upon it. And on the choice of books, were they not there to suggest some sort of historical dimension to unionism playing a part in national politics, like Carson. How exciting can you be before your party conference where all the ‘excitement’ will be taking place?
I think I would call that piece of artistic brilliance “Walking with Reggie”.
But seriously that was very poor.
Dull as ditchwater. They should have waited until after the Tory deal and got Cameron in on it too if that’s what they were aiming for.
Not the most riveting speech, but effective.
‘What I think the UUP need to remember is that government is based in NI now, with limited powers and control remaining at Westminster – the position the UUP set in 1998 and indeed in 1921. ‘
Spoken like a true DUP Ulster Nationalist
Stormont spends the money allocated by the Mother of Parliaments. Westminster controls key finacial and economic powers.
True unionists wouldnt want it any other way. As for the DUP….
Thank you for linking that, Andrew. It was so mind-numbingly anodyne that my eyes wandered to other You Tube clips on the page and I had “Christopher Hitchins Tells a Dirty Joke” (awful, but that’s par for Christopher Hitchins) from there to Hitchins on circumcision (irritating) to a Penn nad Teller infomercial on circumcision which was informative, hilarious and capable of moving one to outrage at this barbaric practice.
So at least Sir Reg’s broadcast has motivated one viewer to commit himself to do more to bring an end to this cruel mutilation of infant males.
Of course I still wouldn’t vote Unionist or Tory unless perhaps I was very, very drunk.