Those posters are all over the place - there's a particularly huge one on West Derby, right where the Labour posters were.

The Tory campaign this time round is going to be very nasty indeed. They've hired Lynton Crosby, the mastermind behind John Howard's (something about the name?) election victories in Australia, to run the campaign. Given that Howard's government has had asylum seekers locked up for six years in desert detention camps and has been rolling back agreements with the aborigenes, I think we can expect similar racist crap from the Tories.

There's a piece from the BBC here -  http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4000439.stm

Interesting piece from the World Socialist Website here -  http://www.wsws.org/articles/2005/feb2005/asyl-f02.shtml

The best thing I've read was in Private Eye back in October (issue 1118), which describes the tactics - if I can be bothered later I'll try and scan it in and put it up.

The thing that worries me, especially in Liverpool, is that it won't be the Tories that benefit, it'll be the BNP, riding the wave of propaganda onto the doorsteps of people who just won't vote Tory, but don't trust Labour anymore.

Local Tories are obviously concerned about the prospect of finishing 4th or losing deposits. Liverpool is a complete write off in terms of the Tories winning seats, so they are throwing money down the drain. But there is an argument that they somehow have to retain a minimum level of credibility, particularly following the Boris Johnson fiasco. I can't otherwise understand how a relatively cash strapped national party would otherwise put such expenditure into Liverpool.

The background from 2001 is that they got just 6.1% in Liverpool Walton, 8.0% in West Derby and 8.4% in Riverside. I currently expect Greens to poll 6 to 9% in Riverside which will probably put the Tories in 4th. They are already 4th in West Derby thanks to Steve Radford's Liberal Party finishing 2nd last time.

You are absolutely right about it giving the Bone-idle, No local support, Party some kind of agenda. This is cheap politics. Fortunately they are starting from 0% in Riverside and are unlikely to make much impact. Merseyside Coalition Against Racism and Fascism is already on the case, so there is no complacency, as they are expected to try and target the Everton or Kirkdale ward at next year's council elections.

My favourite ones are those which read: "I mean, how hard is it to keep a hospital clean?" which are always sited facing in towards the hospitals. If I worked in one, it would make me pretty alienated. Obviously the Tory's have decided to write off all the NHS employees in this country.

"BNP: Tory poster 'spot on'" [includes a picture of the poster, but with a BNP logo added to it]
 http://www.martinstabe.com/blog/archives/2005/03/bnp_tory_poster.php

"Tory election poster sparks complaints of racism from students and teachers" [unfortunately one of those pay-to-read articles on the Independent website]
 http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/story.jsp?story=608431

And from  http://liberaldissenter.blogspot.com/2005/03/im-not-racist-but.html
"This is part of the Tory strategy of 'dog whistle' politics, messages that are heard only by those for whom they are intended. If the turnout is as low as it was in 2001 (59%) or even lower, then much will hinge on differential turnout. The Tory objective is to mobilise the party's core support. This narrow appeal makes little sense until you realise that New Labour built a coalition of support in 1997 and 2001 that was wide but not deep. There is increasing disillusionment among erstwhile Labour voters, particularly women (see the ICM poll in today's News of the World). The Tories don't need disillusioned Labour voters to vote Tory; they just need them to abstain.

There is a general tendency to underestimate the Tories. Most of their campaigning is going on 'under the radar', through techniques such as phone-polling and targeted letters. They're unlikely to win, but will do much better than most people think."

The tories are so hopeless, racist and sad I don't know why anyone bothers to campaign against them or deface their posters. The people don't need the likes of us free thinking types to defend them from a tory government after all.

The conservatives will get in again this year. Thatcher said her greatest politiical achievement was new (neo) labour. A vote for blair is a vote for years 26 to 30 of the thatcher administration. Re-nationalise steel, electricity, gas, water and the telephones. Get the private sector out of education and health. Poverty is worse now than 20 years ago. Vote blair, vote thatcher, vote bush, vote reagan, what's the difference? Give power back to the people, not private profit! Where are the WMD?

This racist Tory Ad campaign is particularly disgusting as it seems that there are more in some areas than others - Haringey / Tottenham is a good example. An area with a high number of immigrants and it really does look as though there are more here than in other areas. Maybe I am imagining it, but I have been in touch with friends around the country and some people have not seen them. It seems to me that the Tories really are showing themselves up to be the nasty party. And there's the ad on hospitals - so who was it who started privatising hospital services - including cleaning? Are you thinking what we are thinking? The TORIES!

A comment on your link to the ASA - their site says that political advertisers have not signed up to "the code" therefore all they will do is pass on any complaints after the campaign has finished. I don't think that should stop us though. It seems to be to be racist to put posters such as that up in areas which have a high percentage of immigrants.

Except, of course, that one of the prime sources of support for tighter border controls are established first- and second-generation immigrants. Ask any lower-middle class or higher Chinese or Indians, and you'll see who want to close the door to immigrants. Tory campaign posters in these areas are designed to stimulate the support of, not put off, ethnic voters. It may or may not work, but I think there's a good chance they will.