The Tory press office took to Twitter last night to try to denigrate Ed Miliband’s conference speech, telling a few porkies on the way, reports Shamik Das.
So keen were they to bury Ed Miliband last night the Tory press office team sent out a series of desperate tweets culminating in a straightforward porkie, saying Guardian columnist Jackie Ashley thought Miliband’s speech was “a flop”.
At about seven last night, Cameron’s backroom boys tweeted:
“Jackie Ashley: ‘the speech was a flop. Watch for that in tomorrow’s newspaper’ guardian.co.uk…”
As with the NHS, however, you just can’t trust the Tories on Twitter, Ashley tweeting a few hours later:
“This tweet from @ToryPressHQ completely misrepresents me http://bit.ly/pKRrJp”
For the record, here is what Ashley actually said of the speech:
“… this was a speech that Blair could never have made: short on jokes (though there were couple of good ones at the beginning) and long on radicalism.
“The scale of Miliband’s vision was awesome, taking on vested interests from right and left, while trashing some of Labour’s record and praising some of the Tories’ achievements. From welfare scroungers to top executives, Miliband has ideas to change things…”
On what planet does that translate to “the speech was a flop”?
It seems the Tory press boys failed to heed their master’s warning of the perils of over-tweeting; as Mr Cameron said:
“The trouble with Twitter, the instantness of it – too many twits might make a twat.”
15 Responses to “Tory press office twits should go back to spin school”
Black Guardian
Jackie Ashley’s apparently unironic use of the term ‘welfare scroungers’ really doesn’t help. It is a New Labour and Tory construction that spins a relatively minor problem into one that they would have us believe threatens society. A cover for some nasty policies of cuts aimed at those who can least afford to lose out.
George
To be fair, though, she does go on to make the following point, which she doesn’t then refute:
“There remains one big problem though for “the guy who is determined to break the closed circles of Britain.” As soon as the speech was over a large circle of journalists and commentators formed just outside the hall. Ten minutes of chat and laughter and “the line” was declared – the speech was a flop. Watch for that in tomorrow’s newspaper. Some closed circles may be just too difficult to crack.”
Dave Citizen
Real change, though undoubtedly essential to the majority interest, is difficult to achieve in Britain. Sheep are easily hearded and instinctively risk averse. Whether the population of Britain has what it takes to shake off hearding attempts by those practising the politics of power and control is an open question.
I am just pleased that EM has been willing to risk real leadership and attempt the politics of principle and change – the way the world is shaping up, ordinary people are certainly going to need it.
Robert the crip
SO council houses given to the workers not the shirkers, sadly we will soon have a few more shirkers coming from BAE. Disabled people should find a job, which is dam hard when your in a wheelchair and the office your going to to find a job has a flight of stairs, I did it last week the nice young lady said can you climb a few stairs, I said nope sorry my wheelchair is not that clever, they decided it was no good seeing me since the office was up stairs, my job center was angry I did not try to go up the stairs.
But on the whole Labour made a good job of trying to get the swing voter from labour and the Tories back, problem is of course which party do they think will be best for them.
Tony Ellis
RT @leftfootfwd: Tory press office twits should go back to spin school http://t.co/moWPZB5v