Feed hungry voters detail that matters
THE shock leak of Labour’s draft manifesto was a welcome event for anyone yearning to study the ideas buzzing about one of Britain’s two traditional parties of power.
The UK faces not just the prospect of Brexit, but a growing array of challenges to our security, our economy and the sustainability of vital public services.
Politicians can demonstrate their respect for the electorate by daring to talk in detail about the tough choices which await.
Jeremy Corbyn probably groaned into his Granola as he listened to news reports about the appearance of the manifesto, but political apparatchiks of different parties may conclude that the leaking was an act of political genius. People rushed to find a copy online and its policies dominated the news agenda; the party got to see which proposals went down well and were then able to agree on the final version of the document later that day.
Somewhere in Conservative Central Office an aspiring master of spin may have thought: “Gosh, I wish I’d thought of doing that.”
Theresa May’s appearance on the One Show sofa may have been a worthwhile exercise in voter engagement but viewers were not deluged with policy detail. We had more declarations of their love for the Welsh landscape; this will be welcomed by tourist operators who will hope Tory voters decide that instead of spending the weekend rambling in the Lake District or looking for chocolate-box villages in the Cotswolds they should follow the Mays’ footsteps and gaze at the glory of Cader Idris.
The biggest electoral event of the week took place in France, when Emmanuel Macron won the presidency. We probably didn’t need a reminder of how greatly the UK’s political culture has diverged from that of our nearest continental neighbours, but we are unlikely to see a British Prime Minister taking to the stage to the strains of Ode to Joy – the EU’s anthem – anytime soon (unless Lib Dem leader Tim Farron makes his most audacious bid yet for the support of Remain voters).
Nevertheless, the spectacle of a politician who has left France’s once-mighty Socialist Party, founded his own outfit and triumphed at the polls has certainly grabbed the attention of pundits who wonder if non-Corbynista Labour MPs will follow his example.
Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood took a gamble by going on the online discussion site Reddit to engage with potential voters.
In a sign that at least some people are going weak at the knees in the election excitement, one contributor told her of a “friend called Ross” who had a “massive crush” on her and wanted to know what she would like for dinner if they went on a date.
Ms Wood handled the situation well, telling him “not to bother waiting for the date” but to “go and buy/eat Welsh produce anyway”.
Politics is regularly surreal and sometimes even hilarious, but voters would be charmed if politicians of all parties also deliver some nutritious food for thought. The Western Mail newspaper is published by Media Wales a subsidiary company of Trinity Mirror PLC, which is a member of IPSO, the Independent Press Standards Organisation. The entire contents of The Western Mail are the copyright of Media Wales Ltd. It is an offence to copy any of its contents in any way without the company’s permission. If you require a licence to copy parts of it in any way or form, write to the Head of Finance at Six Park Street. The recycled paper content of UK newspapers in 2014 was 78.5%