Oooooh politics! But seriously, take a look at this please...
I made this!
Warning. This post will not be amusing or funny, contains lots and lots of words, and is of a political bias. It did however come from an earlier post from /links so it's only fitting it should come back here!
Still with me? Good. Gather round, lads and lasses, and I’ll tell ye a tale…
It all started with www.this post on /links. I read this on a Saturday morning, I was a little hung over and cranky, so I thought ‘yeah why not?’, and went off to the ASA website to have a whinge about it.
Thought nothing more of it tbh. Time passed, the world moved on, and then out of the blue appeared this letter in reply
Now, don’t get me wrong – I am not at all displeased with the ASA. The letter demonstrates that my petulant outburst was handled individually, and given full and proper consideration. Far more than it was due if I’m being honest. Full props to the nice people at ASA who dealt with this, and in my part I am sorry for taking up a small but significant portion of your valuable life.
However, there was a part of the letter that stuck in my throat somewhat. “We’re unable to investigate complaints about advertising which aims to influence voters in elections or referendums”.
It references their code, so I duly trotted off to their website once more to look that up. It’s pretty wordy, but in essence sets out a range or parameters by which they ensure that advertisers remain within reasonable bounds of such potentially outmoded concepts as truthfulness and substantiation. Clause 12.1, which the ASA reference in their letter, is:
“Any advertisement or direct marketing communication, whenever published or distributed, whose principal function is to influence voters in local, regional, national or international elections or referendums is exempt from the Code.”
What? So political organisations are allowed to say whatever they like, and the ASA can’t touch them? This had me stomping off to the Electoral Commission’s website in a fit of righteous indignation to find out more about this. Turns out that up until 1999, political parties were bound by this code, but that after the 1997 election the exemption was made, leaving precious little safeguard in place to ensure that political parties are anywhere near the truth in what they advertise.
It wasn’t until 2004 that the Electoral Commission published a report on the introduction of a code on political advertising - here if anyone can really be arsed - which totally recognises the value of a code governing political advertising, but points out that it will be difficult to implement. Largely because most of the political parties would just stick two fingers up at it. Incidentally, the Lib Dems say they would support the code, which, these days, generally indicates that it is a sound but unpopular idea.
Just because something’s difficult to implement doesn’t mean it isn’t worth trying. As far as I can see there is absolutely nothing other than woolly exhortations to play nice, that compels our political parties to be truthful or to be able to back up anything they say. Naïve as my position may be, I think this is not acceptable.
So, given the proven and foolproof effectiveness of online petitions at attracting the attention of and influencing decision makers, I have set up a petition asking for the removal of clause 12.1 from the ASA’s Code. I would be grateful if fellow b3tans could add their voices to my impotent online raging and even, should your views in any way mirror mine on this matter, circulate this plea round your friends, networks or general online ranting forums.
Once more - petitions.number10.gov.uk/CAPClause12-1/
There it is. Told you it wouldn’t be amusing or funny. But it’s given me a fairly thought-provoking morning’s research, and a faintly Mark Thomas-esque buzz of righteous indignation, and as I said to begin with, it originated from here, so you can have it back ;)
/goat
(
barryheadwound Mul-ti-pass? Multipass!, Wed 4 Mar 2009, 9:26,
Share,
Reply)
I'll sign that
ineffectually.
(
LordManley twitter.com/LordManley, Wed 4 Mar 2009, 9:27,
Share,
Reply)
It's posted in the full knowledge that it will come to no avail...
but there is process there so I might as well make use of it, and I like to do these things from time to time just to see how far they get...
(
barryheadwound Mul-ti-pass? Multipass!, Wed 4 Mar 2009, 9:29,
Share,
Reply)
I'll certainly play this game.
And kudos for a well written argument.
(
Ttssattsr, Wed 4 Mar 2009, 9:38,
Share,
Reply)
Why thank you...
I've been seething over it for 10 days while I waited for no.10 to approve the petition, so it's been through a couple of drafts ;)
(
barryheadwound Mul-ti-pass? Multipass!, Wed 4 Mar 2009, 9:45,
Share,
Reply)
Thing is barry
If parties are given free rein to fill their ads with spurious and unsubstantiated claims their efforts
will be shredded by a far worse threat than the ASA - a ravenous 24-hr media.
I say leave it. Let's see just how far they want to push the envelope. Elections swing on such dismal campaign strategies.
(
Bela Lugosi's Dad, Wed 4 Mar 2009, 9:43,
Share,
Reply)
Good point, well put...
but it's the principle of the exemption that sticks in my teeth, rather than any practicalities of it.
(
barryheadwound Mul-ti-pass? Multipass!, Wed 4 Mar 2009, 9:46,
Share,
Reply)
The 'New Labour new danger' posters
spring to mind, the one with shadowy demon eyes across a ripped photo of Blair, propaganda at its best.
(
Brandy_Bumwinkle, Wed 4 Mar 2009, 10:07,
Share,
Reply)
WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
(
Just Flange, Wed 4 Mar 2009, 11:01,
Share,
Reply)
Well you can't say you weren't warned...
(
barryheadwound Mul-ti-pass? Multipass!, Wed 4 Mar 2009, 11:23,
Share,
Reply)
i've read it now, i must say i almost gave up after reading that fucking twoddle over the bus ad arguments, i thought you were ranting about something along those lines..
fair point you make, and i'm inclined to agree, i am however exempt as i left the UK in a fit of pique and currently reside in the Netherlands. good luck!
(
Just Flange, Wed 4 Mar 2009, 11:28,
Share,
Reply)
Send me an ounce of White Rhino!
PO Box stoner, uk :)
(
Brandy_Bumwinkle, Wed 4 Mar 2009, 11:51,
Share,
Reply)
bwahaha
gladly, cept you're only allowed to buy maximum 5 grams at a time from any one shop, so it'll take me while to gather an ounce...
(
Just Flange, Wed 4 Mar 2009, 12:15,
Share,
Reply)