This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/feb/28/nhs-reform-adverts-london-mayor-elections
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Anti-NHS reform billboards to target London mayor elections | Anti-NHS reform billboards to target London mayor elections |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Campaigners opposed to the NHS bill are targeting the London mayoral elections through billboard advertising, in the latest bid to persuade David Cameron to ditch the controversial reforms. | Campaigners opposed to the NHS bill are targeting the London mayoral elections through billboard advertising, in the latest bid to persuade David Cameron to ditch the controversial reforms. |
| Online campaign body 38 Degrees has brought in a top advertising agency, Mother, to target prospective Conservative voters as the incumbent Conservative mayor Boris Johnson prepares for a rematch with Ken Livingstone on 3 May. | |
| Supporters of the campaign suggested targeting the London poll in light of the fact that Cameron has made clear to his party that Johnson winning a second term is his top priority for 2012. | Supporters of the campaign suggested targeting the London poll in light of the fact that Cameron has made clear to his party that Johnson winning a second term is his top priority for 2012. |
| By mid-afternoon, the campaign had raised more than £100,000 hours after it launched a call-out to one million supporters to fund billboard space for the first wave of adverts due to go up on Monday. | |
| David Babbs, the director of 38 degrees, said the aim was to sway undecided voters to ramp up the pressure on the prime minister to ditch the bill. | David Babbs, the director of 38 degrees, said the aim was to sway undecided voters to ramp up the pressure on the prime minister to ditch the bill. |
| The London mayoralty has no powers over health, but the campaign believes the NHS could nevertheless play strongly in a major local election, not least because the Conservatives had promised no top-down reorganisation before the general election. | The London mayoralty has no powers over health, but the campaign believes the NHS could nevertheless play strongly in a major local election, not least because the Conservatives had promised no top-down reorganisation before the general election. |
| "David Cameron has decided to go through with these reforms out of a political calculation that it would be more embarrassing to do a U-turn and would cause him political pain," said Babbs. "We don't think the NHS should be about political calculations, but if it is about political calculations, let's change the calculations for him." | "David Cameron has decided to go through with these reforms out of a political calculation that it would be more embarrassing to do a U-turn and would cause him political pain," said Babbs. "We don't think the NHS should be about political calculations, but if it is about political calculations, let's change the calculations for him." |
| But he insisted that the aim was not party political, or designed to influence the outcome of the May poll. "What are trying to do is not really influence the result of the mayoral election but to get David Cameron to change tack." | But he insisted that the aim was not party political, or designed to influence the outcome of the May poll. "What are trying to do is not really influence the result of the mayoral election but to get David Cameron to change tack." |
| He added: "Obviously if he changed his mind, we would cancel the billboards and offer everyone a refund." | He added: "Obviously if he changed his mind, we would cancel the billboards and offer everyone a refund." |
| He said Greater London was the choice for the first wave of advertising because the sites were cheaper than the inner city. Conservative voters in the capital's outer ring helped secure the crucial votes which led to Johnson's victory in 2008 under the so called "doughnut strategy" conducted by Lynton Crosby, Johnson's election campaign director. | He said Greater London was the choice for the first wave of advertising because the sites were cheaper than the inner city. Conservative voters in the capital's outer ring helped secure the crucial votes which led to Johnson's victory in 2008 under the so called "doughnut strategy" conducted by Lynton Crosby, Johnson's election campaign director. |
| The ad features a London GP next to a billboard that reads: "Dear Mr Cameron. You're making a big mistake with the NHS. Please please listen to us." | The ad features a London GP next to a billboard that reads: "Dear Mr Cameron. You're making a big mistake with the NHS. Please please listen to us." |
| The call out to the campaign's supporters said: "Cameron desperately wants the Conservatives to win. Together, we can buy billboards all over the city, on the very streets where Cameron bought billboards promising the NHS would be safe with him. The adverts can warn potential Conservative voters that most doctors and nurses think the changes will make our NHS worse. | The call out to the campaign's supporters said: "Cameron desperately wants the Conservatives to win. Together, we can buy billboards all over the city, on the very streets where Cameron bought billboards promising the NHS would be safe with him. The adverts can warn potential Conservative voters that most doctors and nurses think the changes will make our NHS worse. |
| "We've tried everything else. Now we have to bring it back to something we know Cameron will understand – winning over undecided voters. He knows that a big national issue like the NHS could play strongly in a major local election. And that if it does, it will set the tone for a long time to come." | "We've tried everything else. Now we have to bring it back to something we know Cameron will understand – winning over undecided voters. He knows that a big national issue like the NHS could play strongly in a major local election. And that if it does, it will set the tone for a long time to come." |