A Conservative advert highlighting a cut in beer and bingo taxes in the Budget has been labelled as ‘patronising’ by Labour and Lib Dem officials, but what do the people of Manchester think?
Conservative Party chairman, Grant Shapps, continued to draw attention to the cuts by tweeting a poster of the bingo campaign, creating massive controversy on twitter.
The online advert said the 1p cut in beer duty and the halving of bingo duty to 10% would help ‘hardworking people do more of the things they enjoy’.
Paul Nuttall, MEP for the North West, describes the bingo campaign as a ‘patronising approach’ claiming that, ‘Cameron’s Conservatives are clearly too upper-crust to have any idea about such activities’.
He added: “This government is dangerously out of touch.”
Parody versions of the original poster were posted on Twitter, mocking the Tories.
“Cutting the façade from Tory Politicians to reveal what the really think about hardworking people,” it said.
“Cutting the NHS, Police, Welfare safety net while Patronising hardworking people with a bit of bingo and beer.”
MM took to the streets of Piccadilly to find out what the public thought of the controversial advert.
Do you find the Budget poster offensive and patronising to the working class?
|
Options |
Results |
|
Yes |
71% |
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No |
21% |
|
No Opinion |
8% |
The results show that more than two thirds, 71% of the people asked found the poster offensive and patronising, describing the budget as ‘offensive’ and ‘ludicrous’.
Steven Openshaw, 51, a joiner from Urmston, said “Reducing the price of beer was just the conservatives ‘window dressing’ the budget to try to appeal to the working class. It is an insult to our intelligence.”
Retired Chris White, 52, from Bolton, said: “I find it typical of the patriarchal nature of this government who seem to think that anybody who didn’t go to Eton spends their lives in the slums swilling beer and playing bingo. They have no idea how the rest of us live.”
Alyson Hulme, 48, from Altrincham, said: “The Budget clearly benefits the middle and upper classes and oppresses the working class. Suggesting they only enjoy playing bingo and drinking beer is reinforcing stereotypes about the working class. The poster is incredibly patronising, beer and bingo is the least of most people’s worries.”
A small number of those we spoke to felt the advert wasn’t particularly offensive.
David Wareing, 21, a warehouse worker from Urmston, said: “It’s slightly offensive, but I’m not that bothered. It seems like a bit of a joke to be honest.”
Trevor Phillips, 34, a busker from Halifax, said: “It only really affects the older generation so I’m not offended by it.”
Dawn France, 43, a cleaner from Salford, said: “I don’t see what all the fuss is about to be honest. All these people complaining will be the same people perched up at the bar on Friday night, complaining about how expensive everything is. Anything that’s going to save me money is good in my book.”
One person we spoke to had no view either way.
Jodie Simpson, 19, a barmaid from Didsbury, said: “Who cares about all that budget rubbish, none of it actually affects us anyway does it?
“I’m not offended by it all, but I’m certainly not jumping for joy that I can get cheap bingo tickets neither. I’m 19, do I look like I’ve got a zimmerframe?”
