To judge by the number of Labour placards outside people’s houses at the moment, you’d be forgiven for thinking the party is heading for a romping victory. Sure, you will see some ‘Vote Conservative’ placards dotted about here and there. But for the most part, putting up political posters is now predominately a left-wing pastime.
This is certainly the case in the urban heartlands of England’s three big cities, London, Birmingham and Manchester, where the rare Conservative posters that have made an appearance are often defaced or torn down. Perhaps surprisingly, ‘Vote Labour’ posters are most conspicuous in the wealthier parts of our cities. In Crouch End, a prosperous part of North London, you can’t move for Labour placards outside people’s houses – the only competition came from the odd Liberal Democrat contender. Elsewhere, a friend relates how they are also in abundance in the well-to-do Warwickshire outskirts of Birmingham. It’s a similar story in Cambridge.
The strange thing is that when you leave Crouch End, you’re struck by the total absence of Labour posters along the Caledonian Road and in other, far poorer north London areas, where it would make more sense to vote for a high-taxation, redistributive party.
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