Video: The Conservative Election Broadcast

The election broadcast for the Conservative Party. Watch it and judge for yourself.

What are we  to make of this? Sad music, gazing wistfully out of a train window… I was wondering whether this might turn into a tampon advert. Curiously it is slightly downbeat rather than inspirational, although in a reasonably classy way. I suspect the aim is to avoid triumphalism, as is Johnson’s quote that the Mayoralty is no one’s by right. Although that might just be a dig at Livingstone.

Of the four broadcasts we’ve looked at so far this is the only one that focuses on the Mayoral candidate themselves with Mr Johnson appearing from start to finish. This may have something to do with the fact that he’s the only main Mayoral candidate people actually like or perhaps they couldn’t afford a cast of thousands.

In general the public don’t seem massively keen on politicians wittering on about four million this and eleven million that, but in this case they may well make an exception, although there’s nothing typically Johnsonian here, understandably.

While the film is light on Londoners it is not light on London, and as the sitting Mayor there is an argument that the man himself does in some ways symbolise the city. I realise that will provoke collective shudders among some readers, but there you have it.

Of the four broadcasts this is the least experimental in its style which risks dullness but avoids some of the mistakes that others managed to make. This wont go down in the history of memorable election broadcasts and feels very much like a safety shot played with a straight bat, which is probably quite an astute move on the part of Johnson’s team.

The policies

According to Mr Johnson it’s not really about policies. “It’s an election about who you trust to get you through the tough times”, who you trust “to be straight with you about where the money’s coming from and how it’s going to be spent”, and it’s an election about “bringing the city together”. As such I guess he’s saying in the most positive way he can think of that it’s an election about not being Ken Livingstone.

Again he’s playing to his strengths, which isn’t his record of achievements. Very wise.

He does have a nine point plan. That’s an odd number of points for a plan, isn’t it? I mean, nothing wrong with that, but who decided on nine? Is it meant to be specific, and therefore more trustworthy, just as 4.3% feels more exact that 4% even if both are made up?

He does talk about transport and jobs, in both instances focusing on investment. On one level this is a subtle dig at Livingstone’s plan to cut fares (and therefore revenue) but it’s also creating distance between him and the government’s economic policy of austerity.

He may describe times as tough but his solutions *sound* distinctly Keynesian with job creation and investing in public works. It’s a message that will probably be quite effective insulating his vote from the more toxic national coalition. Despite being light on policy this actually feels like a more rounded program. Obviously this is the style not the the reality, but this is the sort of broadcast that will deliver one or two runs without any fear of googlies.