News from Labour Matters

Cameron’s Conservatives can’t even get their own PR right now

Cameron’s Conservatives, often criticised for being light on policy and heavy on PR, can’t even seem to get that right nowadays. Their Party Political Broadcast, which aired a day after Labour’s broadcast, concentrated on the economy and used the example of a building company boss, Shane Prescott and his family.

David Cameron claimed the Prescotts had “been running their own successful building company for 20 years” but had found that “in the last few months business has slowed.”

But the Evening Standard, a Conservative supporting London newspaper, pointed out the next day:
“Shane Prescott was given star billing in the latest Conservative party broadcast last night, with Mr Cameron hailing him as an example of a successful small businessman struggling in recent months because of the recession.

But Companies House records show his firm went into liquidation at the height of the boom in 2006 owing £240,000 to creditors, including £174,000 to Revenue & Customs.

A few weeks after receivers were appointed, Mr Prescott went on a holiday with his wife Joanne to Australia to watch the Test Match, a trip which reportedly cost £11,000.

The Merseyside loft conversion specialist remains in business at the same address and has six past and present directorships listed in his name.

Mr Prescott’s records appeared to contradict last night’s Tory broadcast, in which Mr Cameron said the firm had prospered for 20 years and had only struggled in recent months.”
Read the full article.

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