Still smarting that we’re not considered wholesome enough for a Cameron marriage tax break – my wife earns a few hundred quid too much – I was cheered a bit to see Sunder Katwala’s recent post on Next Left. It looks like we’re in good company.

It’s supposed to cover civil partnerships too (might buy them a nice stay in a B&B), but Sunder thinks it will be hard for Cameron to find himself any beneficiaries there. Pensioners are likely to get a third of it – A very welcome boost on pensioner poverty, but would another £150 on winter fuel not be better targeting – or is divorce and anti-social behaviour amongst pensioners one of the main indicators of the Tories’ Borked Britain?

And then there’s the amount. Not enough to be a bribe, or to genuinely be of help to families – something that few people will get, and those that do get won’t notice. Shudder the thought it might be calculated to be the cheapest way possible to avoid the embarassment withdrawing the silly policy. As is stands it seems to fall squarely into the category of ‘pin money for wives who know their place”.

Sod Gene Hunt, it seems like Cameron’s taking us back to the 50′s.

I haven’t been a member of a Labour affiliated union for nearly ten years now – my current union don’t even have a political fund, let alone one that affiliates to Labour, but something really irks me about the latest Tory billboard – criticising Labour for taking union money (no, the one above is my take on it, not the original, which you can see here).

If the Tories are honestly able to believe Michael Ashcroft wants to give them his tax-dodge savings purely out of civic duty, rather than attempting to buy any kind of influence, it should hardly be too big a leap of faith that millions of union members might voluntarily give small change every month to Labour, collected through their unions.

It’s not because they want Derek and Tony to lean on Gordon in industrial disputes or that they think it will get them all a pay rise. It’s for the same reason that the unions started the Labour party. The party is a part of the labour movement, and it represents the interests of the ordinary working majority in the UK. Members of around a quarter of UK unions give funds to Labour in this way, and for this reason.

83% of Unite’s members seem to think that giving working people a stronger voice in politics is worth getting together and pooling a few pence a week. I think that’s pretty honest cash, that Gordon should be proud to be able to call on.

UPDATE 19/3/10: Carl has some good points on union party funding at Stronger Unions.

Amidst talk of changed strategy to duck the virtual and physical graffiti that’s dogged the Tories’ election posters so far, three new billboards have been unveiled today, detailing why people might like to consider crossing the floor and voting Tory for a change. None of them have the easy-to-deface looming face of Dave, but there’s a nice strapline and design style that should give ample room for parody.

MyDavidCameron.com are already on the case, and I’m looking forward to see how they rise to the challenge. The hashtag #ivenevervotedtory is already doing brisk business with lunchbreak surfers. Here’s my quick & dirty contribution to the fun.

The sinister Tory billboards are back with a vengeance, and so are their online alter-egos. The current posters are coming in for a bit of flack for attacking a Labour policy that isn’t actually a Labour policy. Still, it’s a nice scary picture, so MyDavidCameron.com has morphed into MyToryTombstone.com, with some very funny takes on the dramatic picture and the message gaffe. Here’s my own contribution to the fun (click for bigger).

Thanks to Clifford for this week’s image challenge – A different take on Mr Cameron’s slightly creepy airbrushed bill board ads.

Here’s mine (click for biggie) – I reckon the Cameron illusion is all mad CGI skillz rather than airbrushing! I did get the right Cameron, right?

Anyways, you can see a bunch of other excellent attempts at this over at MyDavidCameron.com “Airbrushed for Change”.

In which a young man setting out on a noble career finds that ultimately it’s easier to make living through a dishonest path than by staying true to his public. Any similarities between persons living or dead purely coincidental.

Hat tip Mark

Okay, only joking, but here’s an interesting piece in the Guardian today about new media behemoth Google’s first forays into politics, sponsoring candidates in the States (so far a Republican who’s in favour of net neutrality – admittedly an endangered species) and cosying up with Dave in front of the webcam over here.

The Google name itself has already done more than money could for the Tories – adding instant modernist kudos to their conference and the webcameron adventure. This new NetPAC sounds odd though, getting its funds from Google staffers.

Wonder if it will start to open any schisms at the Googleplex, where many of the hip young things are also of a fairly lefty bent. Heaven forbid the footsoldiers could start doubting the company’s “Do no evil” motto – something they may well be doing already, given the company’s wavering stance over its China operations and censorship.

Play music – courtesy of Hampton the Hampster at Juno Records

Now, who’s for Dave Çagri “I kiss you!” – or would we get a case of the Sion Simons?