This week is all about manifesto launches in th UK as the 2010 UK election campaigning starts to ramp up. Today, the official opposition and bookies favourites to win the election, the Conservative Party, launched their manifesto 'Invitation to join the government of Britain'. I'm not sure how literally you should take that invite.
Anyway, here is the word cloud...
This is taken from their section, 'Promote our national interest'.
I don't think that we should be surprised that Conservative, security, national and government appear large. There isn't the prominence of buzz words that we saw in the Labour cloud yesterday.
Interestingly, the word aid appears larger in this document than in Labour's. However, both parties are commited to, and will legislate for keeping the 0.7% GDP aid commitment. Which is fantastic news as Britain should (no counting chickens here) keep to this historic commitment. Maybe the Tories felt the need to stress this more as this historically is seen as Labour territory.
Small words included climate, people, poverty and developing.....bit of a worry that!
As was pointed out on my last blog, the word gender doesn't make the cloud of either main parties - and neither does the MDGs.
Let me know your thoughts.
Thanks Ian for these clouds, a really great tool to have a good overview of what Torries and Labour think.
Going quickly through both manifestos, I am really annoyed by the consensus on linking development issues to security, defense, army, national interest.
I know it’s not really surprising as you can find this kind of positions in a lot of European countries, but coming from France, I thought that Labour was more on the “west wing”.
But when I read their manisfesto, it remembers me of a certain Nicolas Sarkozy one. This feeling is really reinforced by this “nice” chapter on “Crime and Immigration”.
Labour or Torry, a lot of reasons to worry…
Could you also feature the liberals? I recently heard an analysis that they might have a decisive role in the new parliament.
@Stefan - I’ll definitely feature the liberals later on today. They could have an important role if we have a’hung parliament’ (ie. no party gets enough seats for a majority).
@annabel - I’ll definitely be looking more into that link between development and security as I agree with you that this presents issues when making aid work for the poorest people.
Thanks Ian!
I don’t really understand this stuff, but Father Jack says we have to vote Tory or else!! lol
good stuff.boat parts