Mystery over negative campaigning on the Purley Way

Dirty Tory electioneeringAn urgent police investigation is underway in Croydon after there was an outbreak of dirty campaigning ahead of next month’s General Election.

The politically inspired graffiti, pictured right, appeared on a blank advertising hoarding at the junction of Croydon Road and the Purley Way overnight with the message: “Keep out Balls-up and Twit. Vote Conservative. Or Green. Or Anyone else.”

A spokesman for Croydon police refused to comment, but they are believed to be looking for a pudgy-faced gobby fac totum with traces of black paint all over his hands to “assist them with their enquiries”.

“It’s fairly clear that this is not the handiwork of your average Croydon vandal,” a police source told Inside Croydon.

“Look at it. Definitely university-educated – there’s no spelling mistakes.”

The hoarding with the slogan is sited within the safe Tory seat of Croydon South, but it ois on a busy highway just a few minutes away from the borough’s two other seats, including the tightly contested marginal, Croydon Central. Our mole outside Croydon Tories’ head office in Purley said, “It’s nothing to do with Chris Philp, our Croydon South candidate. He’s a multi-millionaire, and he could afford to buy up four or five advertising hoardings around the constituency if he thought that he needed to. Which he doesn’t.

Chris Philp electioneering in his previous, unsuccessful, attempt to become an MP. The keeping police stations open bit didn't work, either

Chris Philp, the Tory candidate in Croydon South, has used advertising hoardings in previous campaigns

“He’s done that before, after all.

“But it’s fair to say that financially, things here are tighter than ever. However, I can categorically deny any suggestion that the pot of paint that was used was bought from B&Q up the Purley Way and paid for by Mike #WadGate Fisher out of his councillor’s allowances.”

Our Tory source refused to comment on whether the painted slogan might have been done to aid the cause of Croydon North Conservative candidate Vidhi Mohan, who is still a little confused about where the constituency begins and ends.

In another development, the office of Sarah Jones, the Labour candidate for Croydon Central, is believed to be preparing a letter for sending to the election agent of her rival, gaffe-prone Gavin Barwell, to enquire whether they have accounted for the advertising hoarding in their official election expenses.

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News, views and analysis about the people of Croydon, their lives and political times in the diverse and most-populated borough in London. Based in Croydon and edited by Steven Downes. To contact us, please email inside.croydon@btinternet.com
This entry was posted in 2015 General Election, Chris Philp MP, Croydon Central, Croydon North, Croydon South, Gavin Barwell, Mike Fisher, Sarah Jones MP, Vidhi Mohan and tagged , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

8 Responses to Mystery over negative campaigning on the Purley Way

  1. It can only be an official Conservative poster.

    It’s full of personal invective and insults, the characteristics of their campaign thus far.

  2. declare2 says:

    Boris was spotted out campaigning with Gavin Barwell today, perhaps he brought a few old pals from the Bullingdon Club with him.

  3. Danny Stanzl says:

    At least we know it wasn’t Andrew Pelling getting confused what side he is on, he doesn’t seem to know where Waddon is anymore

  4. It was not overnight. It was a young, reasonably well-dressed man in his 20s with a roller on a pole at about 3pm on Wednesday afternoon.

    I was stuck in traffic by the poster watching him. I would have photographed him if I had not been driving.
    I would probably be able to identify him again if asked.

  5. mraemiller says:

    Everyone gets more right wing as they get older. Even Banksy.

  6. Rod Davies says:

    In light of recent leaks / scurrilous claims, are we sure that it’s not a piece of covert Scottish Nationalist Party activity?

    1. Vote Conservative, and it will drive more Scots into the SNP fold, leading to Scotland overwhelmingly demanding independence!
    2. Vote UKIP, have a referendum and England leaves the EU and UK, leaving an independent Scotland in the EU!
    3. Vote LibDem and another Conservative MP slips back to Westminster (see 1)
    4. Vote Green, and potentially your party of choice will ally itself with SNP in Westminster.

    Of course Ms Sturgeon has denied everything and has stated SNP will work with Labour and other left wing parties ……..

  7. As one of the local team of Waddon councillors I reported this graffiti to the council (before this story was posted by Inside Croydon) as being offensive because of its anatomical reference and thus in need of a speedy removal.

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