Election posters defaced as battle hots up

SIGN: A defaced Peter Luff election sign near Ombersley. SIGN: A defaced Peter Luff election sign near Ombersley.

SIGNS and posters are being defaced, destroyed, and stolen across Worcestershire as the election battle hots up.

Conservatives in Mid-Worcestershire and West Worcestershire have had a number of signs targeted.

But some of the West Worcestershire Liberal Democrat signs taken down over the course of last weekend have been found in a field by two people putting up notices about their lost cat.

Peter Luff, who is the Conservative candidate standing in the Mid-Worcestershire seat, has condemned the attack on his signs in Ombersley, Elmbridge and around the Cutnall Green area.

Some of his ‘Peter Luff’ signs have been changed to read ‘Peter Puff’ and others have had the first letter of his surname changed to an ‘M’.

Mr Luff said: “It is a sense of humour I don’t quite share. I am aware of it and believe they have been or are being dealt with.” Mr Luff said it was not as bad as what happened in Inkberrow in 1992 when they were all taken down and a bonfire made of them.

Meanwhile, in West Worcestershire the Conservative party said that about 50 posters have been attacked in Malvern, some up to three times.

Chris Cheeseman, who is vice-chairman of the West Worcestershire Conservative Association, said that a “hooded attacker” has been seen leaving the scene of some incidents.

“If this is vandalism it is vandalism on a scale and with a political dimension not seen in previous general elections, including 2005,” he said.

This follows on from a report in your Worcester News about West Worcestershire Liberal Democrat signs and posters being stolen from peoples’ gardens and properties in Malvern, Tenbury Wells, Hallow and Rushwick over the course of the weekend beginning Saturday, April 24.

However, some signs taken from the field near the Ketch roundabout were discovered on Sunday evening by two people putting up notices urging people to look out for their lost cat.

The found items included a large diamond sign, three small diamond signs and one diamond sign on a stick.

Attempts have been made to put them back on display.

Comments(15)

skychip says...
12:04pm Tue 4 May 10

What a sad state of affairs - will be glad when Thursday has come and gone.

Demigod says...
12:11pm Tue 4 May 10

This is not any kind of political attack. This is just good quality playground humour! You can't tell me that the majority of you haven't seen Peter Luff's name and almost immediately thought Peter Puff?!

Tulstar says...
12:13pm Tue 4 May 10

..."Chris Cheeseman, who is vice-chairman of the West Worcestershire Conservative Association, said that a “hooded attacker” has been seen leaving the scene of some incidents."...
.
A "Hooded Attacker"...? Oh, come on. It's just someone with a sense of humour. I'd hardly call them an "attacker", Mr Cheeseman!

Tulstar says...
12:35pm Tue 4 May 10

Why hasn't anyone done the same to Robin Walker's signs..?
.
Quite an easy surname change there, I think...!
.
I'm not advocating it by the way - it's merely a comment ;-)

Malvern says...
12:37pm Tue 4 May 10

What a surprise somebody seems to be disheartened with politics.

Unixman says...
12:45pm Tue 4 May 10

Tulstar wrote:
Why hasn't anyone done the same to Robin Walker's signs..?
.
Quite an easy surname change there, I think...!
.
I'm not advocating it by the way - it's merely a comment ;-)
Robin Walker's signs have been defaced. One at the end of Bath Road (by the St Peter's roundabout) was charmingly covered in swastikas and a certain style of mustache.

Makes you wonder at the IQ of the idiots who did that.

The sign has now been replaced.

brooksider says...
12:50pm Tue 4 May 10

The parties are spending too much time worrying about their signs instead of meeting the electorate.
I suppose they are frightened they might hear real people views.

rgdudley says...
1:17pm Tue 4 May 10

Defacing a sign is actually counterproductive. It makes it more interesting and so gets more noticed.

Doogie 46 says...
1:20pm Tue 4 May 10

We shouldn`t really be surprised - we`ve had thirteen years of dumbing down everything in our lives.This is just par for the course.

skychip says...
2:30pm Tue 4 May 10

Actually I haven't seen any Michael Foster posters up around the City - seen plenty of Robin Walker

MrStJohns says...
2:32pm Tue 4 May 10

Whos going to admit, to wanting another term of labour sky chip after the last 13 years.

helen donovan says...
3:01pm Tue 4 May 10

To anyone who watched the BBC Politics Show on Sunday morning at the Guildhall.
Worcestershire funding has NOT doubled as claimed by candidate Mike Foster.
We come 10th from bottom out of 150 authorities, and have had an increase of around 33% since 1997 (everyone else has had much more).

To say funding has doubled is completely UNTRUE.

Tulstar says...
3:17pm Tue 4 May 10

helen donovan wrote:
To anyone who watched the BBC Politics Show on Sunday morning at the Guildhall.
Worcestershire funding has NOT doubled as claimed by candidate Mike Foster.
We come 10th from bottom out of 150 authorities, and have had an increase of around 33% since 1997 (everyone else has had much more).

To say funding has doubled is completely UNTRUE.
An untruth from a Politician, now there's a surprise!

helen donovan says...
7:25pm Tue 4 May 10

PS The figures I quote are from the official government website and also verified by email from county.

Olga says...
7:51pm Tue 4 May 10

Come on don't get too uptight - I would be voting for Peter if I was in his constituency (not a hard and fast tory but yes for this year)
this is just funny, take it in good spirits and all part of the season.
(I don't have anything to do with the defacing or actually support it, but let's see the funny side!!)

click2find

About cookies

We want you to enjoy your visit to our website. That's why we use cookies to enhance your experience. By staying on our website you agree to our use of cookies. Find out more about the cookies we use.

I agree