A Tory tweet using an image of a BBC news anchor giving the middle finger to attack Labour over immigration may have backfired, according to new research.
The move sparked a row among Conservative MPs, with Centrist parliamentarians urging the party’s HQ to take down the post but Rightwingers defending it.
Political campaigning experts More in Common tested how it had gone down with the public and found that by a 68 per cent to ten per cent margin it was seen as “inappropriate” rather than “appropriate”.
More in Common director Luke Tryl said: While every group thought that it was more inappropriate than appropriate, it's interesting that Loyal Nationals - the segment that best reflects 2019 switchers in places like the Red Wall, were more likely than average to say inappropriate."
While every group thought that it was more inappropriate than appropriate, it's interesting that Loyal Nationals - the segment that best reflects 2019 switchers in places like the Red Wall, were more likely than average to say inappropriate. pic.twitter.com/ekf6XtSLGH
— Luke Tryl (@LukeTryl) December 15, 2023
More detailed questions raised further doubts over the benefits, or not, for the Tories of the tweet.
But did it have an impact on favourability of the Tory Party regardless? 44% said less favourably, 11% more so. Conservative switchers they need to win back were even less likely to say they viewed it made them view the Tories more favourably. pic.twitter.com/XK3hDBEXXz
— Luke Tryl (@LukeTryl) December 15, 2023
Mr Tryl explained further: “Did it have an impact on favourability of the Tory Party regardless? 44% said less favourably, 11% more so.
“Conservative switchers they need to win back were even less likely to say they viewed it made them view the Tories more favourably.”
As for its impact on perception of Labour, most people said it made no difference, 16 per cent felt more favourable to Sir Keir Starmer’s party, 18 per cent less favourable.
Among “Con to Lab switchers”, the split was 31 per cent more favourable to Labour and six per cent less favourable.
The biggest anti-Labour feeling from it was among people considering switching from the Conservatives to Reform UK which Mr Tryl suggested “seems electorally less of an advantage” for Rishi Sunak’s party.
He messaged further: “Anyway, as I said there are limits to this exercise, not many actually see it, it’s not going to change any votes, it may reinforce images in people’s minds.
“But at least on face value it doesn’t seem like a particularly fruitful tactic for the conservatives to continue.”
The row erupted last week after the official account for the Conservative Party on X, formerly known as Twitter, took a grab from viral footage of Maryam Moshiri that has been circulating online, for a post captioning it: “Labour when you ask for their plans to tackle illegal migration.”
Ms Moshiri was caught out on live TV raising her eyebrows and flashing her middle finger as she appeared on screen at the start of a midday news bulletin, when she was joking around with her team and thought she was off air.
Tory social media executives decided to use interest in the viral clip to attack Labour over their immigration policy as Mr Sunak was being hit by a civil war among Tory MPs over his Rwanda deportation plan.
However, senior Conservative MP Alicia Kearns, chair of the Commons foreign affairs committee, said: “Amazed this has not – despite requests – been taken down. It is beneath us.”
Bournemouth East MP Tobias Ellwood said: “Please delete this post”.
But Jonathan Gullis, Conservative MP for Stoke-on-Trent North, Kidsgrove & Talke, defended the post, saying: “I approve this message”.
Lord Barwell, Theresa May’s former chief of staff and an ex-Croydon MP, responded, saying: “To be fair, it is pitched right at his level.”
He added: “This is the exact opposite of what politics should be”, calling for it to be taken down.
However, legal immigration minister Tom Pursglove defended the tweet for casting the spotlight onto Labour’s policy on immigration.
