comedy Lib Dems

Over on Antonia's blog, Lib Dem organiser Neil Fawcett has been explaining that there is nothing wrong with the Lib Dems using this cartoon - http://www.antoniabance.org.uk/2006/10/07/asbo-babies - because "This cartoon may be ‘gratuitously stereotyping working class people’ but that is because it is highlighting comments by Blair that do just that". Tony Blair, of course, didn't call for asbos for babies and specifically ruled that out, but never mind, it's not like the issues of social exclusion or prejudice towards young working class women matter when compared to the opportunity to score a cheap and unamusing political point, is it?

So for those following closely, the Lib Dems have no problem with using images which might be considered to stereotype people, providing they are relevant to the point being made. Meanwhile, over on http://oxfordliberal.blogspot.com/2006/10/people-trafficking-and-prostitution.html, Lib Dem blogger of the year Stephen Tall is (quite rightly) complaining that to accompany a story on people trafficking, the Guardian uses "that most hackneyed of photo stand-bys, the alluringly provocative stockinged-leg of a prostitute".

Rather than working as a fundraiser for St Anne's College (which has already got plenty of money, so could probably spare him), perhaps Stephen could consider a career as the new Lib Dem cartoonist?