Election looms and this time, it’s personal

WITH the general election only a month away, the main political parties are pushing their leader’s personalities as much as party policies in a bid to boost votes.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has been keen to show the electorate his softer side in a televised interview with former Mirror editor Piers Morgan. His rival David Cameron has taken a strong line on family values. But will this push on personality persuade voters? BEATRIZ AYALA spoke to town centre shoppers in Oldham.

Neil Farquhar (59), from Bardsley, said: “I never vote for the person. Politicians are all the same — they lie through their teeth. I use my vote, it is a way of putting your two penneth in.”

John Watson (69), from Ashton, said in terms of politics, he had seen it all before.

He said: “I don’t go on any personality. At my age, I’ve seen it all before. All politicians have personalities — it’s about who you take to and who you don’t.

“I don’t take to Cameron — he is too smooth and I don’t trust him. I’m voting Labour, for what Labour stands for.

“I find Gordon Brown all right, although I don’t particularly like him as a bloke.”

His wife Sandra Watson (68) said: “You are foolish if you vote for personalities.”

John George (70), from Rochdale, said: “I’m probably voting Labour — it is the way I’ve been brought up. I always have done and always will. I’m not interested in personalities.

“A lot of people don’t take any notice of policies.”

His wife Mary George (69) said: “Gordon Brown has had a hard time, but I think David Cameron is too smooth.”

Louise Holleran (43), from Middleton, said politicians were out of touch with the real world.

She said: “I think it is all a load of codswallop. Politicians’ lives don’t affect our lives — they don’t have to live in our world. They haven’t got a clue what it is like to live our lives or pay our bills.

“I’ll be voting on what they have done for us. I’ve got a small business but they don’t do anything for me.”

Jean Holleran (69), from Middleton, said: “I won’t be voting for either Labour or Conservative. I’m sick of them both. I vote on things that affect my life.”

Piotr Kowalski (32) moved to Oldham town centre from Poland five years ago.

He said: “I’d have to check out Gordon Brown’s record before voting for him.

“For me, it is about what a politician has done and what he intends to do, for the country as a whole and for foreign people.

“I don’t believe all the spin about personalities.”

Leanne McDermott (23), from Middleton, said she does not use her vote because she is not interested in politics. She said: “I’ve never voted, it’s boring. I wouldn’t know who to vote for.

“My mum used to vote for Tony Blair because she liked him, but she feels sorry for Gordon Brown.

“If politicians were fit, I’d vote for them, and I’d vote if the process was more exciting like the X-Factor.”

Her pal Kirsty Miller (22), from Middleton, said: “I’m just not interested — it is boring.

“Politicians always say they are going to do things and then don’t.”