A useful example of the naivety of Tommy Robinson – aka Stephen Yaxley Lennon – here. Or perhaps an example of how he’s entirely outside that political establishment. For he’s not learnt the first thing about how to actually do politics – you bribe the voters with other peoples’ money, not your own. I mean really, imagine not getting that?
[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Tommy Robinson holds political rally and barbecue in Wythenshawe300 is not bad for an election rally to be honest. But the problem was the barbecue:
[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””] Police told Tommy Robinson to stop handing out free burgers and hot dogs to supporters at a rally because it broke electoral law. At the “Family BBQ” held in Wythenshawe, the former English Defence leader confirmed he will stand in the European elections next month as an independent candidate in the North West of England. Robinson was offering free food to supporters from a catering van but was forced to stop after officers told him that he was violating electoral law by bribing voters, according to Sky News. [/perfectpullquote]Yep, quite so. In fact, one of the advantages of being on the stump is that it’s illegal for you to stand your round. Can’t be buying drinks for the voters.
Well, you can, if you’re outside the area you’re standing in but then which would be politician would be anywhere other than among the electors during a campaign?
But look at the naivety on display. Tommy’s money – or at least his election funds – would have had to be used to provide the free burgers. Fair play we might think but that’s not how politics works. Take another Stephen, say the son of a former Labour Party leader. If he were to go around bribing voters with his own money then he’d make no profit from being in politics, would he? An MP’s pay is £75,000 a year say, plus expenses. If each voter required £5 a vote that would be the entire income over a 5 year Parliament gone just to get there.
So, that’s not how electoral bribery is done, not at all. Instead, the promise is that those people over there – the Jews, the capitalists, the bourgeois, foreigners, big business, the English, make up your own groups of people not among those being addressed at this moment in time – will be forced to pay for nice things for you, my lovely voters.
Tommy’s really not got it, has he? You bribe voters with other peoples’ money, not your own.
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Although you are free to bribe voters outside the period of the campaign. If TR had held his rally at a time when he wasn't standing for election, say last March, he'd have been ok. And he might well have garnered support for canvassing, marketing etc.
Preparation is essential.
And you don't bribe all the voters. Just enough of those people who do actually vote but vote for somebody else. People who don't vote don't need bribing, and people who already vote for you don't need bribing. So, follow the money. Who gets the greatest public largesse and who is demanding more public largesse?
Poor Tommy, in more ways than one.