FAQ

Note
This is the FAQ from the 2005 General Election. The FAQ for the local elections in 2006 can be read here.



What exactly is it that you want from me?
We want you to register to vote. Then, when the election comes around, we want people who live in 'safe' Labour seats or marginal ones to vote for the candidate most likely to beat the Labour candidate. Not the anti-war-person, or the seems-like-a-nice-person, but the candidate most likely to beat the Labour candidate.


But your group is called 'Backing Blair'! What's all that about?
We're using satire with an Orwellian tone to reach people. We realise some folks may be challenged/confused by this; that's why we have an FAQ.


OK, so why do you want us to do this?
People involved in this campaign pretty much want to get rid of Blair and bring a halt to his style of government. We hope that includes you. Common beefs include Iraq, the erosion of civil liberties, Blair's almost unquestioning loyalty to the Bush administration and the Blair government's ongoing swing to the right.

Our ultimate goal is to significantly reduce Labour's majority. We hope this will weaken Blair's position within the Labour party and lead to a viable leadership challenge.

But for a protest vote to be effective, it must be visible and damaging.


I refuse to vote UKIP, BNP, etc.
You won't have to. In the unlikely event that a marginal seat pops up with a c*ntdidate this strong, we will drop it from our campaign.


I refuse to vote Tory/Lib-Dem etc.
Suck it up. There's a job to be done.

For more reasons why, read Tories are Terrorists


But I know such-and-such a candidate and he/she is a good person, does a good job, voted against the war, etc. etc. etc.
Sorry, there are only 13 exceptions, these being Labour MPs who have consistently opposed the Government on a broad range of fundamental issues including Iraq, ID Cards, Anti-Terror Laws, Top-up Fees, Foundation Hospitals and House of Lords Reform. Isn't that depressing? Only 13 MPs out of 412.

If your local MPs isn't one of the 13 then tough. Even Robin Cook is a viable target. Labour candidates need to know what Blair's ongoing leadership has/will/may cost them. We want survivors of the protest vote to come away determined to unseat Blair.

And we couldn't give a toss about the performance of an MP regarding their service to the local community. The invasion of a country that presents no threat to us on the basis of thin and politically-influenced intelligence sets a dangerous precedent that threatens us all. The same goes for detaining people without trial. Domestic issues pale into insignificance next to such things, I'm afraid.


But what if the Tories win?
Good question. Blair is just as likely to use the Conservative bogey-man as he has used the terrorist bogey-man - and we do not deny the actual (if slim) threat in either case. However:

1. How far does Blair have to swing to the right before you realise we're already living with a Tory government?
2. Let's assume that the Tories bridge what is a very large gap and win. They will only do so by the narrowest of margins, and in the coming years they will face stiff opposition from surviving Labour MPs who know what Blair's swing to the right has cost them. We will at the very least have balance in government and something approaching accountability. We don't have that now.


OK, you've got me. What do I do?
Link to the site. Donate money. Join or form a group and take action. Your country needs you.


Is this the end of the FAQ?
Yes.