Crewe and Nantwich - dirty politics part 3 - Pandering

3.54.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 22nd May 2008

The third and final thing that has annoyed me about the Crewe and Nantwich by-election is what I will call pandering.

The dictionary defines pandering as - To cater to the lower tastes and desires of others or exploit their weaknesses. I think what we have seen in the Crewe and Nantwich by-election is certainly that.

There has been quite a bit of literature been put out pandering and offering 'nods and winks' and 'dog whistles' on the subject of immigration. Some of this is the worst politics I have ever seen and the parties really seem to scrapping the bottom of the political barrel.

Immigration is a topic that should be discussed and debated but not messed around with during by-elections, particularly as the BNP aren't even standing in the by-election.

I suspect I may end up returning to this subject in the next few weeks, until then I would suggest reading my good friend Alex Wilcock's blog who has written more (and better than I) on the subject at http://loveandliberty.blogspot.com