Political Commercials in the United Kingdom

12.02.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 8th Aug 2007

In the United Kingdom we don't allow political advertising on television rather we have those usually dull party political broadcasts, which usually last a couple minutes following the news.

Party political broadcasts outside election times are usually positive and show what the parties are doing to improve life for people where as in the United States of America where they have political advertising on television the adverts are usually negative and personal attacking candidates.

On his blog Adrian sanders mentions the main argument against party political broadcasts and the alternative of paid for adverts. I have never really considered this issue seriously and so have no opinion on it, however having looked at the three adverts (links below) the two things that stuck out to me were that they are all too long (over two minutes) and they attack the others without mentioning the benefits of their party.

I'm not sure that if we did allow political advertising on television in the United Kingdom the political parties would produce adverts as those on You Tube given that a large amount if not adverts on television in the United Kingdom are focussed on the positive side of the product, facility or service being advertised rather then the negatives of the competition although adverts from banks and supermarkets are different.

The links below are to videos on You Tube of what political adverts by the major political parties in the United Kingdom may look like.

Related Links:

Adrian Sanders MP.

British political commercial - Conservatives.

British political commercial - Labour Party.

British political commercial - Liberal Democrats.