Idiots or Liars?

Oh, dear!

During this week's by-election campaign, the Liberal Democrats -- as desperate as ever -- used their standard tricks, as expected.

One of these is the 'false vote share bar chart' which shows them apparently on the up and about to overtake the leading party's vote share, which is portrayed as being in decline.

The third significant party, whoever that might be, are shown with the lowest vote share, with the message "Can't win here".

Take a look at the one they did in my ward last weekend, then compare it with the actual results (and, from the swing figures, with where we all started out):

Note that none of the figures quoted tallies with reality, and in particular the LibDems' own percentage which apparently started off at 29% and went up by 8 points to 37%. As we know from the previous (just one year ago!) and latest election results, they were in reality on less than 15% last time, and ended up at just over 22% on polling day this time (last Thursday).

Similarly, the bar chart indicates that the Conservatives had been on 43% and were now down 5% to 42%. The official 2007 local election results clearly show they had over 48%. Just a small "error" this time, but still an inaccuracy. Labour had just under 29% of the vote at that election, not the 24% the above bar chart claims. It all looks like deliberate deception, doesn't it?

It's all rubbish! Again, they were in third place, and Labour were in fact ahead of them.

Now: was this just incompetence at canvassing? If so, they'd obviously be no good at judging public reaction to any issue, so could never represent residents competently. The only other possibility is a deliberate lie -- and that again rules them out as unfit for office. Either way, it is in fact the LibDems who "can't win here" -- ever!