All They Want for Christmas is Votes

Earlier in the month Jeff said that the "storm over Alex Salmond's choice of Christmas card really quite remarkable and not a little bit depressing." Here is the card that he is talking about from the Scottish First Minister.



He went on the say:

"The accusation that Salmond has politicised Christmas is part of a growing trend for everything to be reduced to a petty level, and I do mean all parties for that."

So he seems to admit that there is a little politicising going on with Salmond's choice of imagery, however today the Times have run a report on what the other National leaders have sent out this year.

First we have the Prime Minister Gordon Brown, his card designed by the 19 year-old winner of an environmental photography competition.



Well there is a bit of Christmas in there with the Holly and a decoration hanging on it. Though maybe this is one decoration that the Brown's will come to when unpacking them next Christmas, and years thereafter and say "do you remember when?". But then again when he is in so much danger of not living behind the famous imagery of that door is he using it as a subliminal political message to return him through that door at some point this year.

David Cameron's scene is a snow covered tree.

But obviously he has been taking advise from Tory supported Kirsty Allsop in that it is all about 'location, location, location'. The tree of course is situated right in front of the clock tower of the Palace of Westminster*. The image is also cut out into the shape of the Conservative Party's symbol.

So maybe Jeff is right all the parties are clearly at it in politicising their Christmas cards. Except we haven't seen Nick Clegg's yet.

This wasn't designed by a child in a local school in the constituency, though Jeff did condemn Ian Gray for doing what a lot of Parliamentarians do in choosing their Christmas cards in this way (including SNP ones, whoops). It is actually is drawn by 8 year-old Antonio and 5 year-old Alberto Clegg. I guess in future years the proud dad will not be allowed to employ his family members in this way.

On a personal level I like the fact that Nick's card really is a family Christmas card. My elder nephew's school produce a card for each of the kids each year (may mean I get two this year as they are both at the same school). These are now a constant part of my Christmas decoration box. They are charming and cute, a reminder of what Christmas is about or at least who it is most special for. The other three no matter how you look at it contain some sort of political subplot. The Clegg card is something that many families send out every year.

Meanwhile my two nephews are seeing their Uncle Stephen and Aunt Jacqui in the same room for the first time ever in their lives this Christmas (apart from the elder's dedication service). She does work as a paediatric Doctor in Australia so coming back at this time of year isn't always possible.

* Any of you who though it was in front of Big Ben better not be hoping to win that QI game under the tree this Christmas. Big Ben is just the name of the deepest sounding bell of the peel in the tower.