Kevin Attacks 20% Rise in Government Advertising Bill

Taxpayer foots the Bill for Labour Government's desperate attempts to win popularity

27th May 2009

Cllr Kevin Foster, Conservative Parliamentary Spokesman for Coventry South, has today questioned the 20% rise in Government advertising spending in 2008 alone. The Government is now the second largest advertiser in the UK, just behind Proctor & Gamble, with a total bill for PR, advertising and marketing of £400m. Gordon Brown spent £54 million more of taxpayers' money on advertising in his first year than Tony Blair in his last year.

The news on Government advertising spend comes despite the pressure on public finances that will see record levels of borrowing, as well as tax rises, over the next 2 years. The increasing advertising spend coincides with disastrous opinion poll ratings for the Labour Party that show them having their lowest level of support since World War II.

In contrast as part of this year's Budget the Conservative controlled City Council voted to cut a further £400,000 from publicity budgets over the next 2 years having already reduced the number of communications officers employed by the Council since taking control from Labour. In addition £250,000 will be saved by changing how the Council advertises jobs.

Kevin said: "It can be no coincidence that as the General Election gets closer and Labour are in a mess that the Government has increased its spending on advertising in a desperate attempt to win votes. At a time of economic hardship this extra money could have been much better used supporting hard working Coventry families, in particular those who have been made unemployed, rather than on more spin for a deeply unpopular government."