Labour candidate launches new website to highlight Tory opponent’s record

It’s no longer unusual to see political parties set up websites to highlight weaknesses in their opponents: we first saw it at the last election, most famously with the Tories’ expensive ‘Cash Gordon’ mistake.

Until now however, we have not before seen it on a localised scale. But today sees the launch of #reesmoggrecord, a new website from Todd Foreman, Labour’s candidate in North East Somerset. Rather than attacking sitting MP Jacob Rees-Mogg, Foreman’s innovative website simply collects some of Rees-Mogg’s most, er, memorable moments from his time in Parliament. The homepage features this snappy, well-made video of Rees-Mogg’s views in his own words:

The site is focussed on creating shareable content (hence the hashtag name) and features a ‘Spread the Word’ section, with graphics bearing his views on issues such as equal marriage, climate change and hereditary peerages.

This is a fairly new step for a candidate to do alone, and it is interesting to see someone, especially in a target seat, take a risk in attempting to engage with voters. There is very little here that you would not see on a leaflet (and the website launch will be followed up with a leaflet drop next week), but its medium, presentation and effort to get voters involved gives it a very different feel to more traditional campaigning methods. And if there’s one thing we know about Jacob Rees-Mogg, it’s that he’s a stickler for tradition.