(79) EU referendum poster aimed at minority ethnic vote causes controversy

Link: http://www.theguardian.com/media/2016/may/25/eu-referendum-poster-minority-ethnic-voters?CMP=share_btn_tw

 

Summary:

 

Operation Black Vote, the campaign group that aims to persuade more minority ethnic people to get involved in politics, has produced a provocative poster with the slogan “a vote is a vote” as the deadline for registering to take part in the European Union referendum looms. The deliberately hard-hitting campaign depicts an aggressive-looking skinhead on a see-saw, jabbing his finger at an Asian woman – who nevertheless sits level with him, to convey the message that everyone’s vote carries equal weight. Designed by Saatchi & Saatchi, it is aimed at persuading adults from minority ethnic communities, who tend to be under-represented on the electoral register, to sign up before the 7 June deadline so they can cast their votes in the referendum. But the poster immediately sparked a row, with Nigel Farage, the Ukip leader campaigning hard for Britain to leave the EU, describing it as a “disgusting” example of “sectarian politics”.

Key data/statistical information:

• It estimates that there are 4 million BAME voters in the UK – plus 400,000 British Commonwealth voters who are eligible to vote in the EU referendum – but around 30% are not registered