6/24/2008

Businesses and politics - Do they ever mix well in elections ?

Iain Dale highlights an issue that one business has in the Henley by-election where the strategic placing of a poster has caused them to lose business.

It reminded me of the personal bias I might have against businesses who are overtly political in the past, and I wondered if I was completely alone in being like this.

In a by-election back in the early 1990's in a Broadland village the local Fish and Chip shop decided to put up a large poster on election day in its window promoting the main rival candidate to the Lib Dems. With a large contingent of volunteers around to help (I think we had 20 people there by tea time) it was decided that a large order for chips should be placed. Of course, the local chippy didn't get our order and we drove five miles to the next village. The result ? A Lib Dem victory by 150 votes and a local chippy owner £30 quid worse off.

There are other stories too, and I am sue I am being slighly pathetic, but can we help our own political bias when we actually have a choice to use another business instead of the one that has shown its political colours to be different from out own ?

I guess the business in Thame that Iain Dale highlighted knows that its not just me as a Lib Dem who let's politics affect buying decisions.

So have you ever boycotted a business, a shop, a supplier or someone else becausethey made their politics known ?

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well all the businesses here seem to be run by Tories!

I generally balance service with political affilliations.

Thus I bought my washing machine and Fridge/Freezer from a Tory (who voted against the candidate in our target seat for whom i was an agent!) and the hardware store is also a Tory.

The point is if I knew a Lib Dem business that was as personal and as good as these guys who are local businesses I would go to them.

Essentially I'm saying i buy things from them despite their political affiliations due to the fact they are local and provide a great service!

I could of course go to Currys etc but ugh it's so impersonal.

Anthony said...

The interesting thing about the case in Thame as far as I'm concerned, is: is the shop owner just a grumpy Conservative supporter not happy with the Lib Dem poster above his door, or has he really lost business?

Anthony said...

The reason I say that is because the wording of the shop owner's sign is odd: why would anyone be "offended" by the poster?

Anonymous said...

I would never buy anything from Ryness (owned by a certain Lynne Choona Featherstone!)

jailhouselawyer said...

"I am sue", Alright ducky, and there's me thinking it was Johnny Cash who was the Boy Named Sue.

asquith said...

I enjoy buying Fair Trade stuff, as it gives me great pleasure to imagine all the right-wing "libertarians" who are enraged at it :)

Antony said...

Yes Nich, I totally admit to being a "political" consumer; I avoid businesses that directly contribute to other parties.

I have ceased being a customer because they have advertised on a FOCUS newsletter and do not use the services of a man who once stood as a Labour candidate.

However I am sure that there are very very few people like us and that businesses shouldn't worry too much.

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