How much of this is approved by Gordon?

With just over two days of the Crewe and Nantwich this is the latest from the Labour in its increasingly desperate bid to hold on to the seat.

For after the controversy over the Toff campaign there is a new theme for the final period which is going to make a lot of people associated with the party feel quite uncomfortable. Its attitude to human rights and its view of how the criminal justice system should work is hardly in line with Labour’s traditional liberal approach

The copy on Dunwoody website reads “Tamsin Dunwoody wants the police to harass yobs, and get in their faces. She said: “There’s a lot of talk about human rights, for me the most important human right is to feel safe in your home and community.”

Is it going to work? Will it get wavering Labour voters to the polling stations on Thursday. Is this the way the Labour wants it social justice agenda to be portrayed?

Win or lose I wonder whether Labour is storing up some hostages to fortune with this which is not the kind of approach that in a general election is going to make the party attractive to voters in the centre ground – the key battle-ground for the general election.

It reminds me of the “dog whistle” campaign used by Michael Howard for the Tories in 2005. That probably alienated many more voters than it attracted.

In the betting the Labour price is now out to 7.2/1 with Betfair.

Mike Smithson