How not to do rebuttal

I always worry when Lib Dems announce that they 'have to' spend the campaigning rebutting what the other side are saying about us.

And this web page from the local Tories just about sums it up.

Once you've read some of the most effective bits of our leaflets and noticed their long and tedious rebuttal in a small typeface alongside it you might find this sentence:

'We do not beleive that it should be the role of the Council to organise activities for young people,'

Now, can you guess what was plastered all over our eve of poll leaflets in the marginal wards?

You guessed it!

And they sum up their whole approach when they say:

'We believe in words not actions.'

Classic.

So, top tips for Lib Dems:

1 Think before you rebut. Continuing to promote your agreed campaign messages will nearly always be a better use of time and effort than rebutting the opposition.

2 If you are going to do a rebuttal, don't make it obvious that it is a rebuttal. Just state your case on the issue clearly and more effectively.

3 Don't repeat their message for them. So ofen our rebuttal starts by repeating their attack. THAT'S WHAT THEY WANT YOU TO DO! Don't do it!

4 Pick on one thing they've lied about and attck it hard. It is far easier to convince on one simple fact that in lots of detail.

5 Make your rebuttal shorter and simpler than their attack. Otherwise you won't win the argument.