to wish that when driving down a lovely country lane, I don't wish to see six foot billboards telling me who to vote for?

[jurisfictionoperative]

I am not particularly political, but even if I were, seeing six ft technicolour posters of my local tory mp, would not convince me to vote for him, or anyone else come to that! I live in an area of outstanding natural beauty ffs! (although it wouldn't matter where I live!) Seeing Bernard Jenkins ugly mug definately obscures the view! (And this is not a specific dig at him, it could be a poster of any of them labour, liberal or tory!)

I quite like them!

My favourite is the board for Colonel Terry Scrivens...he looks so jovial. I wish I lived in the forest so I could vote for him!

YAB a bit U
It's only for a few weeks every five years or so. If it were permanent that would be another matter

It might be worth complaining to your local planning department. My Dad used to be a town planner in a beautiful area and used to arrange for all illicit advertising to be taken down. They have to have permission for it and if they don't it'll be removed - it's unlikely that they will have permission for it in an AONB.

This is quite possibly the daftest thing to complain about in a free democracy when it happens 6 weeks every 5 years.

Dinnae be daft.

The other thing that hacks me off, they dont take them down for months afterwards.
We have one for Alberto Costa,,a good scottish name!!!

I comepletely understand what you mean, whilst driving around North YOrks/NW Lancs yesterday there were so many huge boards in fields etc for candidates.

I think I can safely say that it seems Arnside on Morecambe Bay will be Lib Dem come May

But the larger than life sized picture in the field by the road, won't influence who I vote for, neither will the sixty seven thousand posters nailed to garden fences or the pretty junk mail. Surely anyone who chooses their vote on the person on the nearest billboard needs to think about it more!
I'm with my friends idea. Politicians should take part in a six week televised, search for a star style reality tv show. Each week they have to complete certain challenges, or, thinking of ways to help fund Nhs, finding jobs for the unemployed, juggling, ice skating and filling sausage skins in style of generation game. Public phones in and someone gets voted off each week!

the problem with these, is that they're all put there by the veryrich tory-voting landowner.

not wishing to sound like a sweeping generalization, but around here, every billboard (or actually, tractor trailer with big wooden board attached) is on land owned by known tory supporters.

i have a theory that the candidates have asked for favours from those who have money and land to advertise them.

sorry, a spin-off point wa, that it will never be representative, because, for example, there aren't as many landowners who support the libdems.

YANBU

Its worse here in Ireland, they put up hideous posters on every lamp post for every election. Some them are so bad its hilarious though.

YAB a little U. I see your point but probably wouldn't if I was a Tory with a big poster in a field. And it's an improvement on the Dereham Tile Warehouse which is the other main source of big posters in fields round where we live.

There's a really big LibDem one in a field in North Norfolk. I know, because my uncle put it there, bless his tweedy little socks.

Oh and in adjoining fields near us (presumedly on a boundary) there are posters promoting George FREEMAN next to Elizabeth TRUSS, which is moderately tittilating, I feel ;)

Seems slightly odd to be opposed to the democratic process, and frightening that some think that a reality TV idea would be better.
I like seeing them (even the huge Tory ones at the entrance to the local golf course. It shows that some people actually give a shit.

See, as we drove through different areas we moved from big Conservative placards on land, to Lib Dem signs on peoples houses.

Interestingly, in our very small focus group we saw no Labour signs/placards.

Reality tv comment was meant to be ironic! :-)

And I am not opposed to the democratic process either! It's just the rubbish adverts!

i agree yanbu - around here they are in the hedgerows - not an odd one they are every 20metres - jeeez there is no turn off so youve seen one youve seen them all. There all conservative ones also. The labour party obvoiusly know their constituency better as they have opened an office next door to the pizza shop and are handing out red balloons to the kids. I find it all mildly ammusing.

I'm not opposed to the deomocratic process, just visual litter.