After posting on my Twitter status as ‘Enjoy your chocolate this morning David Cameron, it’s on us’ I received a reply asking if I had set up a PR stunt. After reading this, that was exactly what I decided to do.
After contacting Adam Burns right away we began working on the stunt which was finalized today. You can read about it in the press release below.
Letter included in the chocolate.
Full website with images and probably the best ever use of Willy Wonka.
www.wix.com/Pawscomms/Cameron-and-the-Chocolate-Factory
Press Release
4th December 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
LEEDS STUDENTS TACKLE “CAMERON AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY”
Two Leeds students have sent a parcel of chocolate to David Cameron in protest of the latest expenses scandal to hit the Tory party. It was announced yesterday that Cameron had claimed for, amongst other things, a Mint Aero, a Galaxy and a Caramac on his Commons’ allowance for his staff.
Clare Callery, 20, and Adam Burns, 23, both second year students sent the chocolate parcel, which featured banners reading “This really takes the chocolate biscuit Dave!” and “David Cameron what a Wonka” to Mr. Cameron’s address at the House of Commons. The parcel also contained a letter written by the two students detailing the case of many school leavers who could not afford to pursue their dream of studying at University because of a lack of finances.
Mr. Cameron, who is estimated to be worth about £3.5 million, had earlier this year berated members of the Conservative party for abusing the MPs expenses system, saying some of the claims were “unethical and wrong”.
None of the snacks claimed for break the MPs expenses rules as MPs are allowed to bill for “meals and subsistence for interns, volunteers or permanent employees working away from their main place of employment”.
Adam, a student at Leeds Met, said:
“I am sick of hearing about millionaire politicians abusing the system. If David Cameron was so intent on feeding his interns then why did he not foot the bill? And in my experience having to pay for your own lunch is part and parcel of being an intern. I have got friends who simply could not afford to go to university and it saddens me that a multi millionaire like Cameron is wasting valuable tax payer’s money.”
Clare adds, “It’s laughable that the MP expenses scandal continues, and this time the tax payers now have to fork out for David Cameron’s chocolate purchases. Enjoy these bitter-sweet chocolates Mr. Cameron, they’re on us. Again”
David Cameron earlier this year stated that the Conservatives will raise university fees to compete with universities abroad, such as in USA, for the best staff at the university. However with the pros of better funded universities also come the cons. University education in the USA is so expensive (some fees top £20,000 per annum) that further education really does become a luxury for those that come from wealthy enough backgrounds to afford it. This unfair rich-poor divide with regards to education is something the UK is already at risk of falling into, and we should do all we can to prevent it
It’s creative and funny, that’s for sure. (Glad to be able to click through to here from the Eurprera social media awards shortlist: well done!)
[...] coverage in the YEP this week, so look out for it Mum. Look at what Clare and I conjured up on Friday. It was lots of fun, but has struggled to gain coverage thus far (It does not reflect the views of [...]