Voice of London

The UK’s best-selling red top tabloid newspapers urge their readers to vote on election day

The right-wing red top The Sun and its left-wing tabloid opponent the Daily Mirror urge their readers to vote Conservative and Labour respectively – in what both are calling the most important election for many generations.

Today’s Sun splash. Image copyright: Scott Mathew (Voice of London)

The Tory-backing Sun advises its readers to vote Conservative so as to prevent a “Corbyn-led Marxist government” from taking office.

It seems to be appealing to its core readers – the industrial working-class – a segment of the electorate who in days gone by were largely Labour-backing, but who in large swathes backed Margaret Thatcher and then John Major’s Conservatives during the 1979-1992 period. It says:

“You may never have done so before [voted Tory]. But it has NEVER been more important. The stakes have never been this high.”

Today’s Mirror splash. Image copyright: Scott Mathew (Voice of London)

Meanwhile, the Canary Wharf-based Mirror makes a more emotional appeal to its core readership – who are also largely from the traditional working-class and lower-middle classes.

It features eight images that show its perceived injustices it blames the Conservative government for. Their themes include:

Cuts to the NHS

Scrapping free TV licences for the over-75s

The Grenfell Tower fire – safer housing and accommodation

The scrapping of the bursary for trainee nurses

The latest poll out from YouGov puts the Tories on 43% with a projected seat estimate of 339; the Labour party on 34% with seat projection of 231; the Liberal Democrats on 12% with 15 seats estimated; with the Brexit party on 3% – expected to win no seats, despite topping the polls in the European Parliament elections earlier on in the year.

Words: Scott Mathew | Subbing: Michelle Del Rey | Featured image credit: Depositphotos