Up and down the country election candidates are cuddling up to babies, strutting about in hard hats and grinning for obligatory selfies. Making the news isn’t simply about policy, it can also be about coming up with the most creative, eye-catching stunts.
Love it or loathe it, the picture of David Cameron feeding an orphaned lamb on a quiet Easter weekend was an inspired touch by the Tory PR machine as it ended up in every national newspaper in the land. In contrast, there were no rival picture opportunities arranged for Ed Miliband. On the previous day the Labour leader was talking against the red backdrop of a party event in Warrington and despite photographers’ best efforts to take an original picture the scene was dully familiar.
What’s clearly apparent from the pictures rolling in to our picture desk is the Tory aspiration to project Cameron as a regular, fun guy. Here he is sharing a laugh with his wife over a glass of stout on a visit to Brains Brewery in Cardiff, where the couple spent time with their sleeves rolled up making steak and ale pies.
There is always a risk, however, that such stunts don’t go to plan. One of the most widely published images of the election so far is of Cameron boring a school child to distraction.
The Labour leader, meanwhile, was taking a more business-like approach, appearing on the same day, booted and suited at the National Composites Centre.
One of the surprise stars of the political photo game is George Osborne, who has thrown himself into the limelight with enthusiasm.
Those may be quite typical campaigning events but it’s his sheer delight each time that’s the icing on the cake.
The Labour party do have an ace up their sleeve, though, as Eddie Izzard, dressed to impress, is on the red team.
While in Scotland, Labour’s Jim Murphy has been hamming it up for the cameras.
Meanwhile, Scotland’s first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, is proving to be a tough lady to beat on the photo op, unless of course you’re a wee boy with a balloon.
