General Election 2015: Tory banner backfires after stunt inadvertently tells locals in key marginal to 'vote Labour'

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox

Get our free View from Westminster email

Please enter a valid email address

Please enter a valid email address

SIGN UP

I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy

A Conservative councillor thought he was doing the party a favour by flying a banner over a marginal seat to try and boost its support.

Simon Moores, who is also a professional pilot, towed a banner over Thanet with the ironic instruction to "vote Labour" if you love debt and taxes.

But the stunt backfired when all onlookers on the ground could see were the words "vote Labour", printed in red, along with the two red love hearts.

It turned what he hoped would be a kind gesture to the Tory candidate Craig Mackinlay into an own goal in what could be one of the closest and most important constituency battles in the election.

Mr Mackinlay is fighting to keep hold of the South Thanet seat for the Tories in the face of fierce competition from Ukip leader Nigel Farage and Labour candidate Will Scobie. Incumbent Tory MP Laura Sandys decided to stand down as an MP after serving just one term.

Local Thanet resident Matthew Griffiths wrote on Facebook: "Whilst in the picture it is apparent that the message is anti-Labour, from the ground the clearest part was the Vote Labour.

"It wasn't until it did it's second pass that I could make out the hearts taxes and debt. Talking to a few people this afternoon, they also thought it was a Pro-Labour banner and certainly on a local Facebook page they think it was pro-Labour."

Mr Moores, a Tory councillor on Thanet District Council, flew the banner, attached to his aeroplane, over an anti-Ukip rally in Ramsgate, where left-wing commentator Owen Jones was making a speech.

Explaining his decision for the stunt, Mr Moores said: “I did it off my own back because I can’t stand Owen Jones. I can’t stand economic illiterates and Jones drives me crazy.”

He is one of only four instructors for banner towing in the UK. Recent clients included the Liberal Democrats, who employed him to tow a banner promoting the party's tax-cutting record over the past five years in government.

Mr Moore said he has two more bookings in the diary, but refused to say which party they were for.

He was initially approached by Ukip to fly the light aircraft that was carrying Nigel Farage and crashed in the 2010 election campaign.

He said: "I'd done their banner the week before, but wasn't available on the day Nigel wanted to fly. Ukip decided to go for the cheapest option instead.

"If I had been available, things might have worked out very different indeed."

The Independent has got together with May2015.com to produce a poll of polls that produces the most up-to-date data in as close to real time as is possible.

Click the buttons below to explore how the main parties' fortunes have changed:

All data, polls and graphics are courtesy of May2015.com. Click through for daily analysis, in-depth features and all the data you need. (All historical data used is provided by UK Polling Report)