Playa Hatas

Continuing with the election for a bit (hey, everyone else is), I can't say I'm too impressed with The Grauniad's nosepeg campaign. As someone said to me yesterday, it's things like this that make a lot of people hate The Guardian. Apparently Polly Toynbee will be voting Labour, but only out of necessity, to prevent the Tories coming to power. In protest at being "misled" into the war on Iraq, she has constructed an "ingenious" nosepeg, which she intends to wear on Election Day as she goes to cast her vote. Well la-di-da Ms Toynbee, aren't you just the picture of middle-class rebellion.

But wait! In case you were feeling left out, you too can join in the fun, by e-mailing Polly and requesting a shiny new peg emblazoned with "Vote Labour" all of your very own. Readers are encouraged to send in pictures of themselves wearing the pegs outside their local polling stations on May 5, upon which the paper will publish them all, and what a jolly good wheeze it will be.

Sorry, I didn't realise we were all still in university. I know it's all in good fun and I can see the logic behind it (as always, she argues her point eloquently), but there's something about this caper that comes off as snobby and childish, and frankly it doesn't help anybody, least of all the Guardian. They're obviously trying to muscle in on The Sun's clique-y approach to electioneering, but realistically, we are talking about two different kinds of audiences, and I can't see too many Guardian readers going for it. And if they do, well...they'll end up looking like posh schoolkids sulking over an unpopular teacher.

So remember kids, don't playa hate. Playa appreciate!