A century of Conservative posters

Some of the most famous Conservative campaign posters of the last 100 years are now available to look at online. The BBC's Justin Parkinson casts his eye over a selection:

1909 - SOCIALIST DEVILS

Nothing raises Conservative hackles like an increase in taxation and the 1909 Budget - including the Liberal government's plan for a "super-tax" on high earners - was no exception.

In this poster, a swarthy, hairy, short-tailed devil-ape - representing redistributive "socialism" - is seen throttling Britannia, a pristine national symbol.

The demonic theme was one the Conservatives dabbled with again in the famous "devil-eyes" New Labour, New Danger ads of 1997.

The 1909 poster was very much in the style of those which were to appear a few years later in the First World War, depicting German soldiers as child-eating monsters in spiked helmets.

1909 - STOUT DEFENDERS

By today's standards, this effort was not strong on presentation, but it is an argument still important in modern-day politics.

"Steer clear of the beer," could be the advice given to any chancellor wanting to avoid unpopularity.

Just recently a campaign was launched to bar Alistair Darling from every pub in Britain, in response to his raising of alcohol duties.

Early 20th Century Tories wanted to ensure his Liberal predecessor David Lloyd George was made just as unwelcome in ale houses, it seems.

1929 - FALSE DAWN

Some traditionalist might have scoffed at David Cameron's call for his party to "let sunshine win the day". But the Conservatives, then in government, had tried a similar tactic in 1929 poster.

It suggested everything was not just tickety-boo, but positively wonderful: the economy, foreign affairs, pensions, and, for some reason, "orphans".

A working man, an elderly woman, a boy and a young lady - fresh from dancing a pre-election Charleston, no doubt - look at a plaudit-emitting sun in proud, unified wonder.

But Mr Cameron might take a warning from history. The election of 1929 resulted in a hung parliament, with Labour and the Liberals forming a coalition. Even though the Tories won the most votes overall, a net loss of 152 MPs darkened their mood somewhat.

1929 - COILED AGAIN

In contrast to the Conservatives' sun-drenched splendour, socialism was shown as a ravenous snake, ready to devour workers and bosses alike.

A red-suited zoo-keeper (representing Labour) looked the other way, as nationalisation strangled the nation.

The cartoonish style is typical of the period, coming at about the same time as adverts for Guinness - featuring various animal and human characters and bearing the slogan "Guinness is Good for You" - began.

1952 - FOOD FOR THOUGHT

A quarter of a century before Margaret Thatcher portrayed herself - basket in hand - as the candidate who understood the housewife's priorities, her party was already wise to the tactic.

Things can only get better (if you keep us in power) is the strong message. Cheaper shopping and, at a time when people were more rationing-weary than calorie-conscious, "more sugar" were celebrated.

Three years later, the Conservatives, in office since 1951, won again - with an increased majority.

1979 - SCHOOL DAZE

At about the same time as a children's choir was singing "We don't need no education" on Pink Floyd's hit song Another Brick in the Wall, the Tories suggested they weren't gettin' none, anyhow, under Labour.

That's synthetic phonics for you, some modern cynics might argue.

The poster is along the same lines as that bearing the famous slogan "Labour isn't working", credited with helping the party defeat the strike-beset government of Labour's James Callaghan at the 1979 general election.

1987 - PUBLIC ENEMIES

Some familiar faces appear on a poster warning of the views of some of Labour's "hard left".

Ken Livingstone, then only recently ousted as leader of the Greater London Council, is currently running for a third term as London mayor.

Two other faces on the poster - Diane Abbott and Jeremy Corbyn - are still Labour backbenchers.

Tory disapproval might be more focused in this poster than that shown against the snake and the devil-ape in earlier posters - but the anti-socialist message is still pretty much the same.