Publicity stunt gives food for thought

AS a visual metaphor for the rainbow alternative, the image of a bloated man in a blue shirt, draped in a tattered red cape and swaggering aimlessly in circles wasn’t, perhaps, the wisest.

However, Fine Gael and Labour had a new policy to launch and political dignity would not be allowed to stand in the way of an eye-catching gimmick.

Indeed, it was nice to see the two parties back together again after a couple of in which their seemingly endless love affair appeared to wither under the strain of Pat Rabbitte’s wandering eye — after he caught sight of the Government’s shapely new poll figure.

As if to reinforce their ideological affection in the public mind, one photographer helpfully shouted “exaggerate it!” as an embarrassed looking Denis Naughten and Mary Upton crossed the road — carrying giant lolly pop signs and sandwiched between a waddling fat-guzzling blimp, who eats bad things, and a pretty young woman epitomising healthy living by holding bananas.

It was a bit like Benny Hill in slow-motion, except lacking the gravitas and social relevance that comic genius always brought to his work.

“I don’t feel silly, I’m suffering for Ireland,” FG food spokesman Mr Naughton declared, clearly feeling very silly as he tried to avoid being left for road kill by oncoming traffic.

Labour’s Ms Upton was having enough trouble of her own, as a gust of wind threatened to lift her and the giant lolly pop she was grimly clinging onto high above Merrion Square like some do-gooding, left wing Mary Poppins.

But then what’s a couple of traumatised front benchers when you’ve got a big idea to push?

We are bombarded with so many subliminal messages in advertising, just what were they trying to say.

Bananas?

Were they meant to symbolise the curious idea of a political union between a party of democratic socialism and one of pro-business economic neo-liberalism?

The Father Ted-esque “Down with this sort of thing!” protest feeling that hung over the PR stunt was only reinforced by the fact, the policy — labelling food red, amber and green, to denote healthiness — could not even be enforced by an incoming Rainbow government as it would break EU rules.