Politicians are cynically misusing children during the election campaign to win votes, a children's charity said. The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) hit out at Mr Tony Blair's campaign address in a girls' school and the Tories' use of youngsters dealing in drugs in its election broadcast.
Ms Mary Marsh, the NSPCC's chief executive, said: "We are appalled to see children being used as props or being pointedly vilified in an attempt to win votes in this election. Politicians should be campaigning for children rather than using them for their campaign."
"Children are citizens who deserve action in the areas of health, tax and the economy, law and order and transport, as well as education and social policy. We need to lift two million children out of absolute poverty and to cut the shocking numbers of children dying from abuse or neglect in this country," an NSPCC spokeswoman said, adding that its criticism was aimed at all the political parties.
"We are talking about the fact that Labour announced their election in a school, but didn't really talk about children in the speech," she said.
The Conservatives' election broadcast, which showed schoolchildren dealing drugs, burning cars, shoplifting and painting graffiti while their classrooms lie empty, was another misuse of children, she added. "Maybe they are going to talk about children's interests during the election campaign but they haven't so far," she said.