September 24, 2003
UK Political Party launches SMS competition aimed at students
The UK Conservative Future party is inviting students to send a text message to short code 81222, to enter a competition to get their tuition fees paid for the year, reports the Conservatives.com.
"Justin Tomlinson, CF National Chairman added: "We are delighted that Conservative Future is leading the way with new forms of campaigning, and our text message competition does just that. Our activists will be communicating this message to students on campuses nationwide over the next few weeks, inviting them to show their support for scrapping tuition fees by entering our competition. Get texting!"
See related article in the BBC which has a different take on the campaign, saying CF is calling on students to use their mobile phone to join an electronic "petition" against government plans for top-up fees.
"The Tories - who say they will scrap tuition fees if they win the next general election - claim it is the first time a political party has conducted a protest by text messaging", reports the BBC
Update 06.10.03 Tories finally get the message. An article in The Guardian.
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