FINE GAEL HAS criticised a number of ads which have linked to their official website and parody their campaign for a Yes vote by suggesting it would benefit bankers at some of the world’s biggest banks.
Ads featuring Barclay’s chief executive Bob Diamond, Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein and other senior figures from Deutsche Bank and BNP Paribas have been appearing on some Irish news websites today and link to the Fine Gael website.
The ads are the work of the political blogger Paul Staines, an Irish citizen, who runs the Guido Fawkes British political blog and wrote on Monday that he was looking to place the ads in the Irish Times.
As David Cochrane of Politics.ie noted, some of the ads also link to the website of Declan Ganley’s Libertas but TheJournal.ie understands that the ads are not in anyway affiliated to the organisation which is campaigning for a No vote.
A Fine Gael spokesperson described the ads as a ”desperate last minute tactics by people on the No side” adding that the party had contacted the companies mentioned in the ads and raised the issue with Google Ads.
“They’re a clear breach of the term and conditions because they’re using their logos,” the spokesperson added.
Asked for a comment, Staines told TheJournal.ie via email this afternoon: “Good craic. Truth in advertising,” adding: “Vote NO”.
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