Dave the Chameleon was the British Labour Party's advertising slogan, and the basis of their political campaign, for the 2006 local elections. The campaign attempted to portray the recently elected Conservative Party leader and Leader of the Opposition, David Cameron, as an ever-changing populist who will be whatever people want him to be. It was criticised as being a particularly negative form of campaigning, though some have disputed this. In particular, the BBC political editor Nick Robinson said "you say, the public hate negative advertising. To which I say – nonsense, poppycock and balderdash", adding that "they remember it when it's good". In the event, Labour had a projected national share of the vote 13% behind the Conservatives. Broadcasts A short video was first aired on British TV as a party political broadcast on behalf of the Labour Party on 18 April 2006. A sequel aired on 27 April. The episodes were also available on the campaign's website, which also included ringtones and a podcast version, until the website was closed. Message Dave the Chameleon uses the chameleon's ability to change colour to mock the Conservative Party leader. They aim to show that Cameron will 'change his colours' to fit the opinions of the people he is speaking to at a certain time. The Labour Party claim that this is a trick to hide his conservative values from others. This is part of a longer campaign to portray Cameron as an indecisive populist – indeed, John Prescott had used the term 'Chameleon' to describe Cameron some two months previously. The broadcasts were accompanied by the song Karma Chameleon by Culture Club. In particular, the line "I'm a man, without conviction" can be heard during the broadcast. Plot Episode 1 The first episode details the biography of Dave. A blue David the Chameleon emerges from a blue egg – royal blue being the Conservative party's colour – and goes to school, wearing a straw hat, an allusion to his Etonian past. Dave, like David Cameron, joins the Conservative Party during its time in power under John Major, but when Major's government begins to collapse, Dave the Chameleon 'disappears' into the background to work in public relations (again reflecting Cameron's career). According to the story, Dave the Chameleon learns a number of 'sneaky' skills in PR, making him a master of spin. He changes his name to the more informal 'Dave' and