Thedead cat strategy, also known asdeadcatting, is thepolitical strategy of deliberately making a shocking announcement to divert media attention away from problems or failures in other areas.[1][2] The term is popularly associated with political strategistLynton Crosby's work on the successful London mayoral campaigns ofBoris Johnson.
In 2013, while he wasmayor of London, Boris Johnson wrote a column forThe Telegraph in which he described a political manoeuvre known as "throwing a dead cat on the table":
To understand what has happened in Europe in the last week, we must borrow from the rich and fruity vocabulary of Australian political analysis. Let us suppose you are losing an argument. The facts are overwhelmingly against you, and the more people focus on the reality the worse it is for you and your case. Your best bet in these circumstances is to perform a manoeuvre that a great campaigner describes as "throwing a dead cat on the table, mate".
That is because there is one thing that is absolutely certain about throwing a dead cat on the dining room table – and I don't mean that people will be outraged, alarmed, disgusted. That is true, but irrelevant. The key point, says my Australian friend, is that everyone will shout "Jeez, mate, there's a dead cat on the table!"; in other words they will be talking about the dead cat, the thing you want them to talk about, and they will not be talking about the issue that has been causing you so much grief.[3]
Johnson employed the AustralianLynton Crosby as his campaign manager during the2008 and2012 London mayoral elections, leading to press speculation that he was the "Australian friend" in the story.[4][5] The phrase went on to become popularly associated with political strategist Crosby and his management of Johnson's successful mayoral campaigns.[6]
Political lecturer Grant Rodwell describes the strategy as having found "some political traction" during the2015 United Kingdom general election, theConservative campaign for which Lynton Crosby led,[7] and in which Johnson successfully stood to return as anMP. At a point whenLabour's campaign had been gaining momentum,Defence SecretaryMichael Fallon accusedEd Miliband of having "stabbedhis own brother in the backto become Labour leader" and said that this meant he was "willing to stab the United Kingdom in the back to become prime minister" by scrappingTrident.[1]The Guardian described this as a "crude" and "brutal" attack that some commentators thought would backfire, but it successfully moved that day's media focus from Labour's policies to Fallon's statement.[1]
Rodwell notes the term later finding a place in media coverage of the "outrageous pronouncements" made byDonald Trump during the2016 Republican Party presidential primaries and his laterpresidential transition in theUnited States.[7]
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