In the lead-up to Thursday's UK national election [3], the Christian Science Monitor reports [4] on "the growing insinuation of spin and professional marketing into British politics." The Independent publishes a wide-ranging interview with Sir Timothy Bell [5], the influential owner of Bell Pottinger Public Affairs [6] and a frequent campaign consultant. Bell's "offering what help he can to put his friend Michael Howard [7] into Downing Street" and is "actively engaged in shaping the political futures of Russia and Ukraine [8]." He's also working with Iraq's Coalition Provisional Authority [9], "to sell the idea of democracy to the Iraqi people." In the Independent interview, Bell faults the British elections for having "no great slogan" and dismisses efforts to engage young voters, asking, "Why should they be interested in politics? There are so many more exciting things for them to do."