▲
2
▼
When traversing the drainage pipe that leads to Barnsworth, the player can spot graffiti that reads "PAY NO POLL TAX" and "DING DONG THE WITCH IS DEAD!" These reference slogans from opponents of former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher.
The former references the Community Charge, a controversial policy of the Thatcher administration that resulted in her 1990 resignation following widespread protests (it was ultimately replaced by the Council Tax three years later). The latter message references a campaign by anti-Thatcherites following her death in 2013 to inflate the chart position of "Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead", a song from the 1939 film adaptation of The Wizard of Oz, under the pretense that the BBC would be forced to play it over the radio. The network ultimately compromised by including a brief snippet in a news report about the campaign. The presence of both references ties in with the game's setting in Northern England, where anti-Thatcherism is particularly pronounced.
The former references the Community Charge, a controversial policy of the Thatcher administration that resulted in her 1990 resignation following widespread protests (it was ultimately replaced by the Council Tax three years later). The latter message references a campaign by anti-Thatcherites following her death in 2013 to inflate the chart position of "Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead", a song from the 1939 film adaptation of The Wizard of Oz, under the pretense that the BBC would be forced to play it over the radio. The network ultimately compromised by including a brief snippet in a news report about the campaign. The presence of both references ties in with the game's setting in Northern England, where anti-Thatcherism is particularly pronounced.
In-game footage:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PDQpZlzbHM#t=3656s
Article about the Community Charge and Council Tax:
https://web.archive.org/web/20240619051816/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/8370222/Local-government-funding-timeline-From-rates-to-poll-tax-to-council-tax.html
Articles about the "Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead" campaign:
https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-22145306
https://web.archive.org/web/20161207233025/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/apr/09/anti-thatcher-sentiment-singles-charts
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2013/apr/10/thatcher-death-ding-dong-witch
https://web.archive.org/web/20130414113143/http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/aboutthebbc/posts/Statement-regarding-Radio-1s-Chart-Show-14-April-2013
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PDQpZlzbHM#t=3656s
Article about the Community Charge and Council Tax:
https://web.archive.org/web/20240619051816/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/8370222/Local-government-funding-timeline-From-rates-to-poll-tax-to-council-tax.html
Articles about the "Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead" campaign:
https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-22145306
https://web.archive.org/web/20161207233025/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/apr/09/anti-thatcher-sentiment-singles-charts
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2013/apr/10/thatcher-death-ding-dong-witch
https://web.archive.org/web/20130414113143/http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/aboutthebbc/posts/Statement-regarding-Radio-1s-Chart-Show-14-April-2013
Related Games
Untitled Goose Game
Double Dragon Advance
Twinsen's Little Big Adventure Classic
Naruto x Boruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections
NASCAR 2000
Inverse Ninjas vs. The Public Domain
The Joy of Creation: Ignited Collection
Beyond Oasis
Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness
Seaman
Chipper & Sons Lumber Co.
Air Twister
Reynatis
Tales of Symphonia
WWE 2K15
Beavis and Butt-head in Virtual Stupidity
Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled
State of Decay
Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling
Die Hard: Nakatomi Plaza
A Vampyre Story 2: A Bat's Tale
Pushover
Zero Wing
Metal Gear Solid
StepMania
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Bendy: The Silent City
Onimusha: Warlords
Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes
Sam & Max: Save the World
Hitman: Contracts
Superliminal
Outlaws
Microsoft Minesweeper
Bad ass babes
Forsaken
Alan Wake II
South Park: The Stick of Truth
Super Meat Boy
Pac-Man: Adventures in Time
Max Payne 3
Shadow Warrior
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver
Flock!
A Boy and His Blob
Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy
SpongeBob SquarePants: SpongeBob Saves the Day!
Ittle Dew 2
Rise of the Tomb Raider
Quake II