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The Conservative Party
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
.. are attempting to get more young people involved in their politics, according to the radio.
Charles Kenney (I kid you not), spokesman, commented on the lack of votes, saying that more people voted in Pop Idol than in the General Election. He noted that the party wanted to tap in to the market created by TV shows like big brother, and get that activity in to politics.
He said that they would be involving youth groups, so expect a call from the Tories, theSite!
He also commented that;
"We thought about locking the leaders in a house, and getting people to phone in and evict them, but realised it wouldn't work"
Amusing, or pathetic?
Has politics been reduced to cheap gimmicky stunts like this?
Charles Kenney (I kid you not), spokesman, commented on the lack of votes, saying that more people voted in Pop Idol than in the General Election. He noted that the party wanted to tap in to the market created by TV shows like big brother, and get that activity in to politics.
He said that they would be involving youth groups, so expect a call from the Tories, theSite!
He also commented that;
"We thought about locking the leaders in a house, and getting people to phone in and evict them, but realised it wouldn't work"
Amusing, or pathetic?
Has politics been reduced to cheap gimmicky stunts like this?
0
Comments
Just like the conservetive party in my opinion.
I know, but you are only allowed to vote once in a General Election.
At least that's what the judge told me during the court case.
Fuck, couldn't we vote to brick up the doors and windows instead?
Desperate people do desperate things, I suppose. I just proves how out of touch they really are.
I don't suppose that they would consider having a look at what people actually want and then considering those as policies...
Why the hell cant they learn to go back to their core policies and just sit there and wait. None of these bullshit stunts which do nothing more than make them look stupid.
Another issue altogether is whether the traditionally Tory voters are much concerned with gay rights... I think most just want a return to their core values, but since Labor has now moved to the right the Tories have been left at a bit of a crossroads.
I read recently that the average age of Tory party members is 65 - that is the issue that they really need to address.
What are 'core values'?
If Iain Duncan Smith wishes the Tory party to aid the poor and less advantaged, is that not a reversion to 'One Nation' (a traditional Tory value concerned with limiting economic inequality within society)?
I suppose something needs to be done to attempt to reconnect younger people with the political process, so any move to institute that is a positive one. Nevertheless, the Tories have little chance of gaining power without any concrete policies at this current time (stating that you want to help the poor and improve public services is not enough; you have to state HOW they will be enhanced).
Unfortunately for the tories the party seems divided in two camps. Not only about the Euro- a division that cost them dearly in the last election- but about other issues. A return to 'One Nation conservatism would probably be the best option for them. But then there are many who favour a more right-wing, free market orientated agenda.
A good first step would be to cut ties with the past. Margaret Thatcher has become a political embarrassment for them, and although she's been told to keep a low profile she still seems to be running the show.
Unfortunatly at the moment it really isn't as the main partys exist almost purely for themselves and business's, rather than the individuals that make up the country.
I feel that by comparison with John Major's time as party leader, the anti-European camp have gained the ascendancy over the pro-European group.
I think one has to ask WHY people are apathetic.
One of the most common statements made by the average Joe is that 'politics doesn't affect my life'. Doesn't he pay tax? Or use the NHS? In that sense (since the government control both the level of taxation and run the NHS) to state that politics 'does not affect' him is illogical.
Another aspect to the public general apathy towards politics might be the presence of sleaze and corruption (both in the last Tory government and in the current New Labour administration).
I agree that politics should be taught in school (at least the basics such as different political ideologies, the workings of political institutions, etc.).
Seehere .
I'm not sure if that if the answer though. Perhaps it's time to introduce telephone or even Internet voting? The technology is there and I would imagine the internet voting option would motivate a fair number of young people who otherwise couldn't be arsed go go down the voting station.
The general public is becoming more apathetic at times passess, partly because they cannot see any change regardless of how they vote, there is little [apparent] difference between the two main parties, but there is also the perception that politicians are more happy to toady up to business than to look after the interests of the voters...
Didn't William hague do this ('Common Sense Revolution', I believe it was called).
Evidently it didn't work, did it?
A little like Major's "Back to Basics".
:rolleyes:
I live in a tory strong hold (Ribble Valley, not Blackburn) as well so that sort of explains my bias.
There is an apathy to voting, people don't care about the euro all that much yet all the major parties seem to be basing everything on it.
The fact that all the main parties are so similar explains the large increase of people voting for parties such as the BNP.
I'd like to know the radio show this was from, since the Party doesn't have a youth spokesman could Charles Kenney. Charles Hendry was the Spokesman for Young People, but at the time this was posted this (09-08-2002) he was, and still is, the Shadow Minister for Young People.
Don't take this literally. What is meant by this statement is that shows like Big Brother and Pop Idol gathered huge audience numbers and participation because they contained subject matter that engaged and appealled to young people. The logic is that if the same can be done for politics (ie making it interesting and appealling to young people), then young people will be more inclined to get involved and vote.
That is indeed correct, and the average age of Labour Party members is 64.
Iain Duncan Smith has only been in office for a year. If policies were created and announced within such a short period of time, the Party would no doubt be criticised for rushing through the policy process and creating policy that did no go through a thorough consultation process, that was 'half-baked', was not reflective of the issues that affect the electorate and were totally out of touch. IDS is trying to start from a clean slate, so it's quite premature to demand policies after such a short period of time. There will probably be some policy unveiling at the Party Conference this year, and we will have to wait and see then what they will be.
I agree that it is necessary to state HOW public services will be enhanced and how the Party hopes to help the vulnerable. But such statements serve as foundations upon which the policy will be devised and to give indications as to the direction the policy will take.
A good idea, but a double edged sword. If someone is an MP at a young age they are criticised for having insufficient life experience, for not being mature enough and that they may be out of touch with their constituents. If someone is an MP at an older age they are criticised for being too old and out of touch with young people. A balance needs to be struck, so maybe some more MPs in their late 20s-early 30s?
I'm inclined to disagree over the issue of the Euro. When Iain Duncan Smith came to power he firmly stated the line on the Euro, which is that the Party will oppose it at a referendum but will accept the decision the electorate make. Since that has been laid down, the Party seems to be very quiet over the issue.
Iain Duncan Smith has proclaimed his intention to follow a set of values known as 'renewing One Nation', and I refer you to http://www.renewingonenation.com/ for more information.
The Party is most definately trying to disassociate itself with the Thatcher government, since One Nation is a different set of values to that of the New Right. Unfortunately, the media's insistency on reporting negatively on the Party and everything that goes on in it, and people's prejudice and unwillingness to see the new administration as breaking from the Thatcher government makes this difficult.
Apathy is a major issue facing most democracies around the world today, not just in Britain. The political process just does not engage people anymore. Some of the ways this could be combatted include:
Getting rid of the confusing and often incoherent jargon used in Parliamentary language
Greater use of the Internet to allow constituents to speak to their MPs (ALL MPs must have websites)
Focus on issues that matter to the electorate (for the Conservatives: less of a focus on Section 28. For the Lib Dems: less of a focus on liberalisation of the sale of pornography. For Labour: less of a focus on fiddling statistics and setting targets to make the Government look good).
Opposition parties need to offer a REAL alternative to the Government (whichever Party is in power)
Debates must focus more on arguing the issues rather than scoring party poltiical points, especially PMQs. I hate seeing MPs from all parties asking a question that is either back-patting the Government (if it's a Labour MP) or mud-slinging (all MPs).
These are just a couple of ideas, but a lot needs to be done, as the low turnout at the last election indicates, to reengage the electorate.