And no, unlike some people have suggested, this has nothing to do with the Catholic Church.
Da yoof (it won't all be like this, I swear) of today are very much involved in politics. They just might not know it... from Scouts organising campaigns against the rain tax, to marchers on the Wave, to going to Copenhagen to rally for a deal - young people are perhaps more involved than ever. There are big causes to warrant involvement and climate change, for a topical example, perhaps has a certain resonance with the young. We're around on this planet (hopefully) for quite a while, and according to some predictions, if we carry on as we have been doing, it'll be a very different world when we shuffle off this mortal coil. This gets cheerier... I assure you.
In the 6 months leading up to the next election, big issues like these will be debated far and wide, hopefully minus Simon Cowell - you can imagine it can't you? Clegg gets knocked out (impartial hat is slipping, I know, it's only a metaphor) and we get to DEADLOCK with that heart beating music, Dermot has his arms around Gordon and Cameron, both sweating, waiting for Louis Walsh to decide the future of the country...
But really, Strictly Come Debating aside, issues will be firmly on the table. Which party will lead us out of the recovery in a sustainable and sensible way? Which party will ensure that those who can't afford to pay for the recession, don't? (I'm seriously trying to be impartial here, stop laughing at my efforts) Which party will invest in green technology and green jobs? Which party will secure necessary funding to ensure education continues to improve and more young people get the best possible start in life? These questions need answers. Our politicians will probably do their best to put forward the Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat solutions to the issues we face. But it probably won't be enough. It wasn't enough to get more than 60% of young people voting at the last General Election. If we follow politics we hear soundbites from all three parties so much that we can probably repeat them verbatim. If we don't follow politics, then many say they can hardly tell the difference - all three parties are "virtually the same". They're not, they're absolutely not, and this is where I finally get to Virgin Voters.
Virgin Voters is a site set up by Kerry McCarthy MP and myself to try and get young people talking to politicians. We want a conversation between people whose first GENERAL election will be in 2010, and the people looking for their votes. PPBs are great (particularly a certain recent one which I happened to quite like), debates on Newsnight are great, if you like that kind of thing... but we have to face the fact that although many of us delight in indulging in a little party political point scoring, it turns a lot of people off. Virgin Voters is trying to open up a forum of debate to people who might not notice the continuous and rather alarming change in Brillo's hair colour on This Week as they may be...shock horror...doing something else on a Thursday night. It's about discussing issues and the political solutions on offer. Kerry and I are, if you didn't already know, somewhat affiliated to the Labour Party, but as she says on her blog, this is very much intended to be cross party, a "conversation" (I know that sounds pretentious, but I can't think of another way of putting it at the moment). Plus, it's not about us...
If you're political - go and fight your corner, if you're not, go and ask whatever questions you'd like answered and if you're an MP or PPC, well stop reading this and go engage dammit!
Virgin Voters is on Facebook and Twitter @virginvoters
11 comments:
Although it causes me some significant pain to admit it, this is actually a pretty good idea and you've almost got the impartiality nailed.
Have joined up and will give it a plug when i get to a computer with a keyboard.
Not sure if you've considered it but should it not be widened to include a few other parties that have a chance for a seat? My initial thoughts here are for virgin voters in Buckingham who might be interested in UKIP as an option but might also include some Norfolk seats where the Greens are an option, the SNP in Scottish seats and, though in sadens me to say it, the BNP in Barking.
there is no room for the racism, intolerance and some might say illegality of the BNP on a site like ours, sorry that's where I think we'd draw the line.
Other nationalist or smaller parties are certainly not excluded...May try and add some more links.
And a nice comment from a Tory on here, I think that's a first!
Fair enough on the BNP. Not a fan of "no platform" myself but in this case it's probably for the best. Their supporters do tend to get very angry and abusive online.
Good to hear other parties will be included.
Well I'm not technically a Tory... There are a few nice Tories out there somewhere. Sadly many of the ones in the blogosphere tend to be objectionable and sensationalist or as you say "right wing, angry men".
good god, I'm agreeing with you quite a lot here. My experience of Tory bloggers has been rather ugly.
Don't worry, I'm sure it wont last for too long :P
Yeh I have seen a few of your skirmishes on Twitter. Not pleasant
Perhaps if you actually debated a point rather doing a runner, you would find that the vast majority of Conservatives are very reasonable people.
However it is very irritating when you & your friend @KerryMP just resort to name calling rather than defending your viewpoint.
Mind you, I doubt there are many if any, who can defend the actions of the Labour Party.
The bullying tactics employed by your Gov., & their attack dogs the plods are designed to stifle freedom of speech.
No referendum on the Lisbon Treaty being a classic example.
On an the bright side, your pal Tony Blair may yet find himself in the dock for crimes against humanity. Love it. :D
Hi Ellie, Can you email Nigel Nelson, Political Editor, The People on nigel.nelson@people.co.uk?
Many thanks
"There is no room for the racism, intolerance and some might say illegality of the BNP on a site like ours, sorry that's where I think we'd draw the line."
I love the irony of accusing the BNP of being intolerant. The BNP claim that they're not racist merely anti-immigration and word their policy on that matter in the same way in which UKIP do. Ignoring the BNP hasn't worked whilst having them on Question Time worked to an extent as it showed Nick Griffin up as a less smooth politician than the 1 minute extracts which we normally get of him on the news. Had the mainstream parties attacked his policies I feel that support for his party would disintegrate. At the moment, the BNP are effectively the "None of the above" party and until the mainstream parties come up with policies that re-distributes wealth to the middle and lower income workers from the excessively rich, the BNP will continue to pick up votes.
One of the reasons for the sense of powerlessness is the degree to which power has been transferred to the EC and the lack of democratic accountability of this institution. Moreover the EC consistently acts in the interests of free enterprise and free trade which is alien to what a revitalised socialist Labour party should stand for. This is apparent from the climate change issue where the EC has proved a mediocre player in the international arena: for example look at how they have sought to liberalise air travel. The restoration of our utilities - especially transport, energy and water to public ownership as Bevan's generation achieved is needed more than ever as peak oil is reached and natural resources become scarce. Wholesale reform of the EC with full democratisation of its institutions and restoring the right of member states to nationalise or use other form of public ownership as they choose to do, must therefore be a priority for the next Labour government. We can not let the EC stand in the way of socialism if we are to put the planet's interests before those of private enterprise.
"Some might say illegality". Would you say illegality Ellie? Why do you get to choose who young people learn about? The BNP have a right to be heard, and hopefully quashed through debate and informed decision. You should not be deciding who people hear about.
Tory Outcast. "Not a fan of "no platform" myself but in this case it's probably for the best.". No, you absolutely are a fan of "no platform". What you mean is "I don't want to see no platform for people I like, but if it's someone I don't like then fine."
It's the same as saying you are pro free speech but back the BNP being silenced. You are not pro free speech, there can be no doubt.
You all need to decide if free speech is important or not. Clearly Ellie and Tory Outcast feel it is not, because free speech is not relative. If the BNP really are illegal, then let them be prosecuted. If not, then they have a right to be heard, however repulsive you may find their views.
I was simply trying to say that if I was running such a campaign then I would allow for their inclusion. As it is, atm it is primarily run by Labour peeps and they seem fairly split on the issue. I'd rather they work it out rather than abandon the whole thing over a minor point.
I am very much pro free speech but it is not my campaign or my decision. If Kerry/Ellie want to expand it I would welcome their decision but I see no reason to condemn the entire scheme if they don't. As far as I'm aware the BNP aren't banned from joining the group they just aren't included in the links. The same is true of other parties listed above (nudge nudge).
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