By Alastair Campbell
'Young people just aren't interested in politics any more.' So say many among the middle aged, the elderly, and the media.
And it's rubbish.
Egged on by John Prescott (sorry JP) and others in Go Fourth, I recently joined
Facebook, the social networking site. Facebook has a population about two and a half times the size of the British Isles.
The buzz of political debate is very much alive there, and if the pictures
of the most regular contributors to my wall are anything to go by, driven
largely by young people.
There's a dazzling array of groups and causes to join, networks of like-minded people to sign up to and debates to be had. It's clear that the vast majority of young people have a strong sense of values, a strong sense of right and wrong and a strong desire to discuss serious issues.
I am not pretending the main focus is politics, but it is a big part of what goes on in the millions of exchanges taking place on Facebook each day. Some of the causes and debates might be considered frivolous - you can join a group in support of the hat Aretha Franklin wore at President Obama's inauguration for example - and others are absolutely serious - like expressing support for a political party, a particular politician or cause, or vital national institutions like the NHS and Burnley Football Club.
It's clear, looking at the diverse, enthusing mixture of people's lives and views on Facebook, that the way people look at politics is changing just as the world is changing. Politicians and the mainstream media have been slow to catch up with both.
The public know that politicians might try to spin them a line from time to time. They know the papers and the TV do too, 24/7. The relentless focus on the process of politics has turned people off from day to day political coverage.
But I do not believe it has diminished the desire for genuine debate and dialogue. The only communications that really works now is authenticity - real people showing their real values and character, and being open and honest about the nature of challenges faced.
Ironically, the cyberworld of Facebook shows what young people most require of politicians -common humanity - before they will listen to, and engage in, discussions on
the serious decisions they know politicians have to make.
They seem to be saying - show us you live a life much like many others, not a staid official life synthesised and tidied up for public consumption by a researcher,
intern or, to use an outmoded concept, spin doctor.
Show us pictures, tell us what you are doing from time to time, take an interest in what we are doing. Be approachable, be frank, have a sense of humour. Let's hear what you really think.
We may not always like it and we may tell you so, but we want to know the real measure of you and the real measure of your values, and we know we're not going to get it from the papers or the news.
The election of Barack Obama showed the benefit of using new modes of political communication effectively. But e-campaigning is not everything.
There will never be a substitute for the knock on the door, the handshake
and the face to face conversation, or the argument in the workplace.
So Go Fourth is doing both - using the power of the internet via this site,
via our Facebook group and elsewhere - to get Labour supporters out on the
streets taking Labour's case to voters of all ages and campaigning to see a
fourth term of Labour government.
I've set myself a little challenge this week. To try to recruit a new member
to the Labour Party via Facebook. Go Fourth and multiply and all that.
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It's so great to see you back, doing what you do best: strategize! I am looking forward to your future posts.
I have been in Washington, D.C. for a few years now but never stopped following Labour and British politics.
Having studied and worked in the U.S., I share some of the concerns expressed below about the lack of career mobility and the rigid pecking orders that are so distinctly European. Still, they shouldn't be offputting to the extent that young people would want to remain mere spectators. If anything, getting meaningfully involved will help us young people distinguish ourselves as a constituency, aggregate and articulate our views. We have a comparative advantage with technology, as someone said, and we should make good use of it!
As an outside observer, I might also add that policy is a tremendous advantage for the Labour Party. I think the UK has it so much better than the U.S. and in so many ways. British health and immigration policies, for instance, actually make sense, unlike the ruthless systems here.
It's great to see Labour responding so fast to Obama's model. Hopefully, Labour's own version of Internet outreach will galvanize British youth the same way Obama's did with Americans. However, it will be a bit of a challenge to adopt the model, because the political systems and cultures are very different. But with AC in the cockpit, I'm not worried.
Thanks so much for your service (and all the other projects!) and for staying involved with Labour! I think they should take the word "loyalty" out of the dictionary and just put your picture there.
Alina
Better engagement means changing bits of the system too, here's an idea from my local MP, Linda Riordan (Halifax) - extend the period people can vote and where they can vote - so, not one day, not just in one place, vote in the pub in the shops, online and on monday, tuesday, wednesday and thursday. Yes?
One way is by using our knowledge of the internet, which (for example) allows us to check George Osbourne's claim of the Conservatives supporting open source computing.
So by doing a quick search I can find out that 'conservatives.com' uses a closed source Microsoft server. They also use Microsoft web application frameworks.
well i agree totally with you, Young people are not interested in politics, I am 17 coming up 18, and i am very glad to say that a number of people my age group whom used to be conservative supporter's are now Labour supporters, this is because i have told them everything that labour is doing real help now, all the idea's that they thought Labour was linked to they heard from the conservatives that is why they support labour now because i have told them and explained in detail the achievements and the real help that we as a party are giving people.
At least we now have more members although i think all the labour activity on my facebook as you might have seen that may have helped win them over and me constantly going on about Labour. Go Fourth is brilliant, and let's hope we win the 4th election. The only thing i am worried about is that i have seen quite a lot of conservative poster's on billboards in Manchester city centre whereas there are no labour billboards. We need to get poster’s etc up otherwise people are going to be voting Conservative or Lib Dem’s. Let’s get more young people into politics and teach them what being labour means, it means equality and fairness unlike the other parties.
New Labour: better for Britain.
Ewan - Good advice about the nature of Facebook. I'm still learning. On Obama, I'd agree he had a brilliantly organised campaign.
It had a strong message and embraced new media powerfully to mobilise people. That's the point - it mobilised people, not to sit at their computer saying "Heck, I will give a few dollars and my one vote to Obama if I have time" but to get up, go out and campaign together in their own neighbourhoods and to get their neighbours out to vote, many of whom had never voted before.
The web campaign was good, but the ground campaign it fed into was probably the best ever. To misquote Bill Clinton, it's the activism, stupid.
I believe Labour is and always will be an inclusive party, though maybe we don't articulate the values underpinning our actions as well as we should -and can.I'll be thinking about that in future blogs.
Canvas - You may think I'm at the THEM and US end of things, but I'm willing to learn new ways of discussing issues. I'll always be Labour, but I'm willing to listen to other opinions, even if I disagree.
I've become more reflective in recent years, partly through exploring my own mind and partlythrough writing novels - which is a way of exploring the minds of others.
What was it E M Forster said? "Only connect". Simple but very wise, and before anybody jumps in, I'm not comparing myself to E M Forster.
I disagree that Labour can't win an election with Gordon Brown. We have a strong record and he has been a key part of achieving it all along.
But people don't vote for what's happened - they vote for what happens next. What is important now is that we set out a positive agenda for the future and, via our campaigning, help people make the connection between continuing improvements in schools, hospitals etc, continuing action to help people weather the economic situation, and continuing a Labour government led by a strong, principled man who puts the country's interests first.
Francesca Grapes - I like the name by the way - it sounds like you didn't read my blog. I was talking young people up, not down. I think you'll find there are councils up and down the country - many Labour, some not - who are making extra provision for young people to have access to cultural andsports facilities at minimal cost.
Good luck with becoming a doctor. I hope you'll get to work in one of over 100 new hospitals built by Labour since1997.
Katabasis - I suspect we disagree on Europe. Thanks for the link, I'll have a look at it.
Rich - Not yet.
Jane, Nicola, Jon and Alex - refreshing to hear. Very refreshing.
Oliver - I'll repeat what I said to you on Facebook for the benefit of others. I'd agree we need more young politicians, but I'd also say we need representation across all age groups - of voting age - to have a properreflection of British society.
Politics needs to be everyone's game, young and old.
All the best
Alastair
That's so not true. For example, your Labour government aligned itself as best buddies with George Bush and the Republican Neo-Cons for eight dreadful years. Labour was an eager accomplice to George Bush's war crimes.
Labour and the George Bush Neo-Con Republicans were in bed together for all that time .
Now of course you want people to think that Labour is in bed with Obama. No Way. No Chance. Obama sleeps alone. His amazing stardust stays with him in DC where it rightly belongs.
Alastiar, The past is always there - and people WILL indeed vote for "what's happened".
Unless Labour publicly repent, ditch Gordon Brown and apologise for the huge mess they got us into - then David Cameron will surely be the next Prime Minister.
Political betting> money on Cameron.
Sorry, that's my view...
Thank you for replying. Your absolutely right. Politics (both partisan and non-partisan) is everybody's game. Unfortunately young people, in general, don't percieve this to be the case. Until the youngest in society are truly represented, I fear that disengagement and cynicism towards political parties will continue.
I would also like to say thank you for initiating this debate. At University, a colleague and I are currently embarking on a project regarding this issue. Until we have open and honest discourse on this subject, it will never be solved and you should be commended for raising the issue. Go fourth!
Oliver
Labour haven't been inclusive for awhile - the current government appears to be divisive and it alienates people. Labour have to learn to listen and stop the dictating. If you want to learn a lesson from Barack Obama then please get a leader who understands what the people want.
Regarding Gordon Brown and his strong contribution towards achieving your strong (?!) record...I must disagree with you on that point... Brown simply doesn't cut the mustard. Anyone who voted for Labour at the last election did not vote for Gordon Brown as leader. He has no mandate.
But - hey - the real star of this blog is John Prescott. 70 years old and he starts a new career as a top blogger. too cool for school. He's fab.
:)
Congratulations, and as I posted on John's blog;
Together, Labour, as a champion of a fair and equal society, will win this election for the good of the county, its citizens, and the wider world.
Keep it up!
The online world provides new access to a generation predisposed against professional politics, the challenge will be to use it to build new participatory institutions and new relationships. You might find Alistair that you have more look getting your new facebook friends to join the Labour Party if you give them a call or invite them to the pub.
Canvas - I kind of agree with you. The challenge for Labour is not just using new tools, but changing our political philosophy to a more inclusive one. As for Obama, I'm waiting with real interest to see if he can keep people feeling included whilst holding the most insulated political office in America.
I don't half talk with a load of twaddle. I'll blame that on the fact it's 1am.
I get the vibe from you and also from Derek Draper on LabourList (although strangely not from John Prescott) that it's all about 'THEM' and 'US'. That is a very old fashioned and 90s attitude.
I know what's wrong with the Tories - but what is so RIGHT about Labour? Please tell me.
You have a huge long struggle ahead with your project because the cold hard truth is that Labour cannot win the next general election with Gordon Brown as PM.
However, good luck it all - you'll need it.
I can't see any 21st century thinking going on.
I am 15 and currently running for election in the Breckland Youth Council in Norfolk. Am I interested in politics? Yes because I live in a democracy and its a democracy at the moment that needs somebody to fight for it. Would I become a member of the Labour Party? No. Why? Because Labour has lost contact with the young people who are not anti social, those of us who respect and want to be respected. Those of us who want to do something, be it play hockey (Me!) or those who want to play guitar or bird watch.
I think you have lost contact with youth and where is this beneficial Labour administration discussed in other posts? Everything I take part in, be it music or sport, my parents raise the money for me to do, if they couldn't I wouldn't do it, it's that simple. Until you make it "cheaper" for young people to take part in sport, music, hobbies of any kind, (unless your parents have money), youth will sit on their butts!
Well just my opinion!
PS I have no ambition to be a politician, no PPE Degree for me, I want to be a Doctor. Do I think young people need help now? Yes I do.
You claim to be interested in the views of "the people", yet when they adopt a stance en masse that is "off-message", despite your best attempts as spin, they are willfully ignored.
Referendum on the Euro anyone? How about the EU itself?
While you're at it, care to explain the lack of cross-party reaction to this:
http://raedwald.blogspot.com/2009/01/integrated-eu-blacklist-of-criminals-is.html
?
They don't realise that their passion for animal rights or interest in the environment is political. I found this when I invited my local MP into my school/sixth form to talk to pupils. Many of them weren't interested in politics (in their opinion atleast) but then found that politicians actual talk to them about issues that concern them (and we managed to get a couple of new members out of it).
The interest is out there. We will achieve far more with young people if the politicians directly communicate with young people. In this age of global communication you will engage young people far more by speaking to them about their issues rather than just targetting policies at them.
Apologies for the slight essay but I wanted to throw in my two cents as a 17 year old who's friends are politically minded but are far from engaged.
With regards the Tories getting back in.Katabasis. I remember the country when the Conservatives were in.A divided country, the riots, the nurses strikes, the if it isn't hurting it isn't working, the double figure interest rates(which Cameronn fianacial buffoonery with Lamont brought).
To the youth today this sounds like some horror story your parents tell you to scare you into doing something. In all reality it could be back in the very near future. For all the gloss and hiding Cameron tries over his so called changed party(Tory reds was a new description, I read the other day) the reaction from the party faithful to his speach at Damos proves underneath they are still Thatcherite at heart.
Young people are interested, like myself, and now the Labour Party is understanding how to connect better.
Although I agree whole-heartedly with the point your making in this post, I think you've missed the real issue. Young people aren't disengaged with politics in general, but they are disengaged with political parties. Politicians are slowly recognising this and are trying to address the problem. There have been a plethora of politicians ... Read moresigning up to Facebook in the past year which is progress but more needs to be done.
Party politics is still percieved to be an old man's game. This will continue to be the case until parties take active steps to address the issue. Our elected officials need to be younger, in order to challenge perceptions. The Labour party is in a fortunate position. There are many talented people within the Labour Students organisation who are ready and willing to take elected office. But its up to those in the higher echeloens of the party to give them a chance.