Saturday 27 September 2014

Apathy - a lost generation of voters

As someone who is not shy of one or two strong opinions there is nothing that irks me more, especially with regards to politics, than apathy. 

Yet I find myself a member of an apathetic generation. 

An apathetic generation with a seeming in-grown hatred of Tories for cuts, Labour for forcing the cuts on us and Lib Dems for getting in to bed with the Tories. A three-way tie of disdain which leads to so many my age and younger giving up on the political system. 

Numerous polls and research consistently tell us fewer young people than ever get involved in local, never mind national, politics. 


Here in Conwy the average age among County Councillors is likely in the high 50s, if not even further North than that. 

Between 59 councillors, who is representing the younger people in our County? 

There is no doubt I live amongst a largely ageing population - 20something professionals appear to be quite rare - but young people deserve a voice.

"The price of apathy towards public affairs is to be ruled by evil men." - Plato

This apathy and lack of interest is despite the fact we*should*  know more about politicians than ever before. 

Between Facebook, Twitter and excellent websites such as TheyWorkForYou.com it is easier than ever for people to raise issues with local MPs and councillors (although many of the latter haven't taken to Twitter, they are still available on email). 

Using TheyWorkForYou I can find out within seconds how my MP, Guto Bebb, has voted on issues which matter to me. 

According to the website, which I concede is far from perfect, he has voted very strongly for raising tuition fees and very strongly for lowering spending on welfare benefits, as you would expect from a Conservative MP. 

I can even see his recent speech in the House of Commons on a local blog and how often he has voted in Parliament (81.87%, "well above average"). 



The group behind the site, MySociety, have several other websites which are excellent for journalists and casual constituents alike. There is WriteToThem, WhatDoTheyKnow and FixMyStreet for contacting, find out and fixing respectively. 

We should be an engaged generation. We are not.

The question that we must ask, is why? And to what end does this apathy lead? 

The most depressing reason why, and one that is regularly peddled out, is people don't feel they can make a difference. 

As a journalist my mantra is "why not ask?". The worse thing someone can do, as long as you ask politely, is say no. 

It could be because I am an optimist but you have to believe your voice, however small it may seem against an ocean of bureaucracy, can be heard and can make a difference. There will always be dispiriting moments, the massive marches against war in 2003 proved unsuccessful, in the USA millions of people are attempting to halt a Comcast merger. 


But there are success stories. They range in size from a woman with multiple sclerosis in Rhos on Sea getting a disabled parking space outside her home, to the frequenting beheading of the online hydra by the name of CISPA (Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act). 

Another common reason for apathy is a lack of trust. This is an interesting one to look at. 

The populations trust in MPs has been at an all-time low in recent years, especially in the wake of the expenses scandal. And while that may have been true, almost all of those polled had faith in their MP. So while people think there is a problem with the system, they don't think their MP is the one causing it. 

The under-selling of the Post Office was something which has stirred many column and digital inches but people seem uninterested. I don't know why but I feel such a farce would have prompted rots or at least demonstrations 30 or 40 years ago. In the same vein most unions no longer hold the power they used to. 

There are things which get even the optimist down. Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne, the man behind some of the biggest cuts in public services in my lifetime and born with the silver spoon in his mouth, claimed back £47 in expenses for two DVDs. They were of himself. Debating "value for taxpayers money". I'm not sure where the value of that £47 is. Page 8



But at least we know these things. I have little doubt politicians 50 or even 100 years ago were corrupt, at least to a certain degree.

Perhaps they were not claiming back public money to pay for DVDs of themselves, instead it might have been as blatant as a padded envelope backhander for a railway contract.

Corruption, bending of the rules happens in any large profession. As much as it sickens me to say, it is the price of doing business. 

But I digress. Apathy... 

I don't think the First Past the Post voting system helps but at the same time I can't think of a better alternative. 

FPTP means those who need to be heard the most can not be heard at all. Why fight, when the battle is already lost? I wonder how much Conservative money goes into competing with Labour seats in Scotland or the north of England? 


Indeed in Conwy a large elderly population means Conservatives such as Guto Bebb MP and David Jones MP, are sitting quite pretty. This is despite, in the latter's case, a large working class population in towns like Colwyn Bay and Abergele.

It is important for MPs to remember the cherished - and paraphrased - words of the mythical Josiah Bartlet - "I am the MP of my whole constituency, not just the MP of those who voted for me". 

So how do we combat apathy? 

It is not easy. It is almost ingrained. The closest thing to a political phenomenon in my lifetime is either the rise of UKIP or Boris Johnson's political career, both of which I am more than sceptical of. 



I wasn't alive for the divisiveness of Thatcher. I don't remember the whirlwind of support behind Tony Blair. I do remember the Iraq War. I do remember his downfall. I do remember the economy collapsing around me and I do remember the banks being bailed out. 

 I know friends, university graduates, who still struggle for jobs. 

What have politicians done for them? Other than raise university fees? For some this will be the end of the discussion.

But the Scottish Referendum was a lightening rod. Turnout above 80% across all ages, it was a campaign, however haphazard on the BetterTogether side, which inspired a country even if it did not give birth to an independent nation. 

In May the General Election will roll around again and I highly doubt he campaign will be as vociferous or passionate.

I think grass roots politics needs a resurgence and as a local journalist I know I can do my part. 

Not just grass roots politics but grass roots education. I firmly believe at the end of the day almost all of societies problems can be traced back to education. 

Children these days, and indeed in my day, are not taught how politics works. So, to them at least, it is just one big wall of bureaucracy.

Children should be taught how local government works, the difference between unitary authority and two-tier, the difference between revenue funding and capital. The more informed everyone is, the better.  

With the 24/7 news cycle and with transport and the media making the UK smaller than ever, people, younger people specifically, are more likely to care about what's going on in Westminster than on the west side of their county. 

So much time is given on the television to the leaders of the parties when people should not be voting for them. They do not have the powers of a President. Young people should look into their MP, look at their voting record and hold them to account for it. 

I am probably swimming against the tide. But miracles happen. It will take baby steps. This certainly won't be the bugle call for people's opinions to switch the other way. 

But I do hope something, anything can be done. 

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