20 year-old MP? Will teenage Tweets cost her?

Mhairi Black: the 20-year-old student poised to unseat Douglas Alexander.

Sunifesto and your 'minifesto'

It is not often a source that we will use, given its use of topless models, and generally questionable values on issues of race, gender and sexuality, but today we shall look at a very specific feature in The S*n, the UK's biggest-selling paper and one that once boasted after a general election, It Was the Sun Wot Won It.

Owned by billionaire Rupert Murdoch, who operates a global media empire, the paper took the unusual step of beating the political parties to the punch and issuing its own 'manifesto' (details of what it would do, the policies it would follow, if elected to government).

Your quickfire challenge will be to:

1. Scan through the 'Sunifesto' below
2. Pick one or more policies that you strongly dis/agree with
3. Come up with your own wording for a policy/policies
4. Prepare a short summary of WHY this should be supported (look for newspaper articles on this policy area, find quotes, points, statistics...)
5. If you can, think of one argument AGAINST (maybe using the same research) and state why this should not put people off
6. Pick two UK national daily newspapers, and come up with a headline for each of them if they were writing about your 'minifesto' ideas. Tabloid headlines can be short and informal, featuring a pun or play on words, broadsheet headlines might more formal and longer. There would be a difference between the left-wing papers (Mirror, Guardian) and the right-wing papers (all the rest, bar the Indie/i, which is 'centrist' or fairly neutral). The S*n is very right-wing, its Sunifesto is classic right-wing thinking.

You can find more information and background on this post, written for A-Level Media students, but the Sunifesto is copied in below (just click read more or on the title of this post).

A breakdown of who votes in UK elections

Who are Britain's 1m-plus missing voters?
http://gu.com/p/44qvk

Young people are much less likely to vote than older people, and this means the major parties tend to ignore the needs of the youth, whilst privileging pensioners - pensions go up while tuition fees go up and the EMA is scrapped for example.

A new report (note: this is being pushed by one political party, so there may be bias in this) claims a million young voters have disappeared off the register, a serious issue with an election due.

Russell Brand v Jeremy Paxman

TASK: You have a choice of two tasks; either:
(a) Pick out one or more of Brand's arguments and provide a detailed reponse (whether you dis/agree and why, backed up with your own research: facts, figures, quotes), OR
(b) Come up with a proposal for an e-petition that might lead to MPs debating this idea or argument (explaining why you think this is important, why you think it is a good idea, and backed up with your own research: facts, figures, quotes). You could include examples of actual e-petitions in your presentation.
PRESENTATION FORMAT: Feed back to the class as a group, each person in a group have the same notes on their iPad. You can inlcude images within a KeyNote presentation if you wish.

This has been one of the most discussed/shared interviews of recent times, and a rare instance of a political interview going viral. Is Brand simply a gadabout, vacuous celebrity spouting nonsense ... or is Paxman pompously defending a broken democratic system in the UK?

THE NOTORIOUS PAXMAN INTERVIEW
It was Jeremy Paxman's apparent disgust at Brand's arguments that made the views of an actor/comedian into a major story. Paxman seemed to get particularly cross at the notion that voting was pointless (although he later said he had some sympathy with Brand's views).


Brand followed this up with a lengthy essay in political magazine The New Statesman, which he guest edited:


RESPONSES TO BRAND:

Low earners don't vote much either, so the young/poor vote least of all. The IPPR shows how, since 2010, average voters lost 12% in service cuts, but those who didn't vote lost 20%, or £2,135 a year. So, Russell Brand, young people are badly treated if they don't vote. [Polly Toynbee, Guardian, 21.3.14 - lots of facts and figures on how decisions by both major major parties in recent years have hit young people]

Opinion has been very much divided on this; Suzanne Moore defends him while describing his essay as 'teenage'; Nick Clegg attacked Paxman; Brand himself wrote for The Guardian following the infamous interview; letter writers argued its easy to criticise, but where is his alternative plan?; you can find many more here (The Guardian's Brand microsite; there have been articles about him in every paper), and here you can find articles written by him.

BRAND ON DRUGS AND (NOT) VOTING; E-PETITION [C4 NEWS, 8mins]
Brand is also questioned about climate change. This interview came about after Brand launched a petition to force MPs to debate drugs law.
You can see a simple graphic of how these 'e-petitions' work here.


BRAND: USA INTERVIEW ON UK + US MEDIA [MSNBC, 8mins]
Includes clips from Brand's 'Trews' YouTube operation.


BRAND ON NEWSNIGHT, 2014 [15mins]
A return interview, this time with Robert Peston.


BRAND ON PARTY FUNDING, 2015 
This one of Brand's daily 'Trews' features, the most recent at the time of creating this post. He is joined by Guardian newspaper columnist and environmental campaigner George Monbiot to discuss how political parties are funded. He had earlier taken up this point during a Question Time appearance.


BRAND ON QUESTION TIME: DON'T TRUST POLITICIANS TO DECLARE WAR [1min]
Brand makes a range of points about how public opinion is manipulated over warfare.


BRAND ON PROPERTY: THE NEW ERA ESTATE CAMPAIGN [C4 NEWS, 2mins]
Brand interviewed on C4 News about the successful campaign over New Era housing; an American investment fund was set to boot out working class renters until a grassroots campaign eventually saw them sign the properties over to another company that pledged to keep these families on. The issue here is over the right of companies to stockpile property as an investment, often keeping it empty, while many struggle to find an affordable home. His own channel reported on this too.


Of course, he's not the only comedian seeking to take up the political fight...

...

1 million young voters losing right to vote?

Ed Miliband targets Nick Clegg with claim 1m voters lost from electoral roll
http://gu.com/p/45v9g

Al Murray joins long line of comic parties

Al Murray the Pub Landlord joins hustings humorists by taking on Nigel Farage

http://gu.com/p/44q8t

Did you know that ANYONE can launch their own political party?

The Electoral Commission, who set laws on voting and registering to vote and registering to stand for election, are considering scrapping the requirement to deposit £500, and encourage more, especially younger, candidates to stand for election.

There are many 'single issue' parties across the UK, campaigning for things such as saving a hospital threatened with closure, to legalise cannabis, or to stop road-building, to take three examples.

As well as the long-established Monster Raving Loony Party, there are several 'joke' parties and candidates.

In Italy it looks like a comedian has a very good chance of forming a new government, having done well in elections there. Can you perhaps see Russell Brand - or Al Murray - as our new Prime Minister ... or yourself launching your own political campaign to win a parliamentary seat?

Is it alRight if there's no Left left?!

Use resources on this blog!

Your task today is prepare a presentation of around 3-5mins in which you report to the class on the views, ideology, policies, philosophy of one major political party - one from...

• TORY/CONSERVATIVE
• LABOUR
• LIB DEM (SLD)
• UKIP
• GREENS
• SNP

There is also an option to look at Respect, not a major party with significant hopes of large numbers of MPs, but they do have as many MPs as the Greens or UKIP at the time of writing (before a bye-election UKIP look set to win)!

NB: You will be logged off computers with 20 minutes left in the lesson, so print off anything you need by then, or email a PowerPoint to me (I'll put this on the board).

I would like your report to include some detail on the following:

1. PARTY HISTORY: Briefly outline the history of the party: how much time (if any!) have they spent in government; have they always been a major/small party or have their fortunes changed over time; who are some of their most significant leaders (or MPs); have they formed any alliances/coalitions at any time?
2. ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES: Factual detail on how many MPs, MEPs (European Parliament), MSPs (Scottish Parliament), MAs (Welsh Assembly), MLAs (Northern Ireland Assembly) they have. Include the total number for each, eg there are 650 MPs in the House of Commons (Wiki). Comment if you can on this party's local standing - is this an area in which the party enjoys success? You could briefly discuss why when you come back together.
3. LEADER + 2015 ELECTION HOPES: Using at least one left-wing and at least one right-wing newspaper as sources (ask if unsure!) sum up/provide a flavour of how the party leader is viewed; find the odds on this party winning the 2015 election, and any predictions on how many seats they might win; what do opinion polls say?
4. POLICIES + IDEOLOGY: Using newspapers and/or the parties' own website, find at least 3 current/recent policies, and sum up whether these reflect a party that is right-wing, left-wing or even a mix of both! Think back to the findings and points from your own questionnaire results last time.

You can use a variety of resources on this blog to help with this task:

Image Issues: Miliband's big speech

We will be exploring the issue of image in politics, how reportage and perception of personality can predominate, leaving actual policy as a secondary matter.

Here's how (traditionally pro-Labour, left-wing) The Guardian's cartoonist Steve Bell reflected Miliband's September 2014 Labour Party Conference speech - seen as a key step on the way to the 2015 general election:

C4 News produced multiple packages to reflect his speech. This one is relatively 'unvarnished', and presents Miliband's 6 policy pledges in a fairly straightforward fashion:


This second C4 News package precedes any word from Miliband with correspondent commentary which frames Miliband and his speech in a largely negative light, which continues with the manner in which his actual speech is presented. It is worth reflecting on the point that while newspapers are not prohibited from being biased (although their own self-regulation Editor's Code includes a clause on 'Accuracy'), it is strictly illegal for broadcast news media to be biased. OfCom can remove the license to broadcast from offenders - and indeed has done just that to some cable/satellite news stations:


According to these young writers, Milliband appeals to young voters.

Would e-voting encourage the young to vote?

In the light of the March 2014 budget, I recently blogged on the potential impact of pensions reforms - something that a typical young person is highly unlikely to have ever thought about - on the lifetime earnings and tax deductions faced by the young generation whose wages (through income tax) are going to pay for this.

KEY STAT: 76% of pensioners vote, only 44% of under-25s vote

I mentioned the common analysis that this reform, brought in by the Conservative and Lib Dem coalition BUT eventually backed by Labour too, reflected the much higher priority the main parties give to older voters because they are so much more likely to actually cast their vote than the young. The 'grey vote' was a much used term.

Now comes news that the organisation which advises the government on how well or otherwise our democracy's voting system is functioning, the Electoral Commission, has also stated that we need reforms to close this growing voting gap between young and old: 76% v 44% respectively.

Here's the Guardian article in full:

The UK should consider allowing internet voting in elections because the current system risks appearing alien and outdated to an increasingly disenfranchised younger generation, the election watchdog has said.
Launching a review of modern voting, the head of the Electoral Commission, Jenny Watson, warned that the state of the electoral system was "not an issue that can stay on the slow track any longer".The long-term trend of falling voter turnout was particularly marked among young people, she said.
Watson said the election watchdog would examine a range of ways to make voting more accessible, including the "radical" option of internet voting and US-style same-day registration for those not on the electoral roll.
"Whether it is the ability to register to vote on the day of the election, or voters being able to use any polling station in their constituency, or the introduction of advance voting, or even more radical options such as e-voting, we plan to look at a variety of options, assessing how they will help citizens engage more effectively," she said.
Watson said online registration was welcome but did not add up to an ambitious, comprehensive modernisation strategy.
With some polls showing 76% of pensioners voting compared with 44% of eligible under-25s, the Electoral Commission said more could be done to make the system more reflective of wider society.
"By doing so we could by proxy help address some of the issues with turnout, particular amongst an increasingly disenfranchised younger generation," Watson said. "Unless our electoral system keeps pace with the way many voters live the rest of their lives – where the way they bank and the way they shop has been transformed – it risks being seen as increasingly alien and outdated, particularly to young voters as they use it for the first time."
She said critics should not see change as a move towards making the electoral system like The X Factor, as society must make sure voting was seen as a "serious and important civic act".
A Cabinet Office spokesman said: "The government is always looking at how our electoral system can modernise – that's why we are bringing in online registration and introducing individual electoral registration this summer.
"Technology changes fast and there is always more that can be done to make voting accessible, but it is the government's primary concern to ensure the effective delivery of elections."

What do you think? Would YOU be more likely to vote if you could do it online? Remember, 16 year-olds have been given the right to vote in the Scottish referendum in 2015, and one of the big three parties (Labour) has said it would look at extending this for general elections too, so the issue of voting might not be so distant after all...

World Book Day: Young People and Politics...

I'd like you to select one of the two articles linked below ... and read it! We will leave at least 5 minutes to discuss your thoughts/responses/findings.

If you finish quickly and want to read more, further links appear at the end (including an option with a strong statistical/mathematical slant).

Click on one of the following articles, then read through it:
ARTICLE 1: "Young People's Boredom With Politics 'Should Not Be Confused With Apathy'" [Joseph Rowntree Foundation]
This article uses some complex language.

Click here if this is the article you'd prefer to read. Paragraphs are longer and language more challenging compared to the Mirror article below.

ARTICLE 2: "Russell Brand is wrong - young people HAVE to be engaged in politics" [Daily Mirror]
This article uses less challenging language.

Click here if this is the article you'd prefer to read; the language is less complex and the paragraphs shorter than the other article above, but it is still quite long! (If this page won't load, scroll to the bottom where I've copied in the text - its easier to read from the webpage though)

WANT TO READ MORE?

If you're a quick reader, you could try another article on the same theme...

This is from a broadsheet/quality newspaper, but is written by a young person. Click here to read.

This article is quite 'dry' in tone, and includes a lot of statistical analysis, which keen mathematicians may enjoy!

I'm not sure whether tabloid papers will be accessible through our web filter; so, just in case, here's the text from the Mirror article:

Russell Brand is a brilliant comedian and a great talent. Recently he made some very serious points about our political system.
Lots of them were spot on. I don’t think we have a democracy that works if only a third of the population voted at the last election.
But I didn’t agree when he said we have tried voting and it doesn’t work . I don’t think we have tried as a nation to vote in huge numbers.
When you think of what people went through to give us these freedoms it seems very easy to say we have tried it and it has failed.
If you look at it from the perspective of young people, only 44 per cent of them turned out to vote in 2010 compared to 76 per cent in the older demographic.
And that’s where Bite the Ballot comes in.
We have been working across the country to get young people engaged in politics.
Today sees the first National Voter Registration Day where we want to get thousands of young people to register to vote.
We looked to the success of the Rock the Vote campaign in the USA, which used celebrities such as Christina Aguilera to encourage people to register, and decided this was something Britain needed.
We have reached out to schools, youth clubs, universities and businesses.
Events are taking place all over the country with people joining in to help register more voters.
It’s amazing that with a little bit effort from a small team you can really instil the vision that voter registration is a rite of passage for all those aged 16 and above.
Coming up to the election in 2010, I was teaching business studies at the Wilmington Enterprise College in Dartford, Kent.
A colleague asked me if I was going to vote and I said no. I said the same thing I hear from young people now: ­politics doesn’t affect me.
But he made it real for me.
He started relating politics to things I have to deal with every day from road tax for my car to whether we go to war.
He said politics decides whether your favourite nightclub can have a late licence or if it can have a dance floor.
These were clear-cut examples of how politics affects everything in my life.
So I thought to myself, why don’t I know this stuff?
I wondered how I could go the whole way through school and three years at university and no one came round canvassing for votes or engaging me or my friends.
Did I not matter as much?
Young people have been labelled apathetic but they have never really been told how important politics is.
Between the staff and students at the school we formed Bite the Ballot.
We began looking at the reasons why people weren’t involved, why they were frustrated with the process, and we tried to turn them into opportunities.
One reason given was that people didn’t know how to go about voting and didn’t want to embarrassed at a polling station.
So we held a mock election in school.
We had three teams canvassing the school and on the day of the vote we set up a classroom exactly how it would be at a polling station for an authentic experience.
We taught 668 people how to vote in that one day and they all said: “Is that it? It’s so easy.”
Bite the Ballot is now nearly four years old and we are still growing and looking at new ways of getting the message out.
We have developed two learning games, called The Basics, which illustrate the powers we have and the choices we face as a country.
We are trying to get young people to engage in shaping the society they live in .
We have registered more than 15,000 people using these games and today is vitally important with the General Election next year.
The statistics are very telling – 96 per cent of over-65s are registered to vote compared with only 56 per cent of those aged 16 to 24.
Estimates suggest 3.8million people won’t be registered for the 2015 election and we are trying to get as many signed up as possible.
They deserve to be heard.
The Mirror’s search for a young person to be the Voice of a Generation is a brilliant way of engaging people in the political process.
It is a great opportunity for ­some­one to report on the issues from a young person’s perspective.
There will be some wonderful stories coming from the young person selected.
We have to get young people engaged in politics, to balance things out, keep it fresh, and we hope today will be an annual drive to get them registered.
We have created a no-nonsense registration form on our website that takes out the jargon and helps people understand what is being asked of them.
I respect Russell Brand for voicing his opinion. We need more of that.
It’s what Bite the Ballot is ­encouraging – it’s about getting more people to voice their opinion to truly reflect our country.
Need to get yourself on the register of voters? 

Parliament and UK General Election Process in a Nutshell

You should bookmark this blog, and any other pages/sites you think will be helpful for your Citizenship exam.

1: Close the video list. Try the task until you get all 4 right

Click on this link, close the video pop-up menu once the page loads, and drag and drop the 4 answers, click reveal, and keep going until you go all 4 right. Use this information, and whatever you find by going on to the next step (just click reveal for each question), to write in your own defintion of the 2 main types of voting system on your worksheet.

Simply click each 'reveal'

Click here to go the page you see previewed right, with a 22min video setting out the process of the UK general election, and how our Parliament functions.


You can find many more resources on voting systems in this blog post, and several others in this blog!

Voter Turnout: UK Democracy in Crisis?

The long-term trend is clear: fewer of us are voting.
Increasingly, the young in particular don't vote while older people do.
This is reflected in the policies of our major parties - in January 2014 the big 3 (Labour, Tory, LibDem) all seemed intent on ensuring that the pension would not go down, whilst proposing measures (such as scrapping housing benefit for the under-24s) that targeted the young.

Here are a few graphics to get you thinking, or just to help with research and reading on this topic. The hyperlinks for articles, where you can find out more, are included in the captions.

Turnout for these elections was at a ridiculously low 15% - are the other 85% represented?!

MOST will vote in general elections but not others, eg European elections

There are multiple reasons why some chose not to vote.

Voting systems and debates

There are two general approaches to voting systems: simple majority and proportional representation. The BBC provides an interactive guide to various voting systems (only one is a simple majority system: first past the post); use this to note definitions of FPTP and the other PR systems, and where in the UK they are used.

Click here to visit the site

You can also find superior, more detailed definitions at http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/elections-and-voting/voting-systems/ or at http://www.electoral-reform.org.uk/voting-systems/.

This table can be found here, with more detailed breakdowns of voting systems and more international examples of where they're each used

You'll be asked to find arguments for or against FPTP and STV (as an example of PR): use these links - FPTP, STV.

This is another very useful site for comparing arguments for/against FPTP.

Yr11: L1 Recap + Creating Quiz

In this lesson you will:

1. familiarise yourself with the resources offered on this blog!
2. look back at some of the key terms and concepts you learned last year
3. research an area arising from this and...
4. create a '3 facts 3 questions 3 sources' briefing/quiz for the rest of the class

By the end of the lesson you should have answers to the initial quiz worksheet questions (25 in total); have researched a topic; created a PowerPoint with 3 facts and 3 questions and 3 useful online resources listed on this topic which can be shared with the class; have heard the other groups' 3 briefing facts and had a go at answering their 3 questions.


TASK ONE: 6 GROUPS TACKLE 4 QUESTIONS EACH FROM THE QUIZ SHEET