Wild Things

Earlier this week a whole bunch of 'hoodies' (i.e. teenagers) became the next generation to enter and debate in the House Of Commons. In case that doesn't sound like a big deal it is the first time ever that non-MPs have been allowed to enter the chamber and debate. Obviously the whole thing had a slightly different spin to normal parliamentary procedure: issues debated included tuition fees and the voting age - serious issues relevant to the members themselves and their contemporaries (and no wonder - it's the whole point of a representative to represent the views of their 'electorate'). Basically, things got a whole lot more back to basics, with the member's taking their roles very seriously and literally, and applauding one another at the end of their speeches. On top of this things had a humorous and warm feeling, with older MPs and press taking the event seriously for once.

I personally have a lot of props for this event. I think it's cool to draw politics into the attention of young people as it's become a blase subject, all about personalities and cheats. Events like this follow the same vein that the election of Barack Obama did - it gives hope, a refresh, the possibility of politics having a different face. But most of all it shows all those politicians who never meet young people like us it shows that we're not all 'hoodies', that that's a minority who they've propelled into the consciousness of the ignorant. Teenagers have class. Teenagers have brains. Oh and we've got a whole heap of cool.