If you ever wonder why people are showing apathy towards politics and politicians then try this:
Next Thursday, I am supposed to vote for the candidate I think will be the best person to become a police commissioner in my locality – problem is, I’ve received no information about any of the candidates.
Next week also sees the start of a tired TV programme for wannabee celebrities, set in the Australian ‘jungle’, during which they are ‘democratically’ elected (by viewer’s phones and texts) to perform trials like eating bull’s penis, cockroaches and the like – problem is, one of the contestants has already been ‘democratically elected’ to perform the trial of representing her constituents in Parliament, but has decided to foresake such trust for a chance at TV stardom.
Are you starting to see the problem? The first of the above needs more information about something which could have a significant effect on my life, while the second already has too much information about something that I shall resist watching – unless I am tied in front of the TV with my eyelids stapled to my forehead!
The MP in question is to be reprimanded on her return from Oz and probably faces de-selection from her constituency party. Her defence, so far, has been that she had never watched the programme before agreeing to appear (unlikely) and she thinks by appearing on the programme more people would be persuaded by her political views. She obviously doesn’t understand the ruling on political balance within broadcasting and that her ‘views’ will be left lying in the dust around the campfire, before being seen by the viewing public.
The Police Commissioners role is worth £85,000 pounds per year. The appearence fee for I’m A Celebrity is reported to be around £45,000 for 30 days work, plus a holiday in a five star hotel (if she is voted off the programme early) in addition to her MPs salary of £65,738.
Maybe it’s time we renamed politics and called it ‘Game For A Laugh!’