http://www.tom-watson.co.uk/teens.html

Check out this link. This, unfortunately, is absolutely genuine. An insight into British politics.



It's well worth it, trust me.


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[This message was edited Fri Jul 11 23:32:16 PDT 2003 by nickandmon]

THAT IS SUM FCUKED UP REPUGNANT SHIZNIT. U DIG? :CONFUSE: (& YES I KNOW I SPELLED IT WRONG) :NOD:

"WARNING: Getting involved in politics may cause premature ageing and a sudden loss of friends."


lol

nickandmon said:

As far as I can tell. Nick. the piece is written ironically in an attempt to show Watson has a sense of humour.

Of course, it's very hard to pitch because a self-deprecatory approach runs the grave risk of sending the message that the MP shouldn't be taken seriously, because he wants people to laugh at him. Others will simply not think the attempt at humour is particularly funny. And if people think he is actually being serious, then he will look entirely stupid for reaching out to young people in this way - and they definitely will laugh at him. (And if people then realise he is taking the piss out of himself, they might then feel foolish for having been duped for some half-baked attempt at a joke). This approach has so many potential pitfalls that I think Watson is on a hiding to nothing - unless he's just desperate to provoke any reaction whatsoever.

Perhaps the most insightful thing it tells us about UK politics is that MPs (or at least some) recognise the terrible level of voter apathy that exists here - but they are desperately trying to understand how you relate to the significant number of young people who find politics uninteresting and personally meaningless, hold a low level of respect for politicians (or are at least immediately suspicious of them), and imagine that exercising their franchise has little to no effect irrespective of whether you decide to vote one way or another, or just stay at home.