Message from Dawn Butler

Last year over 500 young people joined the Labour Party


...... in a population of 60m of whom around 17% are under 16. That is truly pitiful.


...... and how many left in despair?

The constant sleeze turns everyone off, and the lack of any real difference between the two main parties in our oligopolistic political system means that voting either Labour or Conservative makes no real difference to young people's lives.

Now that New Labour stands for privatising the gains and socialising the losses - and has now loaded over £20,000 of bankers' bailouts onto every single young person in the country - what options are there for change at the polling station?

Proportional representation would make every person's vote count - vastly increasing turnout and political participation.

The science kicks up that people under the age of 21 aren't too good at decision making and it gets way worse under 18. So, is there a good reason for lowering the voting age or is this just an ideological enthusiasm to buy votes or feel good?

Studies also show that a lot of CEO's and politicians aren't too rational, basing their decisions less on the facts and more on just weighing the popularity. This goes a long way towards them not getting it and looking greasy.

This isn't governance, it's mediocrity.

With all due respect to Ms Butler, Perhaps she feels that a 16 year old will be less concerned about a London MP having two homes, both of them about 30 minutes easy travelling time from Westminster, or the writing by oneself of letters of endorsement for the American President to sign?

I agree with Dawn Butler.

Votes at sixteen is one answer (my thoughts here: http://warelane.wordpress.com/2009/03/18/votes-at-16/). We also need to ensure that the school curriculum fully covers voting, democracy, and the constitution.

I also believe public service broadcasting has a role too. Some accessible and populist programming aimed at explaining how our democracy works as well as informed debate on the hot topics of the day would help.

Ultimately though, it does come down to campaigning. Going door to door and actually speaking with young people, and listening, beats the socks off any other strategy. It is hard work, but rewarding. Without it we are doomed.

Michael Calderbank alludes to electoral reform - in my view something long overdue and desperately needed.

Draper may have marked some of my comments as trash, but he didn't delete them without trace...

Is labour list to become a 'happy clappy self deluding' blog under its new management?

Do pregnant women get two votes?

Dawn,

Have you collected any interesting autographs recently?

I really liked Obama's....

It's not just a young people thing. Try weighing up if someone has the right to live or die because of a healthcare postcode lottery, against spending billions on going to war under false pretences.

It's not totally apathy. It's also about trust.

'Last year over 500 young people joined the Labour Party-----'

how many left or did not renew their membership ?

Thanks to the boundary changes, left of centre voters in Brent Central get the opportunity to vote for another existing MP Sarah Teather,which will be a refreshing alternative to snouts in the trough Butler with her ridiculous £ 37,245 housing expenses.

Dawn,

When are you going to repay the taxapyer for the £ 37,245 you have claimed over the past two years for so called second homes.Both your home in Stratford and your Brent South constituency are almost the same distance from Westminster with loads of public transport.

How do you justify this greed which is no different from the bankers you are so vocal about?

Or did you just figure on not being caught out?

"It is vitally important that we find a solution to the political apathy that is widespread amongst young people"...

Put a "None of the Above " box on the voting slips and the problem will be solved. Let's face it, there's no-one to vote for and no-one who is leading by example.

Am I not allowed to ask who is Dawn Butler? I have tried a couple of times but my question was not posted.

'It is vitally important that we find a solution to the political apathy that is widespread amongst young people"...'

well that's apathy for you , going round stirring up mischief

Is this the same dawn butler that apathetically couldnt be arsed to attend a select commitee meeting and subsequently lost the vote?

I support "Votes at 10" as that is the age of criminal responsibility.

That’s true Dawn. But what makes it harder - outside of a now pretty marginal constituency like ours in Brent Central where every vote counts – is that many young people have identified, correctly, that it actually doesn’t make much difference if they vote. Maybe they live in an area like Peckham where we’ve got a huge majority – it’s hard to argue that their vote will make a real difference to the outcome there. Or what if they live in an area with the Tories even held in 97. Nothing short of a political earthquake would budge the sitting MP, so why would progressive young people bother?

I support Votes at 16. But we need to go beyond giving young people a formal entitlement to vote – we need to give every young person a vote that really counts. That’s why Labour should give every voter a say on changing the way we elect our MPs. We can only engage young people in politics by changing the kind of politics we offer.

"It is vitally important that we find a solution to the political apathy that is widespread amongst young people"...

Dawn how about making a start in restoring the standing of politicians by apologising for pretending that Obama wrote a letter endorsing you? Oh, and how about stopping making shameful second home claims?

The first step on the road to recovery is admitting you have a problem...

The only way to increase engagement with these formal structures is for them to act on the wishes of those currently engaging with them and thus show that there is a benefit to engagement.

Or, start taxing pocket money from age ten. Do that and I guarantee you that everyone in the country will have an interest in politics by the time they reach majority age.