Friday, October 26, 2007

Would you vote for a teenager to be your MP...?

Would you vote for a 19-year-old student to be your MP...? Ok, would you prefer Tory stalwart David Curry or a teenager who shares Labour's vision for a better Britain....

Paul Routledge in the Mirror
has the story.

For the record: not even close. Mr Curry, from Thatcher's era, is the past: Claire, with youth on her side, is the future.

Until recently, you had to be at least 21 to stand for Parliament, but I reckon that if we can send teenagers to fight for their country in Afghanistan, it's about time they had a voice in Parliament...

What do you think?

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Fully agree Phil and good morning mate.

Understand Tony Benn's grandson is to stand somewhere in Sussex too.

An interview with the 19 year old student in question (in David Curry's seat) is on the BBC Look North web site (that's the Leeds one).

Took a look at it the other day but I don't think her southern accent will get her very far in Yorkshire!

fairdealphil said...

Geoffrey:

Good morning...

i believe it's Tony Benn's grand daughter, not grand son who is standing at the next election...

if your comment re the 19 year old standing in Yorkshire has any validity, Cameron would appear to be stuffed!

Having said that, it's not his accent that does for him in the North - it's the Eton toff/Bullingdon Club!

Duncan Hall said...

Well she beat my Yorkshire-accented attempt to get selected and the local members were all Old Labour Yorkshiremen (well not quite actually, but let's not worry about sweeping generalisations!) Hilary Benn hardly sounds like he's lost his whippet, but the people of Leeds seem happy enough to re-elect him!

Anonymous said...

morning phil.

it is Benn's granddaughter.

getting slightly mixed up.

has she got a northern accent by any chance?

fairdealphil said...

geoffrey:

not met Benn Junior Junior so can't comment on the accent...

Anonymous said...

This from her web site Phil:

Claire Hazelgrove, a second year politics student at the University of York, has been selected as the Labour candidate to fight Skipton and Ripon at the next general election.

The constituency includes the wards of Bishop Monkton, Kirkby Malzeard, Lower Nidderdale, Mashamshire, Newby, Nidd Valley, Pateley Bridge, Ripon Minster, Ripon Moorside, Ripon Spa, Washburn and Wathvale.

Skipton and Ripon has had boundary changes and there is everything to play for. Let's give Cameron a bloody nose and elect Claire as MP for Skipton and Ripon. She has the only chance of beating the Conservatives in this constituency.

Anonymous said...

There's an interview on University Radio York tonight (Monday 9th June, 5-7pm) with Claire Hazelgrove, the 19 year old in question - at ury.york.ac.uk, and 87.7FM in York.

As it happens she's not so northern - comes from Northampton, but is representing Skipton and Ripon.