Do those MPs get-it? See C4’s Tower Block of Commons
Channel 4 says: "The politicians stay with people who need their help. But while some of the MPs relish the chance to get involved, others are less keen to roll up their sleeves."
I’m old enough to remember when the BBC ran "The Family". The original multi-part documentary in 1974 that has spawned a vast and terrible industry of fly on the wall "reality TV" shows. So what to make of the latest wheeze … 4 MPs have to survive on benefits living on Council estates? You can already visualise the TV executives pitching it can’t you? "Get some hated MPs to slum-it with a few ghastly oiks. See who the viewers hate the most. Super!"
But, seriously, do the programmes offer any real insights into the stresses and strains of low-income life? Two of the MPs do a pretty decent job. After all, they’re not ignorant of these types of problems. They are just used to debating the solutions a bit more abstractly than here. And the neat thing is this: they’re not “undercover” so they have to watch and debate in the neighbourhood.
It’s arguable whether this series presents an authentic representation of these difficult lives. Most Indus Delta readers will probably say "how about the work dimension?" After all, the low income of so many households on these estates is plainly due to unemployment. But would a low paid job make any difference?
You can view the programmes from the Channel 4 on-demand site.
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/tower...
Why any MP would agree to participate in such trash is beyond me. If any MP, celebrity wannabees or multi millionaires want to help the little people they can do so without a TV camera there ... or can they ... seemingly not! What is is with the culture in this country that those in a position to help need a TV camera before they decide to "make a difference"?
It's exploitative, sensationalist, ill advised, putrid TV. Does it educate, inform or entertain? Me thinks not. I'd even watch Dancing on Ice before I turned on this rubbish, and that really is saying something! Now where's that remote control ... Jeremy Kyle must be on soon!
Well, I liked it.
I was just surprised - or not, as the case may be - that the MP from the party that claims to represent working people was the one who most clearly didn't have a clue how his constituency lived, nor really appeared to take their problems very seriously. How bizarre a world is it when Tim Loughton and Mark Oaten are the guys who have empathy with council tenants, a willingness to listen and understand, the courage to challenge despite opening themselves up to attack as a result (I was fascinated by the woman on low income spending £42 on fags who when challenged about it asked the MP why he should be having a go at her when he was on £60,000 a year and asking the taxpayer to buy him an iron?), whilst Austin Mitchell seems to think living on a sink estate is all a jolly laugh? (As for Nadine Dorries, she came over as bonkers as Private Eye claims.)
Austin's antics reminded me of that cringing Prescott documentary a while back where he hung out with some chavvy teenage girl who was doing drugs, sleeping around and had been expelled from three schools for attacking teachers and clearly didn't give a toss about any of it. His opinion? "She was a lovely girl." Yes, I'd be proud to have her as a daughter too, John. If people like the former Deputy prime Minister think people like that are "lovely" then nothing will be done to tackle their behaviours or the root causes behind it, and the vast bulk of people, young and old, rich and poor alike, who have to endure the fallout will be holding their heads in their hands in despair at the pointlessness of the political elite.
There is a strong argument that programmes like this are sensationalist and entertainment driven, but underneath actually they can be very revealing and have a serious point. Much as I enjoy the hectoring of scummy chavs on Jeremy Kyle, I have to say it doesn't really achieve very much or enlighten the viewer - it just fills in a few vacant minutes for me whilst waiting for the kettle to boil, usually. Tower Block did at least open up a very small window on a very small part of the truth of a very different type of life to the one I lead, made me think, and hopefully made someone somewhere engage with politics a little more. And to boot I could hoot with laughter at the hypocrisy of Labour politicians. Result!
Austin's antics reminded me of that cringing Prescott documentary a while back where he hung out with some chavvy teenage girl who was doing drugs, sleeping around.
untill the goverment takes there head out there arse and does somthing about drugs there will be plenty more as you put it chavvy girls doing drugs