Experience and the length of adult life are not the same thing
Bubble — By Dominic Hannigan on April 6, 2010 7:00 am
There's more to young people in politics than Harry Enfield's Tory Boy
“SO WET behind the ears that he is dripping!” That was the verdict of a blogger in my constituency when I stood for the Assembly in 2007. A fair point perhaps, but his analysis of my candidature focused solely on the single fact of my age, and took no account of my views, or my campaigning record. Now as I go in to the General Election in the same constituency at the ripe old age of 26, I begin to wonder to what degree my age will affect my perception by the electorate.
While my extended time spent campaigning in the constituency will no doubt temper most criticism, it is clear that young people in politics are often viewed with suspicion, either as a “suit” or an overambitious come-lately. I’ll never forget meeting an Assembly Member (from a different party to my own) and her telling me all about how terrible ambitious young candidates are. She made reference to her own party, and told me that all they are interested in is power, and generally get bored if they don’t win first time around. She was clearly inferring that I fitted that model perfectly in her eyes.
Of course, there are many examples of over ambitious young politicos thinking they can march into Downing Street by the time they reach their 25th birthday, and many do get bored after a single electoral knock back. But it paints an unfair picture of young people in politics as a whole, and actually puts off some of the brightest talent in all parties. It is also a self fulfilling prophecy of the worst kind. If young people in politics feel they have to run uphill even harder to off-set their youth, then it is clear that many of the less over-ambitious, but equally talented candidates will simply not bother to carry on, leaving the door open to the more career minded young politicians.
Whenever asked if my age should count against me, my mind always comes back to the issue of balance. Neither Parliament nor the Assembly should become overly dominated by people in their twenties and thirties. That would not be a recipe for success. The key to a successful legislature is balance; and that is balance of age as well as balance of anything else. A parliament full of people in their fifties and sixties may be full of life experience, but is unlikely to be as capable of fully understanding the views and aspirations of different generations, as a parliament with a good age range represented. While fully respecting the right of voters and commentators to judge people on their experience, they must remember that experience and length of adult life is not the same thing.
The Assembly has come some way in reflecting a reasonable balance of age. While the pure numbers of 20 and 30-something AMs may not be huge, in terms of a good spread of ages in percentage terms it is reasonable. All of the younger AMs who entered in 2007 have performed well, and all have managed, at least to an extent, to be known for something other than just being “the young ones.” No mean feat when the media are often tempted to continually go to them for the youth view on Welsh politics.
All the Welsh parties have healthy numbers of younger people coming through their ranks, and that is welcome. I sincerely hope that at least some of them will be both selected and elected early in their careers, rather than later. A good balance will improve the view of politics to younger generation, and provide that diversity we need to ensure that all views count.
The challenge in the next few years is to ensure that we get more young people involved in politics from different backgrounds. Looking at other diversity issues, people from under-represented groups seem to be more likely to come to politics at a later stage in life, which seems a shame.
I continue to argue that a politician’s age should not necessarily count against them, but their record and experience of course should. Over the next few weeks, many of us young ‘uns, from all the parties, will be attempting to prove that we have that experience and record. We should be judged on that, and not on our date of birth.
Tags: 2010 General Election, candidate selection, equality, Welsh Liberal Democrats, young people
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7 Comments
Dominic Hannigan
You’re too old already!
Young isn’t a disease it’s an advantage.
The time to be radical is when you are young. If you are not radical when you are young, what on earth will you be like at my age!
We need more competent young – not just young.
Prove your competency.
As a start to lowering the age of politicians I’d sack all political editors over the age of thirty five.
“The key to a successful legislature is balance; and that is balance of age as well as balance of anything else” Agree, any constitutional body must represent the people in all aspects (age, sex, race etc).
Thus far nobody has commented negatively on my age and whether I’m competent to do the job because of my age. I find that people are more relaxed and open when talking to me. The reception on the door step is one of praise and sincere best wishes for the young generation in politics to show all the old, grey suited and bearded politicians how it’s done.
Good post Dominic!
Enjoyed this piece, reminds of me of my own experiences.
Personally, I think we should all strive to make our democracies ones which look, sound and feel like the wider society. This means we have a mix of people of all ages, races and backgrounds.
I make no bones about my political ambitions, but that used to scare the hell out of many. It is less so now as I get older (well 27 last week), but still I think it is unfair that any ambitious young person is power grabbing for daring to get elected while still young.
Personally I do not think enough is done across the board (although I think Plaid is clearly a forerunner in this) in giving young people chances to get elected. While it is not an exact science, it is no secret to consider that young people are the least represented in our democracy, and the least likely to vote. Put frankly, I speak, sound and like the same things as my peers, I think this is an advantage.
Dominic is spot on to highlight that experience takes many forms. But I think in politics ‘experience’ has been a by word to make things a shut off shop of nods and winks. It is this ‘its always been like this’ air that permeates politics, and I think is an underlying factor in things like expenses and the general malaise in politics regarding new ideas.
Good luck in the election Dominic! Go in there like you can win.
You’ve knocked the nail on the head concerning young people in politics. I think when some of the electorate see young, fresh looking people trying to be elected their can be some good old fashioned mean spiritness and jealousy.
I think young people going in on many occasions will not have the cynicism and be so set in their ways as their more experienced rivals. Which can only be good.
On many occasions, younger people are more in tune with modern technology and they can have greater knowledge of maladjustment. Since it is mainly younger people who have problems with drugs, drink and so on. Young candidates may have greater contact with those persons and have more balanced views.
As a young person (though one not yet old enough to vote), I find a young candidate more appealing than an older candidate – to me, and to many others, the current Parliament of older MPs who thought that they were above the law and above their constituents, needs to be cleared out and replaced by new blood.
The political landscape has changed so much since many hundreds of MPs were first elected and it’s often a younger candidate who will have the vision, the ideals and the better understanding of modern society, in order to be a better MP and truly represent all of her or his constituents.
I am a young person and I’m active within my party. If, when I’ve left University having competed a first degree and an MA, I want to stand to be elected to Parliament or the Assembly, I’d be 32 or 26 respectively; who is anyone to say that I’ve not experience when I’ve been active in party politics for 17 or 11 years respectively?!
A good post, Dominic.
Ah you must be thinking of William Pitt the younger who ascended the First Lord of the Treasury at 24 and lasted 17 years! (I confess I did Google it however I thought he was 21). He arose after another period of some nasty corruption (American Revolution, Kings friends, etc) so he was free of that taint of corruption. However he did have a famous dad!
There’s nothing wrong with youth in politics, I knew a guy who managed a Tesco store at 26. However even with young people I think I personally would vote for someone who has had a bit of experience of life than someone who appears to be a hack. I not making a judgment call on you Dominic you may be great.
However Alun Michael had some experience (he had been a Cardiff City Councillor for 16 years and had been a social worker for about that time) and was well known in Cardiff South before he became a MP.
I do wish you luck!
Cerith – “who is anyone to say that I’ve not experience when I’ve been active in party politics for 17 or 11 years respectively?”
Perhaps you’ve not noticed it, but a major source if not of voter but certainly of party activist irritation is the ‘professional politician’ – Uni, a Central Office, MP assistant, Trades Union Research, NGO or thinktank job, then a parachute into a safe seat with nary a glimpse of life outside the bubble.
Labour’s Luciana Berger in Liverpool Wavertree is one example.
“Who was Bill Shankly?
Answer: I don’t know. On hearing who the Anfield legend was, she said: “You can’t ask a girl a football question.””