Should we be more interested in what politicians say or in what they do?
It’s the answer to that question we should perhaps now be focusing on – at the beginning of a General Election Campaign – rather than what they say or how they say it.
The dissolution of Parliament – which formally took place at 12.01 am today apparently, rather than the rather fitting and accurate last sitting on Bonfire Night – isn’t the act of wiping the slate clean that politicians are now trying to tell us has taken place, or – and more importantly – that we as a Nation with a political crisis actually need.
The issue, debate or whatever else you might want to call it – about Leader Debates, is therefore rather a moot point.
Do we really want to see Corbyn, Johnson and Swinson grand standing their new approach to solving the UKs problems on primetime TV when all three of them are bringing nothing new to the table other than a rewrapped version of their previous form?
The sensationalism that now drives politics is fuelled by the mainstream media. It does nothing to help resolve the problems that we have with the quality, motivation and ability of our politicians. In fact, it is helping to develop the problem rather than doing anything at all to target the cause.
Whilst there might be times when it would be appropriate to consider the benefit of holding televised debates that will include all Political Party Leaders, after 3 years of parliamentary stalemate caused by the very same people who are seeking reelection, this General Election Campaign is arguably not one.
Until such time that British Politics and the Party Political System that currently monopolises it has been fully and comprehensively reformed, the only thing that UK Voters can be sure of is that they are going to receive the same contempt from those we elect as MPs – and if anything, probably a lot more.
Nothing that the three Leaders can tell us will become of any benefit to any of us just because of the way it has been transmitted.
Words and presentation are meaningless if the actions and results don’t reflect genuine attempts to address real problems and their cause.
What we actually need in Parliament and Government now are politicians who aren’t driven solely by how everything looks.
Genuine Leaders who take their responsibility to the Electorate seriously, consider the consequences of all their actions and are driven to deliver the right results no matter what anyone else or the media says.
As far as politicians focusing on their time in the public eye is concerned, it’s not the priority and its time to press pause.
Adam Tugwell 