The BBC’s parties and issues pages – gives an overview of the main parties and what they stand for

www.whoshouldyouvotefor.com – take a quiz that will tell you what your political leanings are!

Find your candidates – www.politics.co.uk lets you search for your constituency and find who is standing and the stats on previous election results

UK polling report – find the latest poll information for your area

vote!

VOTE!

With the election just around the corner, I remain to be amazed by the number of people who tell me they are not going to vote, or someone they know is not going to vote.

I am sure everyone is almost at the end of their tether with politics – this election has been more in your face than perhaps any other I can remember.  And, as the polling day comes closer and the polls keep making the outcome more unpredictable, the parties are getting desperate to be the one to stick in your mind when you come to make a cross in a box on Thursday.

So what is it all about?  Why bother to get up of the sofa and vote at all?  Is there a point to voting and if you think they are all scum- why should any get your vote?  Even if you do decide to vote, then it’s not going to make a difference.

I have been on my high horse about this for a month or more, trying to convert the non-voting fraternity into coming out and putting their money where there mouth is.  In fact, putting their money where there mouth isn’t – because no vote means no say. With election day upon us in under 24 hours, I attempt here to sway any reader who is considering exercising their most futile democratic right – not to vote.

THE “HISTORY DICTATES YOU SHOULD” ARGUMENT

The history of Parliament is a long one, the origins in this country run back 1000 years or more and for the world as a whole, democratic ruling systems are numerous and ancient.  In Britain, parliament established itself to give the general population a stake in decisions that affected them to balance out the pure will of the monarch.  The ‘Glorious Revolution’ in 1688 led to the establishment of a constitutional monarchy and the main control of the state turned to the elected government.  For less than 400 years we have had the right to choose who governs us based upon their values and policies.  A generation is generally considered to be around 20 years, meaning 20 generations have had this right.  Only 20 generations!  That’s nothing in the history of humanity.  Just 20 of your relations have lived in a democracy in Britain rather than a dictatorship.

REASON 1 – People living 20 generations ago had no right to have a say in how they were governed, and as such, were at the mercy of a monarch.  Not voting puts you in the same position as those people – being dictated to and at the mercy of a ruler you have no say in or influence over.  You are effectlivly electing to live in a dictatorship.

THE “PEOPLE HAVE DIED FOR YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE” ARGUMENT

Perhaps the most worn argument is the “millions have died to give us the right to vote”.  Of course this is true and I suspect many people dismiss it as it is a bit of a sensationalist argument – because it is!  If people die for your freedoms, then you owe it to them to vote.  It is a cliche, but there is undeniably an element of truth in that.  What is the point in us standing up for what we believe in, through World Wars and terrible suffering, if we then revoke our ability to have a  say.

However, I think more powerful is the right of women to vote.  It was only in 1928 that women were granted the right to vote on the same terms as men.  My nan lived at a time when women had less say in how they were governed than men.  For only 82 years have we as a country had a full and equitable say in how we will be run.  This time frame is too short to betray by a non vote.

REASON 2 – I am not sure there is a more powerful argument as to why we should vote than this.  Everyone knows the suffragette’s story and I will not regurgitate it here.  Needless to say, the fact it took until 1928 must be one of the biggest disgraces in our recent history.  To not vote is most certainly an insult to the suffragettes.

POLITICAL STICKER ON TRAFFIC LIGHT

THE “YOU CAN’T COMPLAIN IF YOU DON’T VOTE” ARGUMENT

I sincerely believe that by not voting you have no right to complain, for the length of that parliament, at how the country is being run.  If you opt out of being a part of that decision, then you effectively opt out of the right to moan.  The vote is one of the most powerful tools in our democratic arsenal to have a stake in the laws that will be passed and the decisions that will be made.  Granted there are probably some exceptions to this rule, but I think they are few.  One I can think of is if you live outside of society, independent and of your own means – then you earn the right.  You do not participate, impinge on or affect the system you would be voting in.

There must be other examples too, but generally speaking, if you participate in society (by that I mean – the welfare state, state provided services like refuse collection, health and policing, paying taxes and receiving benefits, using subsidised services of any kind etc) then like it or not, you are buying into the system.  We all have the power to step outside the system – live outside it either by the way we conduct our life or by moving to another country.  Other than that, whether from choice or necessity, you are part of it.  If you are part of it, you should express your view as to how it should be run, it is your responsibility as a cog in that machine.  What is more – then you can begin the joy or criticising it.  You have your stake and therefore earned your right to a say in what is done.

REASON 3 – If you participate in society, it is deeply hypocritical to not exercise your ability to say how it is run.  Like it or not, we are all part of it and so all partly responsible.  Voting enables you to have some influence, no matter how small.  If you haven’t stuck your head above the parapet and voted for someone, then what gives you the right to criticise any of them?

VOTE FOR CHANGE

THE “MY VOTE DOESN’T COUNT” ARGUMENT

Everyone’s vote counts.  Stating that a vote makes no difference is literally nonsense.  Of course, you are 1 in 46 million registered voters, but that is still a part.  Any colony based life form relies on its population all playing a part in the whole.  Strength literally is in numbers.  Look at the turn out and at the last election, 61.28% of registered voters actually bothered.  Suddenly you are 1 in 28,188,800.  These numbers are not huge – Labour got a bit over 9 1/2 million of the popular vote in 2005.  If another few million people bothered to have their say across the country, the face of politics as we know could be utterly different.  Just think, if the electoral turn out could get up to 70% then that would be not far off 5 million more votes being cast.  As it stands, four people in every ten that you walk past in the street are not going to express a view.  What does that say about us as a whole?

I guess the question I ask myself, is do those 4 out of 10 really have just cause and reason not to vote?  Do they have a sound argument to back up their decision?  If 4 in 10 bees in a hive stopped bothering to participate – the colony would soon collapse around itself.

REASON 4 – Whilst you are literally 1 in 28 million, you are still part of that equation.  Cliche’s are both frustrating, but also true – where would we be if everyone decided not to bother?  Currently 40% of us choose not to bother and that is a frighteningly large percentage.  8,250,000 people bothered to vote in the last series of Fame Academy – that’s about a third of the number who vote in elections, which is, frankly, a pathetic statistic.  Fame Academy is literally insignificant.  Who rules our country is not.

It is percentages like that which allow extremest to get into power.

FOX TORY

THE “NONE OF THEM REPRESENT MY VIEWS” ARGUMENT

The other point that non-voters often make is that none of the parties represent their views, so there is no point in voting for any of them.  To this, I would suggest that view is slightly ignorant.  Where in the world is there someone else, let alone a group of people, that you agree with entirely?  Diversity is what makes our society so interesting, productive and successful.  For a democratic system to work, political parties have to appeal to a large number of people, and, as such, it is highly unlikely and extremely unrealistic that one person will agree with every aspect of their manifesto.  If parties did not work in this way, then we would have hundreds of independent MP’s and no decisions would ever be made.  Unfortunately, having to appeal to several millions of people is the price you have to pay for the system of government we have adopted.

However, given the fact that you get one vote to state who you think is best disposed to make decisions on your behalf for the coming 5 years, is it really true that not one party or individual is even slightly better than the others?  Even if you don’t really like any of the candidates there isn’t one that is slightly less hateful than the others and therefore better to have in place than another?  After all, one of them will be elected and by not voting you are having no influence or say over that.

REASON 5 – Wouldn’t you prefer to have the person who is slightly less shit than the others in power, rather than the really shitty one?  Your taxes are going to help towards their 60 odd grand a year as it is, so you may as well decide who is most worthy of your hard earned cash!

IT MATTERS MORE THAT YOU DO…

JUST VOTE

Look, I think that is enough banging on about this.  You are bored, I am bored and you know I am right!  Above are 5 reasons against 5 of the main arguments why it is worth your while taking 5 minutes out of your day tomorrow to have a say.  Love it or hate it, this is the system we have and you really should be a part of the decision making it.  If you truly do not believe in any party, person or system – then go and spoil your ballot paper.  Those are counted up and still count as a statement if enough are spoiled.  Better still, have a vote and then stand for election yourself next time and see how many people agree with you.

One of the biggest debates in this election campaign is over whether to have a discussion and possible referendum on the political system we have.  That is a massive opportunity to affect the power of your vote – read up about what a system like proportional representation would have on Britain before you make your final decision.  For a quick way to illustrate the point, play with the BBC’s Election 2010 seat calculator.  Check out the percentage of the vote the Liberal Democrats would need to get a majority government!

How can you not be excited about an election?  It gets everyone talking and debating the issues that count.  This year, I have seen more personal messages and views in people’s windows than ever before – and that is a good thing.  Just ask anyone from a repressed political state who faces imprisonment for expressing their political leanings.

Before you say it, I know all these arguments are very basic and life is more complicated than I have stated above.  I know my arguments are simplistic and probably riddled with inaccuracy and contradiction.  I know there are millions of counter arguments to be made.  But shit, for the first time in a long while, the dissolution with politicians is really in the fore front of the public mind, and this election is your chance to comment on that.  Do not waste your chunk of power to have a say – get out there tomorrow and make your mark.

Remember – it matters more you do than for who (unless it is for the Tory’s of course!!!).

Just vote!

P.S – I promise this is my last political post for a while   Normal fun living service to resume imminently

A short while back – I got obsessed with reading George Orwell. The man is no doubt a genius – both his novels and essays are outstanding work.

Two passages really stuck with me, both during and after the Orwell-fest and I have wanted to share them for some time. However, I could not be bothered to type them all out until now.

The reasons being as follows:

Market Today Inside Mans Belly

1) I have been interested in starting a project that involves some form of comment on social position and British society – particularly how democratic our state is and where we might want to look at making changes.

2) The other week, we watched Che part 1 and 2. Lovely stuff – really powerful films, principally because Che is a very interesting chap indeed. Watching them lead onto a search to buy some of Che Guevara’s writings, and a lot of thinking has ensued since learning more about his life and political views. Namely – do we need our own revolution. Not in a Cuba style of course, but a revolution none the less against capitalism and the power of the state over the individual. This seemed to tie in with my Orwell-fest thinking.

3) I was at Brighton Marina the other day, utilising Asda’s facilities (without putting any money in their massive coffers of course) and I took the image shown above. This made me think about points 1 & 2 above leading to a new more exciting point 3! This final point is still not fully formed and is being gently caressed in a sketch book into the start of a new project.

DO WE NEED A REVOLUTION

So, with these three points rattling in my mind, and feeling a photographic project about a British revolution is approaching, I felt the time was Nigh to recount the wise words that Mr Orwell chatted, that struck a cord with my own thinking. So here goes…first passage is from 1984 and the second, from Down and Out in Paris & London. They are quite long, but I bothered to type them out, so you can ruddy well take the time to read them!!!

Incidentally, if you have not read either book – do it immediately. Especially Down & Out, which, is probably one of the best books my eyes have ever graced.

Behold the words of wisdom:

DOWN AND OUT IN PARIS & LONDON

It is worth saying something about the social position of beggars, for
when one has consorted with them, and found that they are ordinary human
beings, one cannot help being struck by the curious attitude that society
takes towards them. People seem to feel that there is some essential
difference between beggars and ordinary ‘working’ men. They are a race
apart–outcasts, like criminals and prostitutes. Working men ‘work’,
beggars do not ‘work’; they are parasites, worthless in their very nature.
It is taken for granted that a beggar does not ‘earn’ his living, as a
bricklayer or a literary critic ‘earns’ his. He is a mere social
excrescence, tolerated because we live in a humane age, but essentially
despicable.

Yet if one looks closely one sees that there is no ESSENTIAL
difference between a beggar’s livelihood and that of numberless respectable
people. Beggars do not work, it is said; but, then, what is WORK? A navvy
works by swinging a pick. An accountant works by adding up figures. A
beggar works by standing out of doors in all weathers and getting varicose
veins, chronic bronchitis, etc. It is a trade like any other; quite
useless, of course–but, then, many reputable trades are quite useless.
And as a social type a beggar compares well with scores of others. He is
honest compared with the sellers of most patent medicines, high-minded
compared with a Sunday newspaper proprietor, amiable compared with a
hire-purchase tout–in short, a parasite, but a fairly harmless parasite.
He seldom extracts more than a bare living from the community, and, what
should justify him according to our ethical ideas, he pays for it over and
over in suffering. I do not think there is anything about a beggar that
sets him in a different class from other people, or gives most modern men
the right to despise him.

Then the question arises, Why are beggars despised?–for they are
despised, universally. I believe it is for the simple reason that they fail
to earn a decent living. In practice nobody cares whether work is useful or
useless, productive or parasitic; the sole thing demanded is that it shall
be profitable. In all the modem talk about energy, efficiency, social
service and the rest of it, what meaning is there except ‘Get money, get it
legally, and get a lot of it’? Money has become the grand test of virtue.
By this test beggars fail, and for this they are despised. If one could
earn even ten pounds a week at begging, it would become a respectable
profession immediately. A beggar, looked at realistically, is simply a
businessman, getting his living, like other businessmen, in the way that
comes to hand. He has not, more than most modem people, sold his honour; he
has merely made the mistake of choosing a trade at which it is impossible
to grow rich.

1984

Throughout recorded time, and probably since the end of the Neolithic Age, there have been three kinds of people in the world, the High, the Middle, and the Low. They have been subdivided in many ways, they have borne countless different names, and their relative numbers, as well as their attitude towards one another, have varied from age to age: but the essential structure of society has never altered.

Even after enormous upheavals and seemingly irrevocable changes, the same pattern has always reasserted itself, just as a gyroscope will always return to equilibrium, however far it is pushed one way or the other. The aims of these three groups are entirely irreconcilable. The aim of the High is to remain where they are. The aim of the Middle is to change places with the High. The aim of the Low, when they have an aim — for it is an abiding characteristic of the Low that they are too much crushed by drudgery to be more than intermittently conscious of anything outside their daily lives — is to abolish all distinctions and create a society in which all men shall be equal.

Thus throughout history a struggle which is the same in its main outlines recurs over and over again. For long periods the High seem to be securely in power, but sooner or later there always comes a moment when they lose either their belief in themselves or their capacity to govern efficiently, or both. They are then overthrown by the Middle, who enlist the Low on their side by pretending to them that they are fighting for liberty and justice. As soon as they have reached their objective, the Middle thrust the Low back into their old position of servitude, and themselves become the High. Presently a new Middle group splits off from one of the other groups, or from both of them, and the struggle begins over again.

Of the three groups, only the Low are never even temporarily successful in achieving their aims. It would be an exaggeration to say that throughout history there has been no progress of a material kind. Even today, in a period of decline, the average human being is physically better off than he was a few centuries ago. But no advance in wealth, no softening of manners, no reform or revolution has ever brought human equality a millimetre nearer. From the point of view of the Low, no historic change has ever meant much more than a change in the name of their masters.

Lovely Stuff. Think on.

Show Studio 1 (2009)

SHOWSTUDIO – FASHION REVOLUTION – REVIEW

I made a posting on this before ‘SHOWSTUDIO – FASHION REVOLUTION – COMEDY CASTING’ – a brief one of me doing a video casting at the exhibition.  Thought this should be followed up by a more in-depth look at this show.

I must confess to not being the biggest knowledge on fashion photography.  I love some of it, but in the past have found a lot of the images out there quite bland, obvious and purely about commercial selling without having much creative flair to boot.  In recent years, I have tried to look at it with more open eyes and analyse exactly what is going on in this very creative side of Photography.  I do like fashion and when a photographer applies an original mind to this genre – the results are amazing.

Nick Knight is one of those fashion photographers that I guess everyone has heard of and quite rightly so.  He is no doubt a genius at what he does – his images are punchy, original and beautiful.  What is more, he actually manages to capture the essence of fashion and the clothing yet retain a creative approach to his images.  (And, incidentally, his non-fashion personal work is lovely – check out his work ‘Flora’).

Show Studio 2 (2009)

Not surprising then, when his SHOWstudio project took over the bottom floor of Somerset House for the Fashion Revolution show – it was an amazing and interactive place to visit.  Described by themselves as:

…a retrospective of nine years of online innovation, invention and creation.

This seems to give a good account of what you could see.  Following in the footsteps of the SHOWstudio website, the exhibition attempted to throw the usual expectations of fashion, art, photography and video on its head.  More like a full on assault of the senses with images, video, instillations and a whole host of interactive elements.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF SHOWSTUDIO

Established by Nick Knight in 2000, SHOWstudio was created as an online organisation, aimed at pushing the boundaries of how fashion is communicated.  It has pioneered fashion film and is one of the leading lights in this new medium and collaborates with some of the most influential and acclaimed figures of contemporary fashion, including John Galliano, Kate Moss, Maison Martin Margiela, Comme des Garçons and Alexander McQueen.  It has blurred the lines between fashion, photography, film and art.

For a full idea of what they do, check out the site at: www.showstudio.com

FASHION REVOLUTION

For me, there were a few stand out elements to the show which, for me, were the clear highlights and made this exhibition so unique…

NAOMI

Show Studio 3

As you first entered the exhibition, you were confronted by three huge monolithic sculptures of supermodel Naomi Campbell, created from a 3-D rendered image captured during Nick Knight’s Spring 2007 Naomi shoot.  A touch sensitive computer panel let you graffiti over these white body casts, creating anything from clothing to abstract shapes.  Naturally a high percentage of the contributions seemed to involve rude dawbings!!!  The figures could also be drawn onto via an online interface, so anyone in the world, provided they had internet connection, could graffiti Naomi and the results appear ont he figures in real time.

Check it here: http://www.showstudio.com/project/fashionrevolutionnaomi/

Show Studio 3 (2009)

CASTINGS

Show Studio 6 (2009)

You may have already seen my comedy casting in the previous post, before that, I recorded a “normal” one, before realising exactly what the casting was:

A small room contained a video camera where visitors were encouraged to do a casting to appear in one of Nick Knight’s photoshoots.  The set up was simple, with a computer asking basic questions and the sitter answering to camera.  These films were then captured and put onto the website for the world to view.  Obviously the results depend on the sitter and they range from interesting to dull and funny to shit!  I suspect my own effort is both dull and shit!  It’s worth looking through the films on the site, if for nothing else, just to see how people react in front of a camera in this situation.

Check it here: http://www.showstudio.com/project/fashionrevolutioncasting/

PERFORMANCE

Show Studio 7 (2009)

Perhaps the most inspiring and revolutionary piece at the exhibition was the opportunity to watch fashion shoots live.  The basic set up was a medium sized studio space, kitted out with all the expected equipment and at one end, floor to ceiling – wall to wall,  one way glass.  This meant you could see the photo shoot happening but they could not see you.  I was lucky enough to go near the end of the exhibition and see Nick Knight himself doing 100 portraits for ID magazine.  It was addictive viewing – like Big Brother but with substance!  Getting to see Knight’s working method, how his assistants worked with him and the general set up and feel of a top level photo shoot was amazing.

I was particularly suprised to see how calm the whole thing was.  From film and media – I kind of expected to see an Austin Powers type shoot, or like a scene from Blow up.  I guess the media stereoptype wins through as we are so unused to seeing fashion shoots live.  That’s where this part of the show really wins through and fills the brief of SHOWStudio so well.  It allows viewers to witness a true behind the scenes aspect of the world of fashion photography  readdress their stereotypes and perhaps start looking at this genre as a genuine form of art in its own right.

Show Studio 8 (2009)

All to often fashion photography is written off (as is fashion itself) as a true form of artistic expression.  For me, the live studio totally cemented my view that fashion photography is increadibly diverse, sersious and creative and deserves upmost respect.  Knight was a pleasure to watch work and a great inspiration I’m sure for anyone interested in getting into this field.

FURTHER READING

Sadly, this show has now stopped.  I kind of wish they could find a permanant venue and always offer people the opportunity to see the full range of SHOWstudio’s creations, as well as benefit from aspects like the ‘Performance’ Live Studio.

In the meantime, however, I urge you to check their website and see the full range of joy that is on there:

http://www.showstudio.com/project/fashionrevolution/ – Fashion Revolution site

http://www.showstudio.com/ – Show Studio site

Show Studio 10 (2009)

Show Studio 9 (2009)

Just a quick one to get you in the mood.

Went to London yesterday and had another gander at Nick Knight’s SHOWstudio exhibition @ Somerset House.  A whole host of photos and a review coming soon.

Been there a few weeks ago and they have a casting instillation, where a camera records you answering some questions – then, the most beautiful get called up to a photo shoot.

It happens that I turned 30 last week and so had a number of cardboard masks of my face lying around (again, images and story to follow!).  So, I thought my under 30 face should do a casting rather than my actual over 30 face.

Behold the results below.

To see the video on the SHOWstudio website and see more casting videos, visit http://www.showstudio.com/project/fashionrevolutioncasting/