We are the UK’s first political internet television channel based at Westminster – run by young people, for young people. Whenever you have a question, comment or view that you want heard we'll make sure it happens, right here, in the heart of power. Catch21 is here for you and is here to stay.
Our guest blogger this Monday is Adrian Ramsay. At only 28 Adrian has risen to become Deputy Leader of the Green Party and is hoping to become their first MP by beating former Home Secretary Charles Clarke in this year's election. Here's his take on how the campaign is going...
An Equality and Human Rights Commission victory on Sunday has seen the abolition of the British National Party’s “whites only” policy, allowing for the integration of both black and Asian party members in a watershed moment which will undoubtedly see the integration of BNP’s once staunchly right wing policies. That, or simply provide a few “minority” faces to combat any slanderous suggestions of overt racism or bigotry that nay sayers might throw at the party.
Last night the journalist forum Frontline hosted a panel debate on how important social media has become in politics. To watch their debate, have a look at the Frontline site, frontlineclub.com. Today on the Catch21 blog, Joe Friel gives us his take on whether social media is a big enough political force to win or lose an election in the UK.
This week's guest blogger is Jamie Saddler, 23, who is standing to be a Liberal Democrat MP. Read on to find out how his campaign's been going...
Catch21 is pleased to present an exciting opportunity to all of our 14-19 year old viewers, set up by our friends at the Citizenship Foundation. Make sure you don't miss out!
The first televised political debates are still in talks between broadcasters and political parties. These negotiations may prove to be detrimental to the questions allowed to be asked. There is a worry that pre approved questions will form the majority of the debate similar to PM Question time in the House of Commons. This can be a good thing due to particular issues being addressed, but it can also lead to parties sticking to issues and policies that they are comfortable with.
Put a group of political bloggers in the same room as someone deemed to be from "the media establishment" and what can you expect? This scenario was played out at the Westminster Skeptics meeting on Monday, with the political bloggers Sunny Hundal of Liberal Conspiracy, Jonathan Isaby, co-editor of ConservativeHome, Paul Staines, aka Guido Fawkes, and Mick Fealty of Slugger O'Toole in attendance. "The establishment" was represented by Observer columnist Nick Cohen, and although he may not have agreed with this label, he certainly enjoyed it.
It's Monday, which means another instalment of Catch21's young PPCs blog. This week it's the youngest Tory candidate at the election, Nick Varley...
Recently, the Tories have followed a new direction in campaigning: focusing on social issues. This emphasis on “Broken Britain”, and the notion that the past 13 years of Labour Government have left Britain on the edge of Social Meltdown, seems to be a key issue that the Conservatives are pursuing. This onus on engaging the electorate’s social conscience is not new. I can’t help but be reminded of the “back to basics” campaigning under John Major that all unravelled spectacularly under a cloud of scandal and sleaze.
A General Election is imminent, and David Cameron and the rest of the Conservative Party are eager to remind us of this. Promises of change and pledges towards a new and improved Britain is the recurring message underlying statements issued by the Tories.
Every Monday, Catch21 will be getting an update from some of the young people campaigning to become MPs at the General Election. This week, we're kicking off with an article by Emily Benn, the 20 year old Labour candidate for East Worthing and Shoreham in Sussex...
As David Cameron has announced new measures to encourage local associates to select more female candidates and the Labour party has introduced all women shortlists in certain constituencies, it would seem clear that positive discrimination is increasingly prevalent within our political system.
In the run up to the first episode of Uni-Q, Catch21's flagship political programme for the UK's youth, we interviewed Professor Alan Hamlin, Head of Politics at the University of Manchester. We talked about about youth engagement in politics among students and young people at the University of Manchester and across the UK, what can be done to improve it and about Uni-Q itself.
Uni - Q is a a fortnightly hour long current affairs programme think ‘Question Time’ meets ‘TFI Friday’. It will provide a forum for 16-25 year olds to pose questions, about the issues that matter to them, to MPs and other high profile figures. Uni -Q is the first programme of its kind to tour universities and colleges across the UK.
I love Catch21. I love what we try to do in breaking down political issues for, granted, a younger audience, but I hope this extends to a wider audience in the future. An audience that I hope wants to understand not only the major political issues that are coming up in the year ahead but also the politics of politics. The swerves and turns that will come with mass media opportunism in staying ‘on top’ of the election cycle.
Catch21 is Media Partner at UK's Leading Annual Event on the Internet and Politics, 25 November, Central London
Future Democracy '09 is the UK's leading annual conference on all aspects of e-democracy, from e-campaigning, e-petitions and e-voting to the use of the internet and new technologies in politics; democratic activity and citizen engagement. The event's supporters include The Hansard Society, MySociety and the RSA. Catch21 is a key media partner for the event, and will be filming on the day.
In 1992, something very strange happened. I was too young to really understand what was happening at the time, I just remember scenes on my television of a man from Wales bouncing up and down excitedly. As I got older I realised that what it was I was witnessing was what ‘grown ups’ call Professional Suicide.
This week has brought the news that German Ministers of the Interior from all 16 states are attempting to push legislation through the German parliament, The Bundestag, to have the production and distribution of “violent” video games banned. This is a response to several shootings in German schools, in particular the killings on March 11th by a 17 year old who supposedly learnt the skills he used from the computer game CounterStrike.
Innovative, informative and interactive, exactly what young people need so that they can become engaged with politics more effectively
Daisy McAndrew
ITN
Economics Editor
Catch21 acknowledge the essential support of The University of Hull and The Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust
The BYC were at the Scottish Parliament last November. Catch21 were there to film it all.
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