For the second time in as many years, the UK Youth Parliament was allowed to sit on the green benches of the House of Commons yesterday. All very admirable, I'm sure, for getting young people interested in politics etc.
One problem: surely a real Parliament, which is what they are trying to emulate, would have a range of different views, with no one consensus.
Well, apparently the UKYP disagrees. A cursory glance at their website reveals their 'manifesto' and various campaigns in which they are involved.
In other words, all the hallmarks of a lobbying group. And that is what the UKYP is: a lobbying group with a few few bells and whistles added. Just because they occasionally have elections, it doesn't mean that its members, who style themselves as MYPs, have any right to sit on the green benches. Trade unions have elections, don't they? Elections do not make a group a 'Parliament'.
This is the problem with the UKYP: they are not a real Parliament. So they shouldn't be allowed to pretend that they are.
No comments:
Post a Comment