Tower Block of Commons.

[garinda]

This four party series ended this week, and was quite entertaining, and a little informative.

A bit old hat, getting politicans to live on benefits. I can think of similar programmes featuring Matthew Parris, Edwina Currie, and Michael Portillo, to name but a few. What made this different was that it featured MPs of all the major parties, so you had a comparisson of how they all coped.

The MPs were Ian Duncan Smith, who coped quite well, but left after a day or so, because of his wife's cancer.

He was replaced by Nadine Dorries. She came unstuck when she cheated, and didn't live off the allocated benefit money, but had a bra stuffed with £50 quid notes. She did ultimately integrate with the people she lived with, and tried to organise social events between isolated old people who lived near a Somali majorioty mosque, as well as try to help one young man kick his drug habit.

The other Tory MP was Tim Loughton. His stay was probably the most successful of the lot. Probably went to boarding school, so used to living in harsh conditions! He got on with everyone. The people he met liked him, and he used his time trying to find alternative things for youngsters to do, so they wouldn't become involved with the very real gang culture he encountered. Ok he looked a prat rapping in a music studio, but every white rapper looks uncool, that's a fact.

The Lib Dems sent Mark Oaten. He got off to a bad start. Pictured face down in a park, blubbbing, after being asked by some local youths if he was the MP who shags rent boys. Again though he connected with the people on the estate, and used his time and skills to ensure the people he met had the power and knowledge to fight for better housing.

Then there was Labour's Austin Mitchell.

Oh dear.

Man of the people, and someone who used to work in the media before entering politics, so you'd thought he'd have a little more understanding as to how you really should come across on television, and not look like an out of touch, spoilt, elitist snob, who insisted in talking in stupid voices, because he had nothing constructive to offer.

First of all, unlike all the others, he wouldn't live with any families, he demanded his own flat, which he insisted he shared with his haughty wife. He refused to live off the same amount of benefits as the people he met, and kept nipping back from the estate in Hull to his home in Grimsby, to enjoy dinner parties and fine wine. The only thing he did was to use his contacts in the media to secure the closing down of a youth centre got some publicity.

Interestingly all the people said if the politicans stood in their constituency they'd probably vote for them, which was quite some turnaround. All except the people encountered by Austin Mitchell.

Filmed the year before a General Election, it was always going to be high profile, and a chance for MPs to bolster their poor public image.

Whoever sectioned Lord and Lady Gaga's appearance, from the Labour party, wants shooting. A total P.R. disasater.

I'm sure there are (hopefully) many Labour MPs who could have been just as successful as the Tory/Lib Dem ones in the film, but Austin Healey was definitely a bad choice.

Anyone else watch it?

I know Graham did, as he mentioned it in another thread.

Tower Block of Commons - Series 1 - Channel 4

[BERNADETTE]

Yes I watched it and enjoyed it

[garinda]

Originally Posted by BERNADETTE

Yes I watched it and enjoyed it

Glad you enjoyed it as well.

Did you find Austin Mitchell as cringe making as me?

Everyone else seemed to win over the people they lived with.

Even Mitchell said he could have done more.

[BERNADETTE]

Originally Posted by garinda

Glad you enjoyed it as well.

Did you find Austin Mitchell as cringe making as me?

Everyone else seemed to win over the people they lived with.

Even Mitchell said he could have done more.

He was a bit over the top with the camp act but think he did quite well stirring the residents into action. The living conditions were terrible but appears the council have to pay so much to central goverment it leaves them short of cash to sort things out.

[Mancie]

I made an attempt to watch it but Austin Mitchell almost got me whizzin empty beer cans from the start.. after that I lost interest and switched channels when he appeared.

[garinda]

Originally Posted by Mancie

I made an attempt to watch it but Austin Mitchell almost got me whizzin empty beer cans from the start.. after that I lost interest and switched channels when he appeared.

I'm glad it wasn't just me that found Mitchell so infuriating.

As stated, I'm sure there are Labour MPs who could have coped, and been as proactive as the Tories/Lib Dem, it's just a pity they sanctioned this silly old goat to take part.

A P.R. disaster.