I’d say that few young people want to become MPs because generally speaking MPs are seen by teens as crusty, out of touch oddballs at worst or chino wearing try hards at best.  I am not sure if this video will help… but social media certainly provides an opportunity for politicians to connect in a more meaningful way with this constituency.

In a great article for The Guardian, Catherine Bennett, writes that (the video)…“gives the impression of an unusually intelligent alien who has made a careful study of human beings, without ever having had the opportunity to meet one.”

Gordon and the Labour Government have since come under fire for 1. announcing the video on YouTube (as opposed to in Parliament) 2. trying to gain political advantage on an issue that effects all MPs and 3.  presenting a proposal that will clearly get voted down.

Oh dear… check it out:

I think some small changes could dramatically improve the video.

I would have had Gordon sitting in his actual (natural) work environment. That would prevent the body sways. It might also be advisable to present this in more of a Q and A format so that its more discursive – YouTube isn’t well suited to speeches.

The Downing Street YouTube channel needs a host – someone to take the audience into the heart of the Government and someone that the audience can relate to.  This host would interview the MPs by asking the questions that the audience want answered. These stage managed presentations don’t feel very authentic at all.

The tone of the expenses video is far too earnest and self important and the randomly interspersed smiles are disconcerting. Gordon has undoubtedly received a lot of training and its not reasonable to expect this stuff to come naturally to everyone but some simple changes could dramatically improve the content.

Comments have been suspended but were initially open, according to Bennett’s article.

In other half-baked YouTube video news…

Last week we had the worldwide President of Dominos Pizza on YouTube responding to the fall out caused by another YouTube video, which was created by two employees in North Carolina.  Dominos received a lot of positive coverage for their handling of the crisis but I felt all of the good work on YouTube was undone by that fact that Mr. Doyle did not respond direct to camera. I reckon he looks well shifty.

The title of the video is unfortunate.

Here is some off-camera action from Gordon Brown this time. More good work undone…

I am living overseas but I think Gordon Brown’s chances of returning the Labour Party to Government in 12 months time are very slim.  Will the Labour Party risk it? I can’t help feeling a bit sorry for the guy and I am definitely on his side of the political spectrum but I sense that there is strong support for change across the country.  Gordon’s tenure has been somewhat tenuous from the start – remember his shall we, shan’t we have an election stumble?