But I don’t want the man with the blue tie mummy
But I don’t want David Cameron to be prime minister, my eight-year-daughter told me this morning, as we listened to Radio 4 discuss the hung parliament.
Why?
He wants to take away tax credits from children (I'm sure she has no idea what a tax credit is, but damn the man who wants to taken them from her).
AND, he wants to bring back fox hunting (she must have seen the “ashes to ashes” billboard on the way into London last weekend.)
Anything else?
He’s not old enough (OK, I think she got this from me, during the last debate I commented that CB — and NC – don't seem old enough, or experienced enough, to lead the UK out of recession).
I want Gordon Brown (did I tell you hubby is Scottish?)
I explained that Gordon Brown most likely will not be PM, and that his political career is probably over.
If Gordon Brown didn’t win mummy, who is running the country? (good question).
I explained that the man with the red tie (Nick Clegg) is very popular right now, and that David is asking him to be on his team.
Like football?
A bit.
If you can't follow this conversation, don't even attempt to follow the one with my American friends…
Photo credit: conservatives
Georgia | 29th Dec 12
Great to see young children involved in Politics at such a young aged that’s sure to shape the future landscape of politics in years to come.
Rerto Jordans | 9th Jun 10
I love that any comment of difficult try my blog. Thank you
Gilly Smith | 17th May 10
My 11 year old was watching the first election debate on TV and I asked her who she would like to be the next Prime Minister. “Nick Clegg and David Cameron”, she said, quick as a flash. I smiled, rather patronisingly I now realise, and explained that it doesn’t work like that. “You have to choose”, I said. “Who do you like best?” Nick Clegg and David Cameron”, she said. And smiled.
Nappy Valley Housewife | 15th May 10
Yes, I’m with your daughter. Don’t like that tie. My first time voting in the UK and I feel as though my vote was wasted. It seems to me that we now have the equivalent of a Republican in Downing Street and I have NEVER voted Republican.
savvymum | 12th May 10
One question Liz, as you would like to see more women in Politics, would you encourage a daughter of yours to be a MP?
Here in Britain we seem obsessed with how camera friendly candidates are rather than their policies. Imagine, one distinctly pre menstral look into the cameras and that image will be discected for the rest of your political career.
No thanks.
I certainly won’t be encouraging my daughter to go into politics unless she is really thick skinned, or should i say has bullet proof resilience.
A Modern Mother | 11th May 10
@babiewhobrunch I’ll go check it out, sounds interesting
A Modern Mother | 11th May 10
@antonella that is too funny! How embarassing.
A Modern Mother | 11th May 10
@liz we caught the election bug and I think she does have a real interest, it’s so exciting to see and I will suport it. We told her she may even be able to vote for someone like Cleg with she’s 18, and she was able to relate to it. So fun!
Liz (LivingwithKids) | 11th May 10
Hah – I reckon your daughter has it sussed. I’d like to see more women in politics, personally – something to think about?
It’s a very interesting time and even though many of us are fearful of the outcome it’s probably the first time I can remember where an election has been so interesting. We’re talking a lot about it in our house and obviously that’s being repeated in homes up and down the country.
Antonella | 10th May 10
My daughter has become an expert on British politics and last week she kept on explaining her own differences between the parties to her friends in school and when the teacher asked why she would vote for the Lib Dems she answered “Because my mum fancies Nick Clegg”. Now my reputation with her teacher (male) is totally down the drain! Ciao. A.
Tawny75 | 10th May 10
It never ceases to amaze me how up on current affairs kids are, my Guides were discussing the election last Monday too!
babieswhobrunch | 9th May 10
I took Louis to vote with us and asked him who to vote for: he said, “Daddy”. When pushed on which colour, he said “pink yellow”, which, given what might happen when the Libs refuse to get into bed with the Tories when they won’t budge on PR could turn out to have been very prescient of him. You can watch our voting vlog on babieswhobrunch! (or in this case, vote.)
Vegemitevix | 9th May 10
Kids really do take an interest in these things don’t they! My 14 yr old came home and told me who all her friends’ parents voted for! I was thrilled to be able to vote in the UK election (being a Kiwi) and hope that the outcome will bring in electoral reform, as it did in NZ in the 90s. It worked out well in NZ and we have settled into our proportional representation excellently!
TheMadHouse | 9th May 10
Oh I dont want the man with the blue tie wither, life is NOT fair
A Modern Mother | 9th May 10
@stigmum that was far from a boring post! You should follow that up with him (I assume Clegg didn’t get back to you, or did he?)
A Modern Mother | 9th May 10
@nappyvalley It’s way too complicated for Americans. I find the whole thing fascinating, especially the simplicity of voting here. In the US it quite an ordeal to vote and takes at least 15 minutes to mark the ballot!
A Modern Mother | 9th May 10
@mothership yes I can see that happening (giggle)
Stigmum | 9th May 10
Modern mamma, yes, probably the dullest post in the whole wild world but here it is:
http://stigmum.blogspot.com/2010/02/ill-get-to-point-eventually.html
I tend to write instinctively, all I can say in my defence! What I didn’t write is that when I told him I wrote to Brown, he said laughing: “And you got a response did you?!” and I said: “Yes I did actually and he said it was up to the local authority to help us and the local authority is YOU!” My memoirs will be better than my blog, if er, I ever write one! (You should though, having read that post about your grandmother…!)
nappyvalleygirl | 9th May 10
At least your American friends have asked about it – no-one here seems even remotely interested or aware that we had an election going on!
mothership | 8th May 10
My best moment this week was when I was trying to explain the hung parliament to the checkout guy at Trader Joe’s (he was curious) and in true California surfer dude style he said “Cool! Like, your government is WELL HUNG”.
Made me laugh anyway. Let’s see if the yellow man has got the balls to force electoral reform..
A Modern Mother | 8th May 10
@stigmum you met Clegg? How interesting, he seems like a “real” person
A Modern Mother | 8th May 10
@gappy yes I think so
Stigmum | 8th May 10
Kids are fab aren’t they?! On Tuesday my son left school chanting “Don’t vote blue! Don’t vote blue!” Probably got that from, er, me. He was all for Clegg who promised to help us when I met him and asked when he would be allowed to vote. “When you’re 18,” I said. “Why not 16 mummy?” “Well, that’s something Clegg wants too so we’ve got to be tactical sweetie.” “What’s tactical mummy?”
I haven’t seen him since Friday but I’m sure we’ll be chewing the political cud when we’re reunited tomorrow!!
Gappy | 8th May 10
Yes I have had all sorts of fun trying to explain the concept of a hung parliament to my children too.
I really really don’t want the man in the blue tie either. He still belongs to the nasty party however compassionately he attempts to paint himself.
I have a horrible feeling it may be a done deal though.