Aimee Howarth brings you an interview with The Yorker directors on the final day of the advent articles
Aimee Howarth speaks to YUSU's sabbatical officers about their Christmas Day routine for day 17 of the advent calendar
For the final time this term, Vicky Morris updates you on this weeks film news
50 years after the publication of 'James and the Giant Peach', the works of Roald Dahl continue to celebrate success.
Recently Claire was chosen as one of fifteen 16-21 year olds who will take part in a Channel 4 documentary following young people with big ambitions. The documentary, YearDot, will film those involved every three weeks for a year, meaning Claire now has even more responsibilities to juggle.
The Yorker: So how did you become involved with the Labour Party at such a young age?
CH: I started working for one of my local MPs, Sally Keeble, the MP for Northampton North, about three years ago. Before that I ran for Labour in my school mock election and got very into politics that way. But Labour really attracted me because of its focus on education, health care and especially international development, things I felt none of the other parties really catered for. I thought Labour was the best party to represent my perspective. I started off doing a week’s work experience, and haven’t really left ever since! It’s unusual, but I kept helping out with things like gala dinners, going to constituency advice surgeries; and working in constituency and Parliament for three years. I think it’s nice to have worked my way up literally from stuffing envelopes to now running for Parliament. It’s been a quick ascent over the last three years.
The Yorker: Do you find it hard to balance your time between your studies and campaigning?
CH: It’s not always easy to balance your time between your political life and your academic life. I am doing a politics degree, but the two vary very much; I’ll be reading about Mill and then I’ll go and talk about housing plans in Skipton. It can be a strain, because when there’s a meeting on I have to go. But my tutors have been really good up until now, letting me switch groups and go to different seminars if I can’t make the ones I’m supposed to go to. They’ve been very accommodating.
I think it’s nice to have worked my way up literally from stuffing envelopes to now running for Parliament.
The Yorker: That’s good; I find it difficult just to balance my academic life with a social life!
CH: Trying to be a normal person, a student and a politician... they’re not the easiest of fits really. It's been OK, but there are always tough moments. Over Easter, I had a third of my degree, six hours of exams, and 10,000 words due; and my local elections were going on at the same time. I had to give days from my academic work to go away and campaign, something no one else had to sacrifice. But I still got it all done on time, somehow!
The Yorker: I’d imagine campaigning is very tricky in Skipton and Ripon, a constituency that’s been Conservative for over 20 years.
CH: Yeah, David Curry, the Conservative MP for Skipton and Ripon, has had the seat longer than I’ve been alive! I'm a real contrast, but that's a good thing. Instead of it being a case of the status quo – the same old people fighting about the same old issues – I’m a fresh face with fresh ideas. I think I can have a real go at it, because people complain that you can’t really tell the difference between the parties or the people running in an area; but I think with us you’re definitely going to be able to.
The Yorker: Is the documentary YearDot going well so far?
CH: Yes thanks, they were following me around for two days last week. It is quite intense on both sides. They need to get to know me, but obviously I’ve got my political side which comes out a lot more than my personal side, whenever there's a camera on me. So they need to break down that barrier, and we’re getting there. It’s a learning curve, but it should be really good.
The Yorker: I suppose it’s hard because as well as being in this documentary, you are still a Labour candidate and you’ve got to act like one.
CH: Completely. There are limits and that can be difficult. In a seminar, for example, I couldn’t just turn around and say something massively negative about the government and expect it not to go any further. This is a university with people with different political backgrounds, and there are people who would quite willingly repeat such comments to someone else, and then it might become an issue. In that way it limits every aspect of my student life. That’s why I’m lucky that I’ve got some friends who I can say things to, and know that it won’t go further than that.
The Yorker: Slightly ironic question, but do you get pestered much by the media?
CH: I’m doing OK at the minute; I had a lot of interest when I first got selected. It was a bit crazy, from student papers all the way up to the Daily Mirror. I’ve done live BBC interviews – I did a BBC radio interview two days ago – and I’ve been interviewed by The Independent as well. Initially my phone was continually ringing, to the stage where I would just leave it in the other room, get a takeaway and forget about it, or try to. It was very intense considering I didn’t expect to get selected.
The Yorker: Do you ever get anyone personally attacking you for being a Labour candidate or are people generally quite supportive?
CH: People are generally quite supportive. Of course, there is a lot of scepticism and negativity. A Google search will tell you that some of the articles written about me are negative. People will comment on my appearance or something, or call me a gimmick. But I’m not a gimmick; the Labour Party wouldn’t take that risk. Why would they? It’s a case of being a good candidate – that’s what matters the most. It shouldn’t be about your age, your appearance, your gender or whatever; it should just be about who is the best candidate at the time. There is negativity, but I’m quite a resilient person.
The Yorker: I suppose, being involved with politics, you have to learn to take everything on the chin.
CH: Definitely. I mean, even with the documentary going on it’s not all going to be one hundred percent positive response; I don’t expect it to be. It’s politics for goodness sake; I can only do so much.
Claire added that one of the hardest parts of being a young Parliamentary candidate was that the media seem more interested in her age than in her policies. Without a doubt, this will be one of her toughest challenges. However, after talking to her at length, one of the qualities that showed most was her determination. Claire clearly takes her role in the Labour Party very seriously, and surely before long the media will have to take her seriously too.
You must log in to submit a comment.
