Regime Change at Big Brother's House.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008 at 2:53pm

I learned everything I know now about British politics in my year 10 and 11 History classes with Mr Jones. And I've forgotten about it steadily ever since. Labour were always romanticised in my at school as the party of the people (not these other stuffy toffs I'd seen in the media), responsible for trade unions and the NHS. So it made sense to me to vote for them when the time came in May 1997.

I listened to what both parties said (through the squabbling, it was difficult), and ended up choosing Labour, most people did, to be sure. The media played a massive part in getting us 'yoof' involved when all I really cared about was beer and football at the time. After all, I didn't identify with John Major or a government that had been unable to stop us going into recession and had sent our troops off to war in the middle-east. Voting was also one of those things you had to be an adult to do, which made me want to do it more; you couldn't lie about your age to the electoral register like you could the gentleman in the corner shop next to Goff's Park before skipping off with a two-litre bottle of Thunderbirds cider.Its easy to care about politics when you're young, though. How one person can change the course of history by voting and that your government will always make the right decision for its people. I don't feel that way anymore. I've been let down too many times by decisions that I don't think represent either my own opinion or the moral choice. But, you can't moan about the government unless you use your vote. They say. I still have the voter apathy, though. Things can only get better.

I met Tony Blair once on the campaign trail in Crawley's town square. I shook his hand and wished him luck. He signed a leaflet for me. I didn't read it of course, all I cared about was that the headers, text and between the lines said:"Lots of change, more dynamic government, no more John Major, BLAH BLAH" Plus I thought it would be worth something later. Eleven years later, the ex-chancellor is in office, and we're entering a global recession. Our troops are 'keeping peace' in the middle-east and confidence is pretty low. I'd wager that come next election, David Cameron will have the keys to number ten. It turned out that Tony Blair's legacy hadn't fared any better than Major's.

Change and lack of confidence seems to be the biggest reason to vote these days. All I really want is stability and prosperity - I couldn't care less who's in power.Barack Obama's election as the first black president marks a historic sea change for a country that only 50 years ago wouldn't allow black people to mix with white people in restaurants. For that reason alone we should all be very, very happy about what's just happened. He'll probably turn into the devil incarnate eventually - because, let's face it, things are pretty bad now, but they could still get worse.

For now at least, let's revel in how history was made last night. America are, like it or not, guardians of peace, elected or otherwise, so having anyone but Bush in the Whitehouse is a good thing. So, well done America, you've finally earned my vote. Let's hope its not a case of New Labour, New Danger.