What is Poli ‘tricks’?

Poli ‘tricks’ is a blog dedicated to making politics accessible to the masses. Poli ‘tricks’ is the term my dad uses to describe how tricky it is to understand and engage in UK Politics. He often uses the term when discussing current affairs during BBC Breakfast in the mornings or even watching ITV news in the evenings. I have often asked him why he uses the term, his response is that the

“politicians can never give a simple or straight answer to any question. They’re always skirting round the issues in the hope that the public are naive enough to believe whatever they say or give up asking. They don’t make things simple and easy for people to understand so that they can continue being crooks, making policies and laws that directly benefit them instead of the people they have been elected to represent.”

I unfortunately would have to agree with my father that the UK Political system is not simple and that many social policies being considered and implemented benefit the middle and upper classes which also accounts for the majority of MPs. All too often, politics is marketed directly to the middle and upper classes as if it is their god given right to make decisions for the entire population of the United Kingdom. This ultimately results in economic and social policies that marginalise the working-class and lead to significant structural social class inequalities. In order to change this, politics needs to be marketed not only towards those that already have political capital but to those who it affects most: the socially disadvantaged.

Who am I?

My name is Chanay Ismael, and I am a 22-year-old 3^rd year Sociology Student at a local University. My interests are social policy and social inequalities with an enthesis on Social Class, Gender and Ethnicity. I am passionate about political engagement because my parents instilled in me the importance of being an active citizen. They were both active within our community during my younger years with my dad being a trustee for our local community centre and my mum co-running a Summer playscheme called: ‘Vibrant: Bringing Children’s ideas to life’. It was started by a group of mothers that found it hard to entertain their kids over the 6-week summer breaks. It was largely funded by Children in Need and local council grants. The lengths my mum went to ensure all children had the same opportunities during the holidays regardless of their socio-economic status taught me that even the smallest things can transform a person’s life forever.

 

The Mission…..

It’s never too late to become informed about the political system we have adopted in the UK or to make a difference. However, I believe the best time to learn about politics: what it is, how we can participate and what it means to be an active citizen is through the national curriculum.