I joined the youth branch of the political party my views corresponded with the most earlier this year, the Liberal Democrats. Currently, there are elections going on in Liberal Youth to elect the new executive and the various committees. No doubt, when you get involved in politics, you expect to see some nastiness. But you don’t expect that nastiness to come from members of the same party. I’m starting to wonder if getting involved was the best idea after all.

As the youth branch of the Lib Dems, Liberal Youth’s membership database is significantly smaller than that of the main party (less and less young people getting interested in politics, etc). Liberal Youth only accounts for those aged up to 26 (and some people who really ought to be members aren’t tagged as being members, but that’s a story for another day). The small amount of members mean that cliques easily develop.
Like in real politics, certain members will always vote for the person they’re friends with, regardless of what they can offer to the party or what they’re actually promising to do – see Labour’s leadership elections. But I don’t see ‘proper’ politicians smearing other candidates about internal jobs (because that’s just unprofessional, and just gives ammunition to the other parties come election time). So why do we see it so much in youth politics?

Long before I joined Liberal Youth, there were some issues that led to most of the executive of the day resigning, and by-elections having to be held. I’m starting to see things heading the same way again, and the elections aren’t even over yet.
At present, my Facebook feed is filled with squabbling amongst the people running for various positions. People are threatening to leave the party if (insert member name here) gets elected instead of (insert another member name that they’re friends with here), and some are still arguing about what happened last time.

HERE’S A NEWSFLASH. Liberal Youth elections count for practically nothing in the real world. No one outside of the party cares who the current chair or vice chair of whatever is. But it reflects badly on the party if you can’t seem to act like a civilised human being during these elections. The Lib Dems are known for being the ‘third party’ in UK politics, coalitions aside. If none of you can grow up and act rationally, then you can’t expect anyone else to take us seriously.

I joined the Lib Dems because of their policies on equality and fairness. Not because I wanted to stand idly by whilst the person who had the most connections within the party got the top job. Nor did I join to watch slanging matches between people who really ought to know better.

Let people who are voting in the Liberal Youth elections make up their own minds about who to vote for, no matter how stupid – Lulu‘s voting based on the people with the coolest names, but that’s her prerogative. Endorsing another candidate is fine if you’re doing it personally, but please don’t use your existing role within the party as leverage for the candidate you support.

If the youth branches of political parties are meant to be the politicians of the future, then I’m extremely scared. Because, honestly? I wouldn’t vote for any of you based on the way you’re acting now. In ten years, you could be helping to run the country. And that’s a seriously worrying prospect when you can’t treat members of your own party with respect.

…Isn’t democracy grand?