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Tower Block of Commons: You ask the MPs.
Submit questions by Feb 23 2010
Interview published on Feb 23 2010
Introduction
The jury is still out on whether Channel 4's brilliant series enhanced the reputation of MPs or further proved how out of touch they can be with the problems some people face in every day life. Yoosk decided to push for a bit more evidence by gathering questions for three of the MPs - some came from C4 viewers, some from Yoosk users and some directly from residents of Newtown Birmingham, where part of Tower Block of Commons was filmed.The questions were put to Mark Oaten and Tim Loughton by the very impressive Natina James, the single mum and dance teacher who Tim stayed with in the first episode. Austin Mitchell gave his answers to Keith Halstead, co-founder of Yoosk. So what's the final verdict on the MPs? We'll leave you to decide for yourselves. Please vote and comment on whether you think they give good answers and share the videos with friends..
Tim Loughton
  1. Natina asked Tim Loughton: "Before you came to Newtown, what was your perspective on it? Had you ever heard of Newtown before?"
  2. Tim Loughton answer: "Click 'play' to view."
  4. Is this a good answer?    9    1
  5. 0 comment   |  Topic: Media   |   Email to friends
  7. roxanne asked Tim Loughton: "Hi Tim. What are you gonna do about the problems in this area now that you've been here? "
  8. Tim Loughton answer: "Click 'play' to view."
  10. Is this a good answer?    5    0
  11. 0 comment   |  Topic: Media   |   Email to friends
  13. serena asked Tim Loughton: "Hello Tim, I'm Serena. I've been living in Newtown for 27 years. I was watching the documentary and I think you did a really good job, obviously  coming into Newtown and living in Newtown. When are you..." Show more »"Hello Tim, I'm Serena. I've been living in Newtown for 27 years. I was watching the documentary and I think you did a really good job, obviously  coming into Newtown and living in Newtown. When are you gonna come back? If you do come back, you come and visit me alright? " Show less »
  14. Tim Loughton answer: "Click 'play' to view."
  16. Is this a good answer?    4    1
  17. 0 comment   |  Topic: Media   |   Email to friends
  19. dstagg asked Tim Loughton: "Tim, just a question I want to ask you. Why did you do the 'Tower Block of Commons'? Is it because you've got an election this year?"
  20. Tim Loughton answer: "Click 'play' to view."
  22. Is this a good answer?    8    0
  23. 0 comment   |  Topic: Media   |   Email to friends
  25. Amermtq asked Tim Loughton: "Hi Tim, my name's Ameer and I live around Newtown. I just want to ask you a question about your experience on the estate: did you run out your electricity or your gas and did you learn how to top it up?..." Show more »"Hi Tim, my name's Ameer and I live around Newtown. I just want to ask you a question about your experience on the estate: did you run out your electricity or your gas and did you learn how to top it up? If not, just ask me and I'll let you know. " Show less »
  26. Tim Loughton answer: "Click 'play' to view."
  28. Is this a good answer?    5    0
  29. 0 comment   |  Topic: Media   |   Email to friends
  31. Newtowner asked Tim Loughton: "Why di you come down Newtown? You never done nothing for the community. All you're doing is sitting on your MP butt making big money while we are out here without money here and no youth clubs no nothing...." Show more »"Why di you come down Newtown? You never done nothing for the community. All you're doing is sitting on your MP butt making big money while we are out here without money here and no youth clubs no nothing.
    How come you come round here bad-mouthing Newtown making it look worse than it is already? " Show less »
  32. Tim Loughton answer: "Click 'play' to view."
  34. Is this a good answer?    8    2
  35. 0 comment   |  Topic: Media   |   Email to friends
  37. pickard.r asked Tim Loughton: "when can i expect to feel ENGLISH once again? I feel like a second class citizen in my own country"
  38. Tim Loughton answer: "Click 'play' to view."
  40. Is this a good answer?    6    0
  41. 0 comment   |  Topic: Politics   |   Email to friends
  43. m.j.davis asked Tim Loughton: "The guy you stayed with who was smoking marijuana a lot- would you see any point in heavy users like that being given prison sentences now you have an insight into their lives?"
  44. Tim Loughton answer: "Click 'play' to view."
  46. Is this a good answer?    4    0
  47. 0 comment   |  Topic: Media   |   Email to friends
  49. m.j.davis asked Tim Loughton: "Do you have a different view of social workers now? Aren't some people so damaged they are beyond repair? "
  50. Tim Loughton answer: "Click 'play' to view."
  52. Is this a good answer?    4    0
  53. 0 comment   |  Topic: Media   |   Email to friends
  55. m.j.davis asked Tim Loughton: "Have you got any hope for the guys who confronted you outside the shop in the first episode? They seemed utterly beyond the reach of ordinary politicians."
  56. Tim Loughton answer: "Click 'play' to view."
  58. Is this a good answer?    5    0
  59. 0 comment   |  Topic: Politics   |   Email to friends
  61. railaway asked Tim Loughton: "How much do you think having the cameras there influenced the way this has gone? Did your hosts play up to the cameras? Did you play up to the cameras?"
  62. Tim Loughton answer: "Click 'play' to view."
  64. Is this a good answer?    4    0
  65. 0 comment   |  Topic: Media   |   Email to friends
  67. souljyah asked Tim Loughton: "Hello Tim, during the process of the program some people stated that they don't vote at all, Therefore i shall be raising questions pertaining to the topic of voting, please could you answer the following..." Show more »"Hello Tim, during the process of the program some people stated that they don't vote at all, Therefore i shall be raising questions pertaining to the topic of voting, please could you answer the following directly, honestly and truthfully with a yes or no answer? thank you. It is my understanding the House of Commons is the second highest court of this realm; do you agree? Also it is my understanding that in Law, silence is in fact consent, which is legally termed Acquiescence, meaning; the act or condition of acquiescing or giving tacit assent; agreement or consent by silence or without objection, do you agree? Furthermore if someone is registered on the electoral roll, but that someone decides against voting, is it then the case that, having stayed silent they have in fact consented to the present government, meaning the party in power receives that someone's vote by default? " Show less »
  68. Tim Loughton answer: "Click 'play' to view."
  70. Is this a good answer?    5    2
  71. 0 comment   |  Topic: Politics   |   Email to friends
Austin Mitchell
  1. Londontowner asked Austin Mitchell: "In episode 1, you referred to druggies when speaking to your host. It later turned out she herself was a recovering druggie. Do you regret using such a dismissive term about people who struggle to cope..." Show more »"In episode 1, you referred to druggies when speaking to your host. It later turned out she herself was a recovering druggie. Do you regret using such a dismissive term about people who struggle to cope with life and use drugs to help them?" Show less »
  2. Austin Mitchell answer: "Click 'play' to view."
  4. Is this a good answer?    3    0
  5. 0 comment   |  Topic: Media   |   Email to friends
  7. danney asked Austin Mitchell: "What has been the reaction of your constituents in Grimsby to this programme?"
  8. Austin Mitchell answer: "Click 'play' to view."
  10. Is this a good answer?    0    2
  11. 0 comment   |  Topic: Media   |   Email to friends
  13. Londontowner asked Austin Mitchell: "Austin, Why did many labour MPs turn down such a great opportunity to appear of tower block and connect with their core constituency? I actually admire you now I know that!"
  14. Austin Mitchell answer: "Click 'play' to view."
  16. Is this a good answer?    3    0
  17. 0 comment   |  Topic: Media   |   Email to friends
  19. BCFapps asked Austin Mitchell: "How do you feel when you see yourself (and your wife) in this show?"
  20. Austin Mitchell answer: "Click 'play' to view."
  22. Is this a good answer?    3    0
  23. 0 comment   |  Topic: Media   |   Email to friends
  25. m.j.davis asked Austin Mitchell: "You looked shocked twice in the first programme- once in the methadone dispensary and once when your wife made a confession. It made you look human, I thought. How many more times did conditions or people..." Show more »"You looked shocked twice in the first programme- once in the methadone dispensary and once when your wife made a confession. It made you look human, I thought. How many more times did conditions or people shock you during your time there?" Show less »
  26. Austin Mitchell answer: "Click 'play' to view."
  28. Is this a good answer?    6    2
  29. 0 comment   |  Topic: Media   |   Email to friends
  31. telforth asked Austin Mitchell: "You mentioned in the last episode that you think the public don't believe that any MP actually delivers. Do you believe that they deliver? Do you deliver?"
  32. Austin Mitchell answer: "Click 'play' to view."
  34. Is this a good answer?    7    2
  35. 0 comment   |  Topic: Media   |   Email to friends
Mark Oaten
  1. Natina asked Mark Oaten: "You know when vyou found out you were going to Dagenham, what was your first thought, what did you think you were actually going to experience? I know that basically you knew that you were going to live..." Show more »"You know when vyou found out you were going to Dagenham, what was your first thought, what did you think you were actually going to experience? I know that basically you knew that you were going to live on an estate but what did you think actually was gonna happen? How did you think you were going to survive for the week?" Show less »
  2. Mark Oaten answer: "Click 'play' to view."
  4. Is this a good answer?    5    2
  5. 0 comment   |  Topic: Media   |   Email to friends
  7. Rachel asked Mark Oaten: "Has this experience changed your political ideas/priorities?"
  8. Mark Oaten answer: "Click 'play' to view."
  10. Is this a good answer?    8    2
  11. 0 comment   |  Topic: Media   |   Email to friends
  13. dianelvin asked Mark Oaten: "Dear Mark The LibDems have said many times that they will show fairness to pensioners.  Of the one million British state pensioners who are living abroad in retirement, 500,000 have their pensions indexed..." Show more »"Dear Mark
    The LibDems have said many times that they will show fairness to pensioners.  Of the one million British state pensioners who are living abroad in retirement, 500,000 have their pensions indexed as promised, BUT the other 500,000 have their pensions frozen.  Will the LibDems press parliament to make sure that ALL British state pensioners receive the indexed pension they paid for when they and their employers contributed regular payments to the National Insurance Fund?  Surely where they live in retirement is totally irrelevant!" Show less »
  14. Mark Oaten answer: "Click 'play' to view."
  16. Is this a good answer?    4    1
  17. 0 comment   |  Topic: Other   |   Email to friends
  19. J Lindsay asked Mark Oaten: "Perhaps naively, I have recently joined the Liberal Democrats, believing that in a highly schizophrenic political culture that the Lib Dem's are a voice of reason. However, what can you offer to assure..." Show more »"Perhaps naively, I have recently joined the Liberal Democrats, believing that in a highly schizophrenic political culture that the Lib Dem's are a voice of reason. However, what can you offer to assure the vast majority of eloquent, politically interested-if-not-active working class people like me that you will actually make the effort to ensure that your MP's are notof the usual middle-class - university - parents pay for unpaid internship - PR company - media guru - MP - media guru? Like most working class people I do not want my MP's to be celebrities. Like most working class people I find the fact that it takes a CH 4 documentary for MP's to even begin to understand life in tower blocks as highly worrying, and highly irregular considering the representative nature of an MP's role. While Mark Oaten is clearly coming across 'better' than the others in this series, I wonder why these MPs have not tried to even attempt to understand the culture they are daily supposed to scrutinise legisaltion towards before Ch 4 approached them. Perhaps I am just idealistic - but I understood that an Mp's job was to scrutinise legislation. That requires knowledge and understanding - neither of which are entirely reflected by the MP's in their short week in a tower block..." Show less »
  20. Mark Oaten answer: "Click 'play' to view."
  22. Is this a good answer?    5    0
  23. 0 comment   |  Topic: Politics   |   Email to friends
  25. joyce.webber asked Mark Oaten: "in stead of pulling down the blocks of flat why dont thay  put people in them who are not from england that would save puting them in prison and give the people who live and work here the new houses thay..." Show more »"in stead of pulling down the blocks of flat why dont thay  put people in them who are not from england that would save puting them in prison and give the people who live and work here the new houses thay thay are buildin there many people comin over and i now thay get houses keep the flats and put them in there." Show less »
  26. Mark Oaten answer: "Click 'play' to view."
  28. Is this a good answer?    6    2
  29. 0 comment   |  Topic: Media   |   Email to friends
  31. Londontowner asked Mark Oaten: "Did you feel in danger physically at any time and if so, how do you feel about some of the more violent tenants?"
  32. Mark Oaten answer: "Click 'play' to view."
  34. Is this a good answer?    4    0
  35. 0 comment   |  Topic: Politics   |   Email to friends
  37. railaway asked Mark Oaten: "Having seen all the episodes, do you think the MPs have come out of this well? Who do you think has come over in the most positive light?"
  38. Mark Oaten answer: "Click 'play' to view."
  40. Is this a good answer?    4    0
  41. 0 comment   |  Topic: Media   |   Email to friends

Unanswered questions (click arrow right to display)
  1. Mel1984 is asking Mark Oaten: "Good on you for doing this. Whose idea was it to make this series? C4 or the MPs? I'm guessing it was C4, which is a shame isn't it?"
  2. 9
  3. 0 comment   |  Topic: Media   |   Report   |   Feb 14 2010 3:57:33 AM   |

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