Face facts MPs, the kids don't know you

By Ryan Dilley
BBC News Online

More young people can recognise Tony Blair than Robbie Williams, a survey suggests. Surprised? Armed with 10 photos of other notables, BBC News Online has put the Top of the Pops generation to the test.

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"Yeah, yeah, yeah! It's Margaret Thatcher!" says a voice from an excited throng of young girls waiting to go in to a TV studio to watch Top of the Pops being recorded.

THE TOTPs 10 Princess Anne Paul Boateng MP (Lab) Cathy Freeman

This is an impressive answer for a person who was presumably still in nappies when the Iron Lady was forced out of 10 Downing Street. It is also an utterly wrong answer, since she is looking at a picture of Princess Anne.

Despite putting their heads together, the group of girls fail to come up with a single name to put to the next few pictures of famous faces. That is until they are shown Lib Dem leader Charles Kennedy.

"Ken! Er, Ken... Ken... Ken Livingstone!"

The girls give up in disgust. But they needn't feel so bad, a new report by the Nestle Family Monitor suggests that most 11-18-year-olds have only the scantest knowledge about politicians.

"Among young people the primary image of the main political parties is negative. However, it is also clear that many young people do not know enough about politics to have developed an image of the main political parties," says the report - which is being presented at 11 Downing Street.

Of the 914 young people (from 33 schools across England and Wales), 91% successfully identified a photo of Tony Blair - 1% more than those putting the correct name to a picture of Robbie Williams.

THE TOTPS 10 Rowan Williams Geoff Hoon MP (Lab) Iain Duncan Smith MP (Con)

However, barely one in four could name Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith and Charles Kennedy lagged behind with a paltry 18% recognition rate.

At Top of the Pops, Mr Kennedy fares even worse - being mistaken for former Labour cabinet minister Robin Cook. They do, admittedly, both have red hair.

"Princess... something," says Chloe, wracking her teenage brains. "Anne! Princess Anne. She's the Queen's sister."

Chloe takes a stab at putting a name to Paul Boateng - chief secretary to the treasury - and she's sure she knows him. "He's a newsreader."

Her friend Emma accepts the challenge and immediately recognises Princess Anne as the Queen's daughter. She also spots Iain Duncan Smith.

"He's the church guy," she says, gazing at a photo of Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan William's hirsute features. Chloe thinks she can help. "Is he the gay one?"

In the Nestle report, singer Tom Jones did particularly well in the recognition test - with 77% of respondents naming the 1960s swinger correctly - even though he has little power to decide the nation's education policy or to put extra money in the pockets of teenagers' baggy jeans.

THE TOTPs 10 Charles Kennedy MP (Lib Dem) Tom Jones Simon Hughes MP (Lib Dem)

Kev and Sam appear fairly average teenage boys - with their facial piercings, slouched posture and outsized attire - do they know a picture of Tom Jones when they see one?

After a bit of mumbling, some staring at their trainers and a few furtive glances through their long fringes, Kev and Sam correctly name the man their grannies might well have thrown their knickers at.

Do they have even the slightest clue who any of the other nine faces they are being shown are? "No. Sorry."

The report, Young People's Attitudes towards Politics, says ignorance of politicians varies widely. Pupils at independent schools outperform those attending state schools. And teens from households where there is unemployment seem less knowledgeable than those who have two working parents.

"It has potentially profound political implications: not only will those who may most need the help of government be least well-equipped to seek it, but these disadvantages may be perpetuated from generation to generation."

Will they get this one Pete Tong?

The report suggests universal citizenship classes - introduced last September to the national curriculum - "may be the step needed to break this cycle".

But judging by the Nestle research, and BBC News Online's own Top of the Pops test, something's gone decidedly (as young people say) Pete Tong.

Speaking of which, can the Top of the Pops audience put a name to the dance music DJ's face?

"Oh, er..." begins Chloe.

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