Celebrity Or MP? How Celebrities Are Influencing British Policymaking
In modern politics MPs aren’t the only people that citizens can use to influence and have their say on policy, since Jamie Oliver changed policy on the sugar tax in 2006, and now again with the influence of footballer Marcus Rashford on free school meals, celebrities are using their platforms to influence UK policy making. The disconnect from Westminster seems to be ever-growing and ever present with little change, this was highlighted by Rashford as he campaigned for free school meals in the summer of 2020 as many felt the government were completed unaware of the struggles many faced during the pandemic especially when trying to feed their children, this disconnect seems to only be remedied with celebrity influence.
Media and Politics
Media and politics have been growing ever closer for many years, especially since the boom of social media, people now feel they are more tuned in to key debates and topics than ever before, so how does this have an influence on policymaking? As it has become more popular for media to have an impact the government turn to pop culture to see how they need to act, for example the Post office scandal that had substantial change happen due to an ITV Dramatized version. Celebrities and now influencers have the ability to generate different types of connections with citizens than MPs can, the access to their public lives generates a Para-social relationship that are otherwise hard to do. (Mishra and Mishra, 2014 p410) Starting with Jamie Oliver most famously he showed how he could use a platform to change perspectives and bring up a key issue many people felt was important, the influence of Oliver’s success in redirecting parliamentary legislation led to others having similar success. With Rashford and FSM. We can see that many citizens felt he better represented them than the current government do. His influence on the FSM policy being extended came with huge backing on social media and from various groups like Fareshare and The Food Group accumulated into the government acting and showed the influence of celebrity on current policy making.
Pressure To Make Change?
The changing dynamic of what was a celebrity was to what they are now also changes the way in which parasocial relationships work.(Mishra and Mishra, 2014 p410) The pressure on influencers to be socially aware of all political issues is growing. While this is always a good thing it can mean citizens feel they must act politically too, mirroring their influencer idols. In some cases this might be positive as this leads these celebrities to become vessels for citizens to express their beliefs, also how celebrities now, more often than governments, represent the most popular views of the time. Another key current example is how Love Island contestant, and former civil servant, Zara McDermott took Refuge‘s Naked threat campaign to parliament in an attempt to make the threat of sharing of intimate sexual images or films a crime. Although not necessarily pressured, from her past experiences as a civil servant she understood how becoming a celebrity gives you the ability to share campaigns and issues people may not have previously wanted to listen to and as a victim of blackmail whilst on love island its an issue she certainly understands the repercussions of.
Conclusions
Celebrities and Influencers are having an impact on policymaking there doesn’t seem to be any way around that but how the government choose to interact with them in the future could be very beneficial to their key policy ideas. “Celebrity attention can affect which issues reach the public agenda” (Nownes, 2019 p118) and in some cases it already is. The government is beginning to establish these key relationships with public figures of professional backgrounds already such as Dr Alex, another love island contestant. He was appointed ‘Youth Mental Health Ambassador’ in an attempt to engage with a younger audience and what they see as a key issue right now. Policymaking is becoming more diverse in its creation and amendment and celebrity is most certainly a key aspect, how governments moving forward will choose to utilise it or ignore it will depend on its future success.
Reference list
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Chowcat, A. (2020). Refuge and Love Island star Zara McDermott take ‘The Naked Threat’ campaign to the gates of Parliament. [online] Refuge. Available at: https://refuge.org.uk/news/the-naked-threat-zara-mcdermott-parliament/ [Accessed 13 Feb. 2024].
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This author has extensively researched examples of celebrities and their influence on legislation and provided a plethora of relevant cases. The author provides an interesting analysis about how celebrities are more relevant now than ever before and argues that the 2006 sugar tax, supported by Jamie Oliver was one of the first examples of a celebrity using their platform to influence the government. The author highlights the use of celebrities and influencers by the government as a potential future strategy in order to gain the support of younger voters and opens up questions about the future relationship between legislators and the general public, specifically how they interact with one another. Very interesting article!!
This article covers a very interesting topic that has only been growing over the last 15 years or so, the influence of celebrities on policy making. Providing great examples of Marcus Rashford and Jamie Oliver, who both successfully changed policy through support they were able to gain through their personal media attention. It is particularly interesting to see the shift away from MPs to what certain ‘influencers’ think of certain political issues and how the media uses non-traditional platforms to impact the government. The rise of people wanting to connect to politics through celebrities rather than their local MP simply shows how out of touch, the UK government, is becoming with the public. Perhaps the blog could of discussed the implications surrounding the impact celebrities can have on policy making. For example, how in recent years the standard of ‘celebrity’ has significantly changed and is that dangerous due to the impact these people can have on policy making.
This blog post is a clear, engaging piece on a nuanced issue. The author has structured the piece in an engaging format, with different sections split by subheadings. The examples of celebrities making political change are informative and interesting as their influence on policymaking. In terms of the content, I agree that this recent phenomenon of celebrities impacting policies is occurring, with Marcus Rashford being a prime example. An interesting aspect the author could’ve looked further into is the repercussions of celebrities involving themselves in policymaking, and whether they should have a role in policymaking. However, the piece as a whole is extremely informative and thought-provoking, complemented with relevant images, creating a cohesive overall piece.
The focus of this article, being how celebrities have a lot of influence over British policymaking, has even more examples than those within the article, showing just how true this statement is. Another example of this phenomenon is when a campaign uses a huge number of celebrities as a primary campaigning tool to achieve their goals, such as with the Humane Society’s #FurFreeBritain campaign, which saw UK celebrities such as Judi Dench, Gary Lineker and Ricky Gervais, among others, call for a ban on UK fur sales (Humane Society International, 2021). This has managed to attract attention and support from politicians who otherwise may not have prioritised this issue. This point further supports the idea presented in this article that celebrities have an increasingly important role in British policy making.
This blog follows a clear structure and presents its arguments in an easy to follow manner. It is a very well-informed post and engages with several empirical examples to display how celebrities are able to use their status and influence to raise awareness of salient issues and in turn influence policy in Parliament, such as Jamie Oliver’s sugar tax or Marcus Rashford’s free school meals campaign.
A particularly interesting point addressed by this blog is how parasocial relationships between the general public and celebrities have strengthened significantly in recent years, and the impact that this ultimately has on policy making because the celebrities increased status further pressurises the Government to consider their campaign.
This blog is certainly very topical as celebrities influencing British politics has become a frequent occurrence. Most recently, Dame Esther Rantzen, a well-known English journalist and TV presenter has played a central role in advocating for changes to the law on assisted dying. Rantzen has campaigned extensively on the issue and supported the launch of a petition demanding a parliamentary vote, which amassed over 200,000 signatures and led to a debate being held on the issue in Parliament in April 2024 (BBC,2024).
Although there was no binding vote held on the issue, examples like these convey how celebrities are able to take advantage of their status and increase the salience of the issues most paramount to them.
BBC (2024). Esther Rantzen begs MPs to attend assisted dying debate. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-68919386 [Accessed 08 May 2024].
: I appreciate that the author of the blog post identified and noted of the significance that exists between the relationship of media and politics in recent years, especially in the British political field. This blog post continues with the author recognising the impact that celebrities and influencers both have in online media platforms to shape politics. Using the example of Jamie Oliver, the author has effectively highlighted how he was able to successfully influence the government in introducing legislation to include a sugar tax in 2006. Furthermore, I thought that it was extremely helpful for the author of the blog post to include a more recent example, that being Marcus Rashford and his initiative to extend Free School Meals in England. I thought that this was both an informative and interesting section by the author. Especially with the information that Marcus Rashford’s activism on free school meals helped bring awareness to other groups whose main focus is ensuring that no child goes hungry in the UK. Further along, I thought that it was interesting the author included why the activism of celebrities and influencers has increased on social media throughout the years. In turn, the idea that citizens may become more politically woke and might be more accepting of activism as a result of influencers on social media platforms bringing awareness to political issues which might have gone otherwise unnoticed.
The author starts off the blog post well, immediately commenting on the changing political dynamic and political participation in the contemporary world. The article is clearly structured, with headings for each sections making it easier to read. They use great examples of celebrities who have used their position for greater good and have successfully implemented policies using support from media attention. I think that the post is very informative and shows the positive effects that celebrities can have regarding their influence on policymaking and changing. To improve this blog post, the author could have looked into the potential negative impacts of celebrities have on policymaking and examine whether or not they should have a role in policymaking. The use of hyperlinks is helpful to gain more context and further background. Overall, this post was well structured and very informative.
This post raises thought-provoking points about the evolving role of celebrities and influencers in British policymaking. Indeed, the intersection of media, celebrity, and politics has become increasingly prominent in shaping public discourse and influencing policy decisions. Some additional things that are important to consider are the potential limitations and ethical implications of relying solely on celebrity influence in policymaking processes. One aspect that warrants consideration is the need for diversity and inclusivity in policymaking. While celebrities and influencers can effectively raise awareness about pressing social issues, they may not always represent the full spectrum of voices and experiences within society, and even while celebrity voices can certainly bring attention to important issues and amplify marginalised voices, there is a risk of issues being sensationalised or oversimplified for the sake of media attention. Inclusive policymaking requires engaging with a diverse range of stakeholders, including marginalised communities, grassroots organisations, and experts from various fields. By prioritising inclusivity, policymakers can ensure that policy decisions reflect the needs and perspectives of all citizens, rather than being driven solely by celebrity endorsement or public popularity.
This blogpost raises thought-provoking points about the evolving role of celebrities and influencers in influencing policymaking. The blogpost effectively highlights how figures like Jamie Oliver and Marcus Rashford have used their platforms to drive significant changes in policy, showcasing the power of celebrity influence in shaping public discourse and government action. One aspect that could be further explored is the potential impact of celebrity involvement on the democratic process. While celebrities and influencers can undoubtedly raise awareness of important issues and mobilise public support, there are questions about the extent to which their influence should shape policy decisions. Moreover, the post could delve into the potential risks of relying too heavily on celebrity influence in policymaking. While celebrities may bring attention to important issues, they may lack the expertise or nuanced understanding necessary to inform effective policy solutions. Furthermore, the post could explore the role of social media platforms in amplifying celebrity influence and shaping public opinion. With the rise of social media, celebrities and influencers have unprecedented reach and influence, allowing them to connect directly with millions of followers and drive conversations on important issues The blogpost does draw attention to the fact that policymakers must carefully consider the role of celebrity influence in shaping policy agendas and ensure that decisions are made in the best interests of all citizens, not just those with the loudest voices or largest followings.