Naïve Hopefulness
Kaitlin Dryburgh
It’s been a strange campaign and election, to say the least. But the dust has now settled and maybe there’s a bit more optimism lingering in the air. For how long that will last, only time will tell. Yet, for young people it may be one of the first times they’ve had cause for hope.
As a ‘young’ person (I’m not particularly young, just clinging on to my twenties), this is the first time in my voting life that I’ve experienced a change of UK government. The lead up to this election hasn’t been inspiring.
To cast a sweeping generalisation over the whole thing it seems that most know we needed a change and needed to ditch the Tories. Most have felt that the SNP have let them down, so by proxy we’re left with Labour. Perhaps more of a punishment for the other two rather than a vote of confidence for Labour.
Speaking to peers who were not politically active throughout the campaign there was a clear lack of motivation among them. Sighs, shrugs and shakes of the heads were the usual physical response to any of my probing. An overall sense of disillusionment. Of course the people I socialise with aren’t representative of the whole young population (I don’t have that kind of free time...). Yet I felt as if I was hitting on how a lot of people felt.
However, with the election all done and dusted, and the images of Ed Davey going down a slip n slide burned onto my brain, I’ve picked up on some optimism. With this being the first time many of the people my age have borne witness to a significant shift in Government, perhaps we’re getting swept up in the moment. Perhaps we’re naively buying into the ‘major change is on the way’ messaging. Or maybe Westminster has been such a vehicle of misery for so long that even a waft of positivity has us all hot under the collar.
For some who weren’t that engaged with the campaign, the result has maybe given them the hope that change is possible. Personally for me there’s the hope that for the SNP this pretty major blow might provide the push for them to get it together in time for the Scottish elections. I want them to succeed, but they’ve got to listen. Don’t pacify voters with cosmetic change, evolve and really change. A full factory reset is in order.
The perception for many is that things are in a bad state. How could they get any worse? I’m not naïve enough to seriously ask that question, but from people I’ve asked, any improvement would be appreciated and there’s a real hope that some things might change. This could also be seen as a lowering of standards, but perhaps they just want to be hopeful for once.
A topic that I regularly write about is prisons. At this point the whole system is just exasperating that literally anything would be better. I’d take more nutritious food as a major breakthrough. Or working heating, maybe even just equal access to healthcare. Perhaps prison officers not being forced to work with dislocated shoulders or lack of uniform. Honestly, I’m not even aiming for the big-ticket items like reform or decreasing prison officer assaults, or a much need re-structure of management.
This new Labour government could pick anything and improve it. I’ll remain optimistic but with a healthy dose of realism. Since there’s not even been a whisper of an over-haul to the system I think I’ll keep my expectations low.
However, with the announcement of the new Prisons Minister maybe, just maybe, there’s an opportunity to be hopeful. James Timpson, of Timpson the shoe fixing and key making business, is the new appointment. It can’t be ignored that a non-elected individual is in a position of great influence, and this is something that I can’t get behind.
However, there are signs that this could be a good appointment. First off, he’s the chair of Prison Reform. A charity working to reduce the use of prisons, improve conditions and promote human rights through-out the justice system. That’s quite a difference from his predecessors. Furthermore, Timpson’s business model actively looks to employ ex-prisoners, with nearly 10% of their workforce being so.
So there’ defiantly scope for this to produce some positive decisions. The last government averaged a new Minister in this position every year, so hopefully with some more stability more reform will be possible.
Perhaps something that could happen, something that if did happen would be a cause for celebration, is the abolishment of existing IPP sentences. Condemned by the European court of human rights and no longer dished out after 2012 these utterly heinous sentences are a continued stain on the justice system. Horrible examples of individuals committing small crimes such as stealing a mobile phone and doing multiple times their original minimum term. Living in fear to even use self-service tills as any accusation that they’ve done anything wrong could send them straight back to prison. The suicide rate is three times higher among the 3,000 prisoners still on this sentence.
Starmer had previously decided not to endorse the re-sentencing of all prisoners on this sentence. However, James Timpson has regularly supported the justice committee’s recommendation of re-sentencing, so feasibly there’s hope that it could change. Several prison advocacy groups have already come out to apply the pressure.
Prisons are a devolved matter, but Scotland isn’t exactly leading the race in a better prison system so if someone can push progress from Westminster so be it (would rather it was the other way round though). The recently released Independent Prison Monitoring Annual Report for Scotland solidifies that. The summary being,
“The concerns highlighted by Independent Prison Monitors (IPMs) during this reporting period were mostly linked to overcrowding in Scotland’s prisons, but also the failings of the prison transport provider GEOAmey, the delivery of healthcare, and prisoner progression, compounded by staff shortages. They also generated significant concerns on access to healthcare, in particular mental health, an impoverished daily regime and the cost-of-living crisis for prisoners with rises in the price of goods and no increase in prisoner wages”.
To be honest I’m not sure what is actually working well. So if James Timpson can lead the way in prison reform, let’s go. If Scotland’s Government won’t make the leap on their own maybe pressure will work.
Like many I’ve felt deflated from both the election campaign and the results. Perhaps it’s misplaced but I’m trying to find the hope in what we’re landed with. Trying to find the glimmer of hope in what seems rather bleak.