A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away (pre-Brexit that is), I was vaguely involved in British politics. One thing that always stood out for me was how people from both main parties would often complain that British politics was very drab. They always meant in comparison to the US variety – with its higher production values that mirrored television long before Donald Trump turned it into a grim reality show.
Among the reasons for our political glamour deficit are the limits on how much parties can spend on campaigns (£30,000 per constituency) and what they can spend it on (TV advertisements are banned). But people in Westminster should get over their dreams of reliving The West Wing, because it’s a small price to pay for ensuring money doesn’t play an even bigger role in our politics.
