PROGRAMME 1

Programme aims

To encourage young people to:

• recognise the connection between political disengagement and issues in everyday life;
• recognise a variety of different rights;
• become more aware of the institutions that exist to serve the interests of citizens;
• understand that you cannot always rely on other people to protect your rights on your behalf – one day you might be the minority;
• value their rights and recognise their responsibility for upholding them – for themselves and for others;
• recognise the importance of voting as one such responsibility.

Programme outline

A new era is dawning in British politics and following a record low turnout of 30% of the electorate, a new party, the Democratic Consensus Party, has taken hold of the reigns of power.

Meanwhile, 17-year-old Max (Ashley Walters) has just bought a new pair of trainers, and is oblivious to the political hype on every stereo, TV and billboard around him. He and his tearaway best friend Tariq are more concerned with getting into a local drum and bass gig than they are with the impending assault on their civil liberties.

When Tariq steals a laptop belonging to the PM's advisor however, the pair soon begin to feel the effects of the new government's 'action, not words' policies. Against the backdrop of a newly-introduced 9pm curfew for under-18s and a massive expansion of the police force, Max sets out to try and save his friend from the sinister 'suits' that are intent on hunting them down and retrieving the laptop – at any cost.