Westminster sneers at Joey Essex because it is a closed shop of know-it-alls

Well, at least Joey Essex has given bored pundits something to talk about today. He pitched up at a press conference with Nick Clegg, and took a selfie with the Deputy Prime Minister, which will certainly add to Clegg’s collection of useful props he hopes might win him a few more votes.

The Guardian’s Jonathan Jones says this is an ‘image of the crisis in our political system’. Perhaps it does make Clegg appear rather desperate. But much of the tone has been sneering at a figure so apparently stupid as Essex wandering about in Westminster at all.

I should declare an interest as I’m one of the journalists who Essex has been talking to about his programme, which sees him trying to work out why he should vote and how Westminster works. Essex hasn’t voted before. I’d certainly never watched The Only Way Is Essex before, and I’ve never been to Marbella (where he apparently hangs out) either.