How do you achieve anything in British politics? It’s simple: turn your cause into a TV drama. First, it was ITV’s Mr Bates vs the Post Office. Now, it is Netflix and Adolescence. The release of the crime drama mini-series has sparked a veritable hue-and-cry about the urgent ‘crisis’ facing young British males. Keir Starmer proudly told the House last week that he has been watching it with his children; now the Prime Minister is encouraging schools across the country to show it to their pupils too. Netflix bosses must be delighted with all this free advertising…
Given the litany of crises facing the country, Steerpike wondered if the streaming giant could now be compelled to turn its attention to other matters. Maybe a wistful paean to the joys of having a virgin steel industry? Or a blistering exposé on the iniquities of fortnightly bin collections? Thus far, Labour seems to favour centrist-dad Trumpism: performatively bold, social-media theatre.
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