David Cameron wants us to understand the “hoodie”.
Conservative leader David Cameron is expected to call for greater understanding of teenage “hoodies” in a forthcoming speech on social justice.
Mr Cameron will say teenagers who hide under hooded tops are trying to “blend in” rather than appear threatening.
In a speech on Monday he will describe them as “a response to a problem, not a problem itself”.
Why is it that politicians do this? Make complete arses of themselves? Is it a special talent, I wonder?
I am older than Cameron, yet I recall my teenage years with enough clarity to realise that teenagers adopt their own uniforms to identify with their preferred group. It has always been thus. We don’t need the wisdom of David Cameron to realise this. During my teenage years, there were the vaguely hippie types with their loon pants, skinny tee shirts and long hair. The other faction tended to wear crombie coats, two-tone stayprest trousers and Doc Martin boots and crew cuts. No prizes for guessing which camp I fell into.
No one was wittering on about antisocial behaviour even though there was antisocial behaviour. Kids experimented with alcohol, tobacco and stronger substances while others didn’t. Some got into fights and trouble with the police; others didn’t. Nothing has changed. This generation differs only from previous ones in its fashion choice. David Cameron is simply pointing out the blindingly obvious. At least, it’s blindingly obvious to anyone with a grain of sense, which seems to rule out politicians. The hoodie is an item of clothing, nothing more, nothing less.
This morning we had the thoroughly execrable Tony McNulty wading into the debate; pontificating on the BBC Breakfast programme about this speech of Cameron’s. He accused Cameron of chasing headlines. Well bugger me sideways with a feather duster, ain’t that the biscuit?