Pop Idol politicians on the way

Britain is close to creating a reality-tv show to pick independent candidates running on manifestos and platforms written by the people, not established political parties.

First Pop Idol made an unlikely star of overweight singer Michelle McManus. Now the format faces its toughest challenge yet: creating the nation's first genuinely populist politician.

The producer behind the reality TV hit Big Brother is in talks with broadcasters about a political version of Pop Idol - a nationwide show designed to choose a brand-new candidate for election.

Whether Pop Idol judge Simon Cowell would be retained to hurl insults at the Westminster contenders remains unclear, but those behind the project insist it is a serious proposal.

'Broadcasters have not yet had the chutzpah to commission a formated popularity contest for politics, but we're now discussing it with them,' said Peter Bazalgette, chairman of production company Endemol, the maker of Big Brother. 'This may be the key to younger voters watching political programmes.'

Just as Pop Idol took the manufactured nature of chart music to its logical extreme, applying a similar idea to politicians - who increasingly operate by focus group, trying to work out what voters want, then giving it to them - makes sense, says YouGov pollster Stephan Shakespeare, writing today in The Observer.

'Government by focus group is something we all disdain as short-sighted and superficial - but what if the focus group were millions of people, actively deliberating together as we exercise our power?' he says.

'We know that the public loves the idea of voting for "independents", but the system makes it hard for independents to get themselves noticed. So it is almost a public duty for someone to create a platform to help independents get an equal chance.'