Make Me Prime Minister: Jackie Weaver and Goldie's son among candidates in political reality series

Make Me Prime Minister will also see Express & Star and Shropshire Star writer Mark Andrews question the would-be political leaders as they attempt to promote their energy policies in Shrewsbury.

The first episode will be screened tonight on Channel 4 at 9.15pm.

Billed as The Apprentice for would-be politicians, the series will see former Labour Party spin doctor Alistair Campbell and ex Tory Party chairman Sayeda Warsi follow 12 candidates as they are set a variety of tasks in which they pitch their policies.

The candidates - who have views from across the political spectrum - will have to persuade and convince former politicians, experienced journalists and the public that they have the charisma, vision, and political acumen to lead.

During the series the dozen would-be Prime Ministers will be whittled down to one winner, who will be crowned Channel 4’s Alternative Prime Minister.

Make Me Prime Minister candidates

Adam

61-year-old Adam is a marketing consultant from Suffolk. A stepfather to four children, he studied history at Bristol University and describes himself as compassionate, realistic, patriotic and honest. He was business director for marketing giants Saatchi & Saatchi when they won the Labour account in 2007.

He says his political leanings are 'progressive, left of centre. Any vote to keep the Tories out'. Adam also says that Brexit drove him ‘f**king mad’ and feels it’s about the time the government levelled with the population of the country.

"One of the curses of modern politics is the machine politician – in the university politics club, hired as a researcher by central office at 21, parachuted into a safe seat by 30 and by 35, are running a multibillion pound department of state" he said.

"These people are not fit to tell the country what to do, because they exist in an entirely hermetically-sealed bubble of political consideration and not human experience.”

His big idea is to create more social mobility by depoliticising education. If he had £1 billion to spend, he would invest it in HMRC to stop tax evasion and reinvest the money into the country, and says he'd make a great leader because he has a lot of good ideas which aren’t ‘necessarily going to be popular but they’ll almost certainly be right'.

Alice

Alice is a 20-year-old from London who is a first-year Classics student at Oxford. Growing up in an agnostic family, she converted to Catholicism when she was 18 years old and baptised soon afterwards.

She is a staunch Brexiteer but feels that ‘politicians right now are a bit of a pantomime'.

“When I came out as pro-Brexit, in London especially, a lot of my peers were quite astonished, and assumed I was uneducated and didn’t know enough", she said.

"Coming from a mixed-heritage background, people couldn’t understand that I’d be in favour of Brexit, because the narrative around it painted it as some kind of updated jingoistic nationalism… Ultimately, I think I am slightly odd for my generation.”

When it comes to politics she is 'socially very conservative but feels the current Conservative Party often prioritises profit and big business over the people'.

Alice's political hero is Margaret Thatcher, who she met when she was very young. She describes herself as a ‘patriot’ who genuinely cares about the interests of the nation and would like Britain to be more self-sufficient. She also wants to see a revival of British industry and agriculture.

Her big idea is to abolish all green taxes and levies and promote ‘Trees Not Taxes’ to create more green spaces in cities. Alice advocates for an end to the Caron net-zero agenda to reduce the skyrocketing prices of fuel and energy bills to help the poorest and most vulnerable British households.

Caroline

Coming from Buckinghamshire, 55-year-old Caroline is a mum of three a former science teacher and Extinction Rebellion member.

She was introduced to her first protest in 2019 by her eldest daughter and has been arrested four times. During the last 13 years she has made ‘a deal with herself’ to do her part in controlling climate change and finds it frustrating when people say it’s not as bad as we think.

A former teacher Caroline is very passionate about education. She feels the curriculum should be more creative, SATs should be scrapped and the country should follow in the footsteps of Scandinavia. Increasingly disillusioned with the type of politics we have, Caroline believes the government are ‘self-serving’ and do not act ‘in in the interest of the people.’

She said: “I’d been labouring under the misapprehension that the government was there to take care of us. I now realise this is a fallacy… they are there to pander to the vested interests, to line their own pockets, and feather their own nests, and are probably at the behest of multinational corporations and lobbyists…”

Now a hairdresser, Caroline says she doesn't identify with any party but if she had to lean towards any it would be the Greens.

Her big Idea is to put ‘Planet Before Profit’ as she believes the government aren’t paying attention to the environmental issues. Caroline would cut funding to all future non-green projects starting with scrapping HS2 and use Citizens Assemblies to investigate, discuss and make recommendations on government policies.

Conall

Hailing from Belfast, 24-year-old Conall is a paralegal and a self-described ‘Ralph Lauren connoisseur’.

Conall is also a frequent TikTokker and, as a man from the other side of the Irish Sea, believes the current UK government is a ‘shambles’. He's also fed up with people asking, ‘are you Labour or Tory?’ without mentioning any other parties, and doesn't identify with any particular party in England, saying he would 'just weigh up the policies' as he sees them.

He isn’t convinced climate change it’s as bad as people make out and believes the current issues in society stem back to education. He also feels the UK is severely behind other countries when it comes to supervised drug consumption rooms and believes it’s massively impacting the NHS. He would like the UK to look at preventing drug use, and promoting safe drug use, because in his opinion, criminalisation hasn’t worked.

“I can probably be too considerate and forgiving" he said. "I don't like Boris Johnson by any means, but I believe people in power have got there for a reason. There must be something about them.”

His big idea is to open rehabilitation centres across the UK which would offer a safe space for people living on the streets who struggle with addiction.

Danny

Venue operator Danny is 37 and from London and the son of Goldie. He is openly pansexual who only got into politics after the pandemic hit, making a name for himself on Instagram with his candid and often personal videos.

He describes himself as a legend, joker and sensible', he uses his platform to bring the outsider’s viewpoint to politics. Danny believes the political infrastructure in the UK is wrong, with only 35 per cent of the country being truly represented and feels strongly about both government spending and the education system, saying he wants to get rid of private schools.

He’d also like to see students taught both the good and bad when it comes to the UK and is a great believer in that a happier and healthier public makes a happier and healthier economy.

“Things like Pride month and Black History month shouldn’t need to exist. If there wasn’t so much hate, they wouldn’t need to exist. But do I think people would be ready for a black, pansexual Prime Minister? I think normal people would be," he said.

Danny's political says he calls out the Conservatives, Labour and Liberal Democrats, but mostly the Tories as they are in power.

His big ideas is to return power to the people by making everyday people the government’s boss. He would like all big government spending to first be put through a public assembly who decide whether or not it’s a good use of the public purse.

Darius

Darius is a 23-year-old entrepreneur and charity fundraiser from London. When he was six months old his family fled the Taliban regime in Afghanistan and were smuggled into the UK in the back of a refrigerated lorry. He later graduated from Kings College with a degree in politics and philosophy.

He would like to be the first British-Afghan refugee leader and is passionate about business, International Trade and attracting investment from overseas. Given the opportunity, he would like to tackle crime in society, calling it a huge challenge facing different communities across the country.

Darius has supported the Conservatives since he was 18 and believes the Conservative Party embodies people with strong business acumen, innovation and creativity. He stood for the party in the last council elections in Hounslow.

“When I was 18, I sent an email to a lot of Conservative and Labour MPs, saying I wanted to become Mayor of London," he said. "I heard back from a lot of Conservative MPs, who invited me to parliament. I met Colonel Bob Stewart, I met Michael Fallon, and William Hague. All the Labour MPs said was ‘you’re too young to get involved in politics'. It wasn’t very encouraging.”

His big idea is to provide more government funding to help young people set up their own businesses.

Holly

An ex-footballer and now sports agent, 29-year-old Holly comes from Leicester. She describes herself as passionate, enthusiastic and a go-getter.

She is also a qualified solicitor and ex-captain and former first team coach for Leicester City WFC, and sits on the advisory board for the 'Kick It Out' campaign. Holly has publicly spoken about tackling racism in sport.

She said: “I can understand my audience, and what they require from me. And I think I’m led by my morals and values as well. That’s not always the case in politics, but I think people are looking for someone who they can trust, who is honest and open. I think we’ve lost that layer of trust. Seeing people lying and just accepting it has become normalised, unfortunately.”

Politically she identifies with Labour but hasn't been completely happy with the party lately and where it's going - although she would still vote for them.

Becoming an MP has always been in the back of her mind. She believes her experience as a football captain would help as she would think about how to captivate those around her and even if people don't like her answers, they'll respect her for being straight.

Holly is also passionate about health and would like to tackle child obesity in the UK, putting measures in place to support both children and parents.

Her big ideas is to dismantle institutional racism in the UK – ‘Diversity over Division.’ She feels Britain is at its best when unified and would implement her policy through Employment, Education, Reconciliation and Health.

Jackie

The unlikely internet sensation and mother to three sons, Jackie shot to virtual fame after angrily being told ‘you have no authority here!’ during that heated Zoom meeting of Handforth Parish Council in December 2020.

Born in Motherwell to a ‘very poor’ Scottish family, she lives in Shropshire with her retired mechanical engineer husband who she met on a blind date. She is now Chief Officer of the Cheshire Association of Local Councils.

The 63-year-old said she has always voted Tory without much thought until the last by-election when neither the Labour or Conservative candidates had an affinity to her area, unlike the Liberal Democrat. So, she voted Lib Dem for the first time.

If Jackie were leader, she 'would make decisions that people don't like,' believes that she should 'take a less emotional look at the NHS and see it for what it is, a business!' and would like to focus funding away from central government and towards local government so that 'changes you care about can be made.'

She said: “National politics should not involve the rough and tumble that it currently does. There is absolutely no reason for us to have, for example, the House of Commons set up in a way that has been designed by Big Brother to be as adversarial as it possibly could be, and to say that that is a demonstration of how we expect people to behave in a council chamber.”

Her big idea is to boost local government. She would like to focus funding away from central government and towards local government so that changes you care about can happen.

Kelly

25-year-old Kelly is an equality & diversity inclusion manager from Edinburgh who is a former Miss Universe Great Britain 2020 finalist.

She is passionate about disability rights, inclusion and equality having been late diagnosed with autism and ADHD last year. She has been campaigning for the SNP since the age of 16, became an elected member of the Scottish Youth Parliament at 17 and in 2018, was selected to be Nicola Sturgeon’s official support at the end of year celebration for Scotland’s Year of Young People.

She is also a Unite 2030 policy intern-turned-lead and is returning to the UN this year for their Sustainable Development Camp and General Assembly. She has frequently taken part in protests, once shielding a polling station from Spanish police during the Catalonian independence referendum. She feels ‘the right to protest is necessary for democracy.’

“I think we need to take a more proactive approach to wellbeing. One of the things I’ve noticed about Britain is that being miserable just has us all in a choke-hold. Nobody does anything about it. We don’t have to live like this. We could choose something better," she said. "So I’d definitely go down a wellbeing route, but I would like it to be based on neurodivergent inclusion – it’s a massive problem.”

Politically she is 'very much to the left'.

Her big ideas is housing security for everyone and abolishing homelessness with Housing First. Kelly would like to implement a 20-minute neighbourhood where everyone has a community within 20 minutes of their home.

Natalie

Natalie is 36 and from Manchester. A medical communications director, she has has Type 1 diabetes and recently launched a clothing range in 2017 for people who wear insulin pumps or take daily injections.

She believes the national curriculum is outdated and needs refreshing to suit each child rather than a blanket approach. Hugely passionate about more support for the ‘overwhelmed’ NHS, she thinks schools should help by offering further mental health and wellbeing support to pupils.

Natalie said: “We must never forget that it’s the public who pay politicians’ wages. If I were to buy a top from a shop, and I took it home and found that it was too small or exposed my chest or whatever, I would take it back for a refund, because it would not be fit for purpose. The British taxpayer spends a huge chunk of their monthly income paying for politicians, and I would argue that the service they’re providing is not fit for purpose.”

If she were leader, Natalie would love to put ‘a cap on capitalism’ as it would ‘solve not just economic problems, but problems of corruption, problems of careerists’ adding ‘I would want to see my cabinet act with their heart and not their pocket.’

Her political leanings are 'independent but left leaning'.

If she were leader, Natalie would love to put ‘a cap on capitalism’ as it would ‘solve not just economic problems, but problems of corruption, problems of careerists’ adding ‘I would want to see my cabinet act with their heart and not their pocket.’

Her big ideas is to impose legislation to prevent multinational corporations from using debt shifting practises to avoid paying taxes. With the money raised, she would propose spending this on improving community infrastructure and facilities.

Rico

A diversity consultant from London, Rico is a Trans Man who is extremely passionate about campaigning for Black and LGBTQ+ rights. He has previously spoken in both Parliament and at the Mayor of London’s office, featured in the NYC Journal’s 50 Under 50 Class of 2022 and is also part of the United Nation’s Unite 2030 Youth Delegate programme.

The 30-year-old believes the UK is incredibly behind others when it comes to the inclusivity and needs of the non-binary population and, whilst improving access to the Gender Recognition Certificate is high up his priority list, he feels the ‘shocking’ cost of living crisis is the most paramount issue.

“I went to private school. My dad keeps reminding me that the reason I have this posh accent is because he paid for it, and that I should use it as a force for good," he said. "I have this ability to speak in a way that people in this country can relate to and understand, therefore I should speak for minority groups. My parents grew up in rough areas of Brixton, so they come from nothing, they worked their socks off.”

Politically he is Labour, but 'more about a cause and fighting for minority groups'.

His big idea is to raise awareness of issues that impact the trans and nonbinary community, starting with access to the Gender Recognition Certificate

Verity

Coming from Brighton, 22-year-old Verity is a restaurant supervisor.

She grew up in a family that loved political debate, and is infuriated by the lack of female voices in politics. Indeed, she feels there ‘still isn’t a platform for women to be heard'. She is passionate about voting and encourages other women to vote in her area.

Describing herself as adventurous, spontaneous and independent, Verity has previously campaigned at Black Lives Matter, equality and climate change protests. A newly diagnosed Type 1 diabetic, Verity would like the series to show that ‘women are exactly the same and equal to men’ and if she were leader, she wants to change the world, ‘but not in a power-hungry way'.

She said: "I’m the type of person that, if someone says, “The fence is broken, can you get someone to fix it?” I’ll go out of my way to prove that I can fix it myself, and I don’t need to do that. If a man says I can’t do something, whatever it is, I’ll go out of my way to do it.”

Verity says she does identify with a political party, but says she was 'brought up with the fact your political view is your own' and that it doesn't define her.

Her big idea is to “Set The Bar” to ensure politics is about the people and ensuring that Parliament has an equal percentage of all different communities within the UK