Conservative leader David Cameron has scored a spectacular own goal. Having evangelised about the need for "sensible debate" between the public and politicians, he has proved beyond doubt that he is as interested in sensible debate as he is in rap music.
Last week Cameron told a meeting of magazine editors that BBC Radio 1 encouraged knife and gun crime by playing music that glorifies violence, which Radio 1 subseqently challenged.
In the same speech Cameron promoted "sensible debate" - instead of bans, regulations and laws - as a central tenant to his proposed method of government. People should have "the courage to speak up when you see something that is wrong", he said, despite the fact that "you will get a lots of bricks thrown at you" for voicing unpopular opinions.
So, what happens when someone who has grassroots experience of working with disadvantaged youngsters in music has the "courage to speak up" and try to engage Cameron in "sensible debate" by writing to him with a measured, informative call for joint action to find a solution to the problems afflicting young disadvantage people?
Here's what: Cameron pens an article for the Mail on Sunday, misrepresenting that person's views, ignoring the positive work he does with young musicians, ascribing lyrics to him which are not his, all under the headline : "You're talking rubbish, Lethal Bizzle".
The Mail on Sunday article was published two days after Bizzle received a reply from Cameron's correspondence secretary thanking him for his feedback and saying: "David Cameron believes there is a lot of good music out there, and some musicians have been very positive role models and have highlighted important issues.
"But there are other cases where music encourages and glorifies violence. Governments can legislate, but as David has said before, that can only go so far. There also needs to be a change of culture and you need people to show cultural leadership."
What a spectacular own goal: If only Cameron had taken the time to contact Bizzle, or at least find out something about the man, he would have discovered a potentially very useful and powerful ally: Bizzle - well-known and respected on the underground music scene - was involved in the 18-24 Collective campaign to encourage young people to vote during last year's general election.
He is a young, successful entrepreneur who is using his talent and expertise to help youngsters from a similar background get off the streets and in to the studio, which he claims has not only given them an opportunity to make a living from music by has "given them something positive to look forward to.. They're not involved in gun/ knife violence and have a goal in their life to work towards."
In short, Bizzle is showing the "cultural leadership" Cameron claims is so badly needed.
Managed differently, Cameron's response to UK grime star Bizzle's letter could have been positive for both his image, that of the Tory party and the standing of politics among young people.
Bizzle offered Cameron an open invitation to discuss his experiences - he has signed 14 young rappers from East London to his label - and ideas for ways in which the politician could work with young people to find a way forward. He offered himself up as a "Street MP" helping to "empower the kids to get more involved in government and give them a voice."
But rather than arranging a meeting with Bizzle, Cameron Googled his name, found some lyrics referring to guns, and promptly penned an article reinforcing Mail on Sunday's readers' prejudices. In fact the lyrics are not Bizzles', they are those of an MC called Neeko.
Surely Bizzle is exactly the type of person the Tories would, under any other circumstances, be falling over themselves to claim as an ally: young, black, successful, politically aware and respected by a youth who politicians desperately need to reach. And moreover, willing to be seen talking to the Tories.
From a PR point of view Cameron's response to Bizzle's letter is the polar opposite of what he should have done. In stead of going for the short-sighted knee-jerk response he could have scored a much bigger PR coup by taking up Bizzle's invitation to meet and having that "sensible debate" he claims to be so keen on.
Or could it be Cameron has absolutely no interest whatsoever in engaging in "sensible debate" with the disenfranchised British youth, the people who don't vote, so don't count towards his mission to get his foot in the door of 10 Downing Street?
Yesterday Bizzle was shocked to see the Mail on Sunday piece and is writing, once again, to Cameron, offering to meet up and discuss the real issues, not the spin. He says the whole episode will only make him strive harder to get his voice heard and is writing a track about it, which he beleives will get his message across to many more people. He has had 5,000 comments of support on his MySpace site.
In the meantime, Bizzle is having to put up with the media taking Cameron's words as gospel. The Daily Telegraph's Sam Leith today penned an article again wrongly-ascribing Neeko's lyrics to Bizzle and applauding "David Cameron for his courage in tackling Mr Bizzle."
