DEAR Angry,

In recent years I’ve noticed a growing trend for politicians to make appearances on reality television shows. From doolally Lembit Opik to George Galloway’s foolish feline follies to Kezia Dugdale’s recent decision to appear in the jungle, it seems that politicians love being considered to be celebrities. Even Ruth Davidson is getting in on the act with her upcoming stint on the Great British Bake Off. Lord knows we are all looking forward to watching a Tory bake flamboyant and expensive cakes as her government’s austerity policies systematically kill the poor of this country.

Naturally, I don’t watch any of these awful reality shows, but I know enough about them to realise that they pander to the lowest-common-denominator chumps in society, so it figures that those who choose to appear on them are no better. However, it’s becoming so standard now that I’m worried even politicians I respect will lower themselves to this level. I mean, we’re through the looking glass here, aren’t we? How long until we see Sturgeon, Swinney and Mhairi Black go on Robot Wars? Will we one day witness the First Minister of Scotland and her anti-nuclear automaton sending Boris Johnson and his clumsy tin-pot doppelganger into the Pit of Oblivion? Surely, society will come to its senses and realise that the world of celebrity and the world of politics should remain separate?

Gerry, Edinburgh

RUTH’S off to bake cakes. Kezia’s off to eat cooked kangaroo balls. Meanwhile, Nicola Sturgeon is getting on with her day job of running the country. Indeed, the only Scottish leader who seems to be dealing with reality on television is the First Minister. Her opposition seem to be joyously fleeing into a world of make-believe. After all, reality television has very little to do with reality. Most storylines and character interactions are as scripted as your typical pro-wrestling show. Naturally, this makes the medium a magnet for phoney politicians; as it’s effectively just adding a game show element to their already highly stage-managed personas.

As far as I can see, the only clear overlap between political figures and celebrities is their penchant for fakery. There is certainly no doubt that Ruth’s appearance on Bake Off will be nothing more than an overblown PR exercise. Davidson seems determined to appeal to over-50s who seemingly enjoy watching mind-numbing individuals eat cakes as most of the planet starves to death. Undeniably, the bulk of these gimmicky TV appearances by politicians are merely a thinly veiled attempt to seem likeable, and therefore superficially more electable. However, in the case of Kezia Dugdale it might not be so straightforward.

As rumours of her jumping to the SNP persist, it does seem like Kez’s jolly to the jungle could simply be a way of flipping off Labour management on the way out the door. Moreover, Kezia actually possesses the sort of personality that would aspire to indulge in the audacious chaos of I’m A Celebrity.

I’ve long held the belief that she was destined to be a Blue Peter presenter, but somehow wound up becoming a politician by mistake. I have little doubt that Dugdale will settle into the role of an adventurous, likable television personality with ease. I’d certainly rather she was in this sort of employ than continue to suffer in the ranks of her poisonous political party.

Come to think of it, Dugdale’s experience in Scottish Labour should leave her more than ready to contend with the dangers of the jungle. Spiders certainly won’t bother her, as she’s used to being caught in a web of lies, and given her political background she’ll be quite used to dealing with snakes too. In fact, the only bush tucker trial that could cause her any drama would be a crawling through a tunnel filled with vile CyberNats as they swat her with Wings Over Scotland articles.

To be honest, the concept of politicians appearing on reality shows always amuses me. With office-bearers being so used to not being held directly accountable for their behaviour, it must come as a shock for them to be voted off islands, have their robots destroyed or to be ejected from communal housing. If reality television is the way the wind is blowing, then perhaps we should consider treating all British parliaments like Celebrity Big Brother? Members of the public will vote for tasks, duties and policies that aspiring MPs must enforce, and the weakest individuals will be voted off every other week. This way, politicians will be forced to work for the right to represent their constituents. Better still, their salaries will be reduced and the ill-behaved ones can be subjected to hilarious and unusual punishment challenges. With any luck, Westminster will resemble something akin to Takeshi’s Castle in a few years.