NOT much of a turn on, was it?

No, I don't mean the sight of flabby racing pundit John McCririck and former feminist icon Germaine Greer padding around a flat in their scanties on Channel 4's hit TV show Celebrity Big Brother.

I'm talking about the latest outbreak of hostilities between Tony Blair and Gordon Brown - a feud so old it needs carbon dating.

The most graphic account yet of the fiery relationship claims the Prime Minister chose a private dinner party to - once again - promise to stand down and hand the Chancellor the keys to 10 Downing Street, before pouring ice cold water on Mr Brown's ambitions by reneging on the deal.

Incandescent with rage, Mr Brown screamed at his neighbour: "There is nothing you could say to me now that I could ever believe."

The revelations, in a new book, certainly got a reaction. Tory leader Michael Howard sneeringly branded the pair "squabbling schoolboys".

Political journalists filled column after column with words from nameless and faceless insiders, officials and "friends".

A stony-faced Chancellor refused to comment. Mr Blair begged the Commons to believe the latest story was "untrue".

Meanwhile, aghast Labour backbenchers gave the pair an extraordinary dressing down, drumming home the message that in-fighting could seriously damage the party at the General Election. And what about the world outside Westminster?

Well... it probably yawned.

It's not the first time the corrosive Downing Street soap opera has spilled into the open.

Barely two weeks into 2005, and Mr Brown has already set out what was seen as a rival election manifesto and there has been an alleged rift over who should take the credit for the Government's global aid and debt initiatives, particularly in the wake of the tsunami disaster.

Yet many people are entirely disinterested in 'Westminster Village' chatter. It makes them feel alienated and disconnected from politics.

They care whether their child can read or write on leaving school, whether they will contract a killer superbug at their local hospital, whether they can pop to the local shop for a pint of milk without fear of harassment from gangs of yobs.

They don't care whether comments made by John Reid in an interview can be interpreted as hinting that Alan Milburn will not put up with any veiled dissent from Alistair Darling, a key Cabinet ally of Gordon Brown.

Respected former Cabinet Minister Tony Benn recognises this when he says: "The emphasis is almost always upon politicians rather than politics, upon the personalities rather than the issues. For most people this is inherently boring.

"The whole political class, including some ministers, MPs, spin doctors, correspondents and academics, do seem to live a life of their own,

preferring their own company and underestimating the intelligence of people, most of whom are not apathetic but are angry no one listens to them."

Consequently, turnout in General, council and European elections has

plummeted. Politicians are aware that people, and especially the young, cannot be bothered to mark their 'X'.

So, how to get teenagers interested in politics?

A TV viewer in the USA, no less, believes City of York MP Hugh Bayley has stumbled upon the answer.

A quick recap: Last month, the Labour backbencher was chided for raising the problem of discarded chewing gum at Prime Minister's Question Time.

He said: "This provoked some chuckles of amusement from the chattering classes. The BBC in particular thought that it was a peculiar issue to raise.

"But I have to say that I received very strong support for what I said about chewing gum from many members of the public by letter and e-mail."

One email was from Gregory C Botello, of Houston, Texas. He and his daughter Courtney, eight, were watching Prime Minister's Questions on the cable TV channel CSPAN. He said the passion showed by MPs was "wonderful" and praised their bravado in facing up to Mr Blair.

Then he added: "While watching the best thing that could have occurred to pique her interest in politics and debate happened.

"City of York's Hugh Bayley's comments on chewing gum delighted both me and her. Thank you for an education in the passion and debate of politics."

Maybe Mr Blair and Mr Brown, when trying to woo voters, should take note.

Updated: 09:10 Friday, January 14, 2005