Gareth is on Newsnight and our politics is probably broken

Gareth is the everyman mentioned several times by Ed Miliband in his Labour party conference speech and tracked down by journalists shortly after the speech.

Hours after the mention by Ed, Gareth appeared on Newsnight - and he spoke for all of us when he said of Miliband's address "that was the first conference speech I've ever watched and I hope it will be my last".

Also this was his face while watching the speech.

This is what Ed said about Gareth

Like Gareth, who is high up at a software company. He’s got a five year old daughter, he’s earning a decent wage, he can’t afford to buy a home for himself and for his family, he’s priced out by the richest. He thinks that unless you’re one of the privileged few in Britain the country is not going to work for you and your kids are going to have a worse life than you.

Earlier on I mentioned Gareth, who works at a software company, who’s worried about his daughter and worried about the future. I didn’t just meet him, I met his colleagues as well. And that software company, the thing that shines through about it for me is it is full of bright, savvy young people, full of great enthusiasm.

Not a plan for the next ten years which says nothing changes. But a route map. A route map for the country. A route map for people like Gareth that I talked about earlier.

And this is what Gareth said about Ed...

Some of the things he said in the speech sounded quite sensible but it's an hour long speech by a politician...

I got a call from his office a week or so ago and they talked through some of the things he was going to be saying. But I thought I'd get one mention and maybe one call from a journalist but the phone's been off the hook today. It's been quite a surreal day, to be honest.

I told a few people [that I would be in the speech] but to be honest I didn't want to jinx it. I thought he might not even mention me in the end. So getting quite as much attention as I have done was a big surprise.

I was very impressed by the meeting [with Ed]. I didn't know him that will as an individual but he came across as very sincere... I came away feeling very positive. I don't think it's transformed my opinion but certainly it's pushed me in that direction [of voting Labour].

More: We listened to Ed Miliband's speech so you don't have to