As politicians try to connect with the young a website has carried out a survey examining which fictional figures students identify with politicians.

Pollster and Spiked-Online journalist, Brendan O'Neill discovered that while students are not excited about euro-referendums or taxation they seem to have no problem identifying with politicians.

As long as it is on the fictional, comedy or children's TV level, of course.

The survey comes as Millbank makes particular efforts to combat voter "apathy". David Blunkett today meets Hollyoaks actors in a desperate bid to give Labour "star" appeal - on the same day a top line-up of Gordon Brown, Tony Blair and Margaret Beckett all flunked the question of "who can you name?" from the hit series.

Labour's ruup4it website offers young voters a "scratchcard" with a personalised PIN number to "give access to lots of free stuff". The site also runs a questionnaire asking "They're all the same or are they?" outlining the big issues for first timers.

Tony Blair often explains that it's all about "education, education, education" but what does he mean? Ruup4it outlines the "clear choices".

"Education should be the nation's number one priority and educational opportunity should be spread as widely as possible," OR "Only a few of us can get to the top so it is only worth educating the elite well," poses the quiz.

Spiked's O'Neill agues that it is this kind of initiative that lies behinds his survey's findings.

"'Politicians patronise us as if we were kids sitting cross-legged in front of the TV, so it's hardly surprising that students associate politicians with kids' TV and comedy characters," he said.

The survey found that students associate politicians with the following fictional characters:

- Tony Blair is mostly viewed as goody-two shoes Luke Skywalker from Star Wars (58 per cent) and creepy Ned Flanders fromthe Simpsons (32 per cent).

- William Hague's energy means the younger voter sees him as Tigger from Winnie the Pooh (63 per cent) and slightly hyper Bungle the bear from Rainbow (22 per cent).

- John Prescott embodies working class icon Jim Royle from the Royle Family (46 per cent) and Homer Simpson (42 per cent).

- Ann Widdecombe is regarded as Bagpuss (59 per cent) and less flatteringly as arch Star Wars villain Jabba the Hutt (31 per cent).

- Charles Kennedy may be "scenting success" in the polls but for London's students he is hapless Kenny from South Park (47 per cent) and the Invisible Man for another 42 per cent.