This may be cheating but I'm going to re-post something I wrote 5 years ago on the eve of the last UK election. You know, the one that left us with the ridiculous coalition government who've spent the last half a decade cutting services, inspiring civil unrest and leaving the back door open for Farage's xenophobes. Yeah, them...
As I said, I'm revisiting that post because, sadly, things haven't really changed in the last 5 years... except for the fact that the biggest threat to this country may not now be Dalek Dave but a certain beer-swilling, "man of the people" Little Englander...
This is a public service announcement ( without guitars )
Please vote today. This could be one of the most important elections in many years so please don't waste your hard-won right to vote. Please vote with your conscience and don't be swayed by others, no matter how well-intentioned. And don't listen to biased, uninformed bloggers...
But for God's sake don't vote Ukip ;-)
Please vote today. This could be one of the most important elections in many years so please don't waste your hard-won right to vote. Please vote with your conscience and don't be swayed by others, no matter how well-intentioned. And don't listen to biased, uninformed bloggers...
But for God's sake don't vote Ukip ;-)
Good luck!
ReplyDeletePolitics for me is what sports is for many people. I have favorite teams, favorite players, read up on their stats, invent fantasy leagues of the best politicians...okay, maybe not the last one. But I follow it closely. Watching a UK election is like watching an American football or baseball game would be for a British sports fan. It's endlessly fascinating to see how different the rules are, and how that affects the psychology and behavior of politicians and voters.
But I never lose sight of the fact that lives are in the balance, and the likely outcomes range from "tolerable but not so great" to "utterly catastrophic." I'll be following the results from this side of the pond with interest, but I'll have my fingers crossed on behalf of all the good people I know there, your good self included.
So: good luck!
Thanks for the comment, Richard. I'm always staggered when someone on the other side of the Pond takes an interest in UK news beyond the birth of royal babies :-)
ReplyDeleteAnd you're so right: "tolerable but not so great" is definitely the best we can hope for at the moment... which is pretty sad, really.
Thanks for the kind words and let's indeed hope the British people vote with their consciences today and not with small-minded prejudice...
I'm not convinced that everyone's concerns over immigration can be dismissed as 'small-minded' prejudice or xenophobia, Cer, although no doubt that's behind some of it. What dismays me 'though, is when I hear some people saying that not voting is an insult to those who fought and died in World War II and that voting should be compulsory.
ReplyDeleteWhat people fought for in the war was freedom, and that freedom was for the RIGHT to vote (if we so choose), or the right NOT to. To compel people to vote almost smacks of tyranny to me.
Another thing that bugs me is when some people say that if you don't vote, you've no right to complain. Their logic seems a bit skewed to me. If you participate in a system that leads to some bunch of @rseholes running the country and making a mess of it, surely THEN you have no right to complain - after all, you helped put them there, whoever you voted for.
However, if - on principle - you decide not to vote because you can't see any party worth voting for, then you have a right to complain - whoever gets in to screw up the country - because you didn't put them there.
I think politicians would find that more people would vote for them if they were actually the principled, honest, 'hard-working' people they pretend to be, and not the bunch of lying, scheming, self-centred b@st@rds that they actually are. Will I vote today? Not made up my mind yet. If I do, it'll be to keep some party out, not because I want a particular party in. Then I'll have no right to complain if things go wrong, because I took part in the whole lottery of madness.
We're all DOOMED!
I have to agree, Kid... I think people definitely SHOULD vote but they shouldn't be MADE to vote if they don't want to. This is an idea I've heard bandied about recently but it does indeed smack of tyranny.
ReplyDeleteWell I did vote, but waking up today I gather now what it must feel like for footie fans when England are knocked out of the world cup. I voted Labour even though New Labouri isn't really Labour, because Ed promised to scrap bedroom tax and zero hours. But it seems the majority of the people don't give a fuck about the unfortunates in this country. They're all right, Jack, and they want to stay that way. The ONLY people affected by the outcome are the very worse off. The comfortable and well off would not have to use food banks if Labour won. Well England have just told the Antichrist that he can do whatever he likes to the poor.
ReplyDeleteI can sleep sound knowing at least I tried to keep the c _ _t out!
At least we tried John...
ReplyDeleteAnd I thnk you're right - I get the definite feeling that people are becoming more selfish and unconcerned about the plight of those less fortunate. Another five years of Tory rule will probably only reinforce those attitudes, unfortunately.