Council elections - tonight's the night

By Roshan Doug on May 1, 08 07:18 PM in

The council election are well underway this evening and - without wanting to sound partisan - the results of which will surely indicate the extent of New Labour's demise.

But in regard to our city, can anyone really see the point in voting for the men of Albert Bore or Mike Whitby (forget the Liberals they're not even worth thinking about)? And what exactly is the difference between the two parties - locally and nationally - because, honestly, I can't tell.

And I suspect neither can they.

A few years ago I foolishly offered my support to a party by going along to its ward/branch meetings (don't worry, I came to my senses pretty soon and left!). And, you know, I swear some of the prospective candidates that the party had chosen were politically ignorant of the issues affecting our city.

But like most politicians they talked in general terms with the usual soundbites and clichés, which - apparently - works wonders at the doorstep.

But that aside I just don't like what local politicians have done to the image of this city. Along with Southall, in Middlesex, they've flawed the electorate system and have done very little to improve our general well-being environmentally and in terms of public services.

Prior to a couple of years ago, we had a Labour council for goodness knows how long, but what impact did it actually make? The same old complaints and concerns about council tax, car parking, recycling programme and, the library and its new home were being discussed then as they are now.

And, as I said, some of our city councillors, even made an impact on the national stage - all for the wrong reasons. They corrupted the electoral system - postal voting and vote rigging - which, according to a judge, would have 'disgraced a banana republic'.

That is still a concern - even two years on.

Honestly, can anyone really see the point in voting for any of the councillors we've got on offer this evening? Aren't they all - with the exception of one or two - just as bad as each other? Aren't they all, generally speaking, vain busy bodies concerned more about money and power than by a need to be philanthropic and altruistic?

I mean, I ask you, what would happen if no one voted, no one exercised their right to put a cross against one of the names? And what would happen if we all wrote 'none of the above' on our ballot slip instead? Would they have to design a new political system that takes into account other criteria?

No?

Well, new system or not, they'll be at least one slip with 'none of the above' in the ballot-box tonight...

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4 Comments

steve x said:

They should make voting compulsory, just as filling in the Census form is.
And there should be a "None of the Above" option on the voting slip.

That way - hopefully - politicians will get the message that people are actively giving them a vote of no confidence.
Currently, writing "None of the above" on your voting slip just means it gets categorised as a spoilt paper, along with those who don't know how to fill in the ballot form properly.
A low turnout can be labelled as apathy, but if 80 per cent of the population actively condemn all politicians then maybe they might change their ways.

Ok, it's a long shot...

May 1, 2008 11:17 PM

Roshan Doug said:

You and me, Steve. Let's start a revolution!

May 2, 2008 6:57 AM

joe said:

Hear hear. Count me in.

May 2, 2008 9:08 AM

Mike Olley said:

Well I am not so sure that all the Councillors that got elected, or got kicked out last night are as bad as you seem to claim. I was one of them for a long time and yes there were some who made as much impact and contribution as a stunned mullet, yet then we had some who were/are brilliant.
Is it not the case that we have a fair share of idiots in society anyway? So why not elect them? Labour changed the law to lever in women candidates, to enhance that end of the representation scale. Seemingly there ain’t no need to legislate to have a fair reflective proportion of idiots. To suggest they are all a waste of time however, is intellectual fascism.
Yet may I suggest that if you still have concerns over the quality of representation, put yourself up. It’s cost free (other than the leaflets and other paraphernalia) and I’m sure as a bright lad, you may well be able to win over the masses to your way of thinking. Or is it easier to chuck hand grenades around at the brainless representatives, in a populist manner without ever testing if your views resonate with the masses?

May 2, 2008 12:08 PM