The recent elections made me completely furious… I’m sure many many other people felt the same. Yes, it was a washout for Labour, which is always bad, but what made my blood boil was the BNP winning two seats in the European Parliament, largely because so few people could be bothered to take a two minute walk to their polling station and cross a box. Yes, there’s more to it than that, and a big chunk of the blame lies at the feet of scorn worthy ex-ministers for resigning in the days leading up to polling day, and the ongoing expenses scandal.
At the end of the day though, every single British, European or Commonwealth adult citizen in this country is responsible for casting their own vote. I’m disgusted that as someone who actually used their vote last week, I’m in a minority of just over a third of the electorate- UK turnout was only 34.48%.
I think the expenses scandal has been ridiculous, just like pretty much everyone. The next time I hear a politician whine “but it was within the rules…” I think I might scream. Yes, the rules were wrong, but I would hope the politicians I support and help return to Westminster would be bright enough to realise that without a month-long Telegraph exposé. We don’t want representatives who work systems to their own advantage as much as possible because it’s in the rules, we want MPs who are upstanding, responsible role models to society – they should have integrity, and at least try to be grounded in the real world.
Expenses are a necessary part of a fair political system, including second home allowances, and the Telegraph didn’t half ham up some of the claims, with their tendency to hone in on small parts of large claims, present them in isolation, and then say “what a scoundrel, couldn’t he even buy his own new toilet seat”. I don’t subscribe to an MPs halls of residence (I mean really, just think of the security risk for half a second) but MPs should know to be reasonable in their claims.
As for all this talk of Labour leadership elections, I’m glad the PLP got a grip. It was incredible to see a few self-serving members and even ministers try to ride the media’s storm to oust Brown, as if the expenses scandal were his fault, when the fascists are being returned to Brussels due to voter apathy. It’s a time for pulling together, ideally of all the moderate parties, to say no to the extremism in our midst, not for parties to be splitting down the middle.
All in all, a pretty awful week for UK and EU politics. I’m looking forward to seeing some improvements over the coming months.
The picture at the top was what I sent to Hope not Hate‘s anti-BNP campaign. It’s a petition which says NOT IN MY NAME. The petition will be handed into the European Parliament on the day that BNP leader Nick Griffin takes his seat. Sign the petition – let’s show the rest of the EU what we think of the racist BNP.
I’m so annoyed at all the people who didn’t vote ‘as a protest’, but are still whinging about things. Voting is a protest, you stupid twat! People have worked and DIED for our right to vote, how dare you not use it?!?
Exactly right! There were loads and loads of parties to choose from, many too small to have ever been a part of the expenses scandal due to never having an MP- you could easily protest vote while stopping fascists from getting power and funding!!
Josh, you along with the vast majority of brain dead communist liars in hope not hate, totally miss the point. The people have spoken and despite
the fact that your retarded minds cannot grasp the reality of what happened, I will try explain, “the people considered your views and the BNP’s decided for themselves”. No amount of lies in the papers or from thieving, disgraced politicians has had any effect thanks to the BNP website. So, the scum, the great unwashed, the peasants as you call the people when they are not around and believe they are all thick and need to be told how to vote by their betters, namely you, have seen that they can upset the status quo and do not believe you any more. Judging by the shrieks and gibbering from your rag, seems to have worked.
Dave,
I’m not sure you read the ‘gibbering from my rag’, since you’re the one who’s missed my point. My problem with that election result, and specifically the returning of two members of BNP to Brussels, was that it was due to a historically low turnout of just 34.48%.
The people have not spoken, certainly not in favour of the BNP – barely a third of them said anything. I’m not being superior, and I won’t tell anyone how to vote, but I was and still am outraged at the huge number of people who didn’t bother to come out and say anything at all. That’s the one and only reason the BNP are in Brussels, preaching hate in the name of the UK is because the people stayed at home.