Thursday, April 9, 2015
Make your mind up time....
Made your mind up on who to vote for in the general election yet? The 2015 election is tipped to be one of the closest fought ever and this particular floating voter is yet to make up his mind. Even five years ago Sir John Stanley's replacement, Tom Tugenhat, would have been a shoe-in as the Tory candidate. But are things so certain any more? Only today it's been reported that a UKIP supporter has donated £30,000 to help the local candidate in a rather bizarre revenge swipe (something to do with Tom T's father, who is a High Court judge, passing judgement on the businessman over some middle east deal.) The details aren't that important as much as the way the election, even for Tonbridge and Malling constituency, cannot be taken for granted. Five years ago the Conservative vote was way out in front of Liberal Democrats in second place and, in third Labour. That order at least is likely to be dramatically changed this time around. Will UKIP maybe even split the Tory vote and allow a more even contest? Does any of it matter? Did you know that Joey Essex, of TOWIE fame, thought that Nick Clegg's party was called the Liberal DemoCATS not crats! I wish I was joking but it does at least demonstrate how disengaged from politics particularly younger people are. It's less than a month away so let's hear some comments unless of course you think politics as a subject should be avoided along with religion....
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5 comments:
The lack of comments here probably sums up most local people’s total disinterest in the forthcoming general election.
A hung parliament of some description is the most likely outcome, and in our “first past the post” voting system, safe seats like Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells (Ashford, Sevenoaks, Weald etc), are likely to remain as they are. This fact, more than any others is what puts those people least likely to vote, from doing so.
Possibly some from of proportional representation would be a fairer system. Would it work? Well the short answer is no-one knows, so in the meantime it looks like the status quo will remain, in this corner of the country at least, for some time to come.
Ps. does an uneducated, moronic “Reality TV” star actually represent the views of young people? I would like to think not, and would credit them with far more sense. Maybe I’m wrong, and this is what we have come down to as a nation.
Time to emigrate, methinks!
Everyone should vote, even if they spoil their ballot paper in protest. People in the past fought long and hard to gain the right to universal suffrage. Personally, I feel a deep cynicism about all the main parties, though I would vote for whoever is most like to put the 'nasty party' out of power - not much chance of that here, unfortunately.
Quite right about everyone should vote, anonymous. Unfortunately they don’t teach proper history in schools these days, so many people leave education without the faintest idea about the struggle for universal suffrage.
A large chunk of the population are more interested in the latest winner of “X-Factor”, rather than who is going to govern and direct their lives for the next five years.
Like I said earlier – a sorry state of affairs for a once great nation!
When were we a great nation, Paul?
Tim, back in 1914, just before the outbreak of the Great War, Britain was not only the richest country on earth, but also had the largest empire the world had ever seen. It was said at the time, that the sun never set on the British Empire. We also had the world’s largest navy.
I’m not sure if all this made us a great nation, but for what it was worth we had power and influence on the world stage. Of course, an unfortunate event in Sarajevo put paid to all that, and we’ve been in decline ever since.
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