COWSHED

Wednesday 5 May 2010

6 May 2010

If you follow my tweets this will sound hypocritical in the extreme but, if you are in two minds about voting, please vote. It is so incredibly important to exercise your right to vote. We are very lucky to live in a democracy (I know it often doesn't feel like it when things aren't going right but it could be so much worse) and in a country where we have the right to vote, the right to choose who we vote for and the right to choose what we write and what we say about our choices.

I still can't actually make up my mind which party I will place my X against because policies on all sides bother me. It is, to a large degree, immaterial here. I live in a Tory safe seat (so safe our local Conservative MP couldn't actually be arsed to turn up to several of the hustings). Hunting is a huge part of the way of life and of people's livelihoods on Exmoor and until such a day that other parties re-embrace the Hunt, this seat will be Tory. That said, I am sure people vote on other issues too, hunting just seems to be the one people talk about.

I know who I won't be voting for; 3 out of my 7 options I never even considered (BNP, UKIP, Independent). I voted Green in the last election and can't bring myself to support David Cameron as he grows increasing smug. I have never considered my self a true Labour supporter and some of the Lib Dem policies make me anxious, although, I'll be honest, I probably don't know a huge amount of depth of any of the policies of any of the parties. But, does the average voter either?

Still, whatever decision I come to between now and tomorrow when I head for the Village Hall to cast my vote, I know I will having my say in our country. Make sure you don't miss out on the same opportunity.

{Someone who does good diagrams should do a poll in how us blogging ladies vote. Do we all vote the same way? I should think the answer is no, but I would be interested to hear (if you don't consider it private information. And, as I am sure I needn't add, be nice if people don't agree with you.)

4 comments:

James said...

Well said. People should value their right to vote.

I don't want to use your blog to make a political broadcast but...

The fact that you feel your vote has no chance to make a difference in your constituency just shows how flawed the current electoral system is. I've just seen on the BBC News that Labour are on 28% in the polls and the Lib Dems 27%, yet Labour are predicted to get approximately 250 seats and Lib Dems only 80! Despite just a 1% difference. How is that a true representation of public opinion?

Personally I think there are good and bad points for all of the parties, and I've genuinely considered voting for each one. But in the last 24 hours I've concluded that this election may be a rare chance to have a national debate about the aforementioned unfair electoral system. If the Lib Dems hold the 'balance of power' in any hung parliament then hopefully they will be able to use that bargaining power to ensure we have a debate and subsequent referendum on a new voting system.

Therefore I believe that every vote the Lib Dems get, particularly those that do not result in winning a seat, will further prove the undemocratic electoral system that currently exists. So that's why I think people should vote Lib Dem. A vote for them in this election a vote won't be a wasted one if it further strengthens the argument and helps start a debate about the possibilities of reforming the electoral system.

Oops, sorry political rant over. (Other political parties are of course available)

Rachel said...

Thanks James. I shouldn't have said blogging ladies, really, I meant of course lovely people who read my blog.

I think you are right and echo pretty much the conclusion I have come to.

Any other arguments for the other parties?

Joan Hunter Dunn said...

Well written. I like that lots of blogs which don't normally talk about politics are talking about voting today. And me? I'll be voting Labour. Our ward has changed due to the boundary changes and so the current Labour MP may not get back in and I don't want Conservatives to get in.

Rosalie said...

I am voting today but sad that my vote feels pointless here deep in old boy Tory countryside. I would never not vote for the reasons you have said. Nobody comes close to my political view on the political compass (which was really interesting to do). Amusingly my polling station is someone's front room! It's very bizarre.