Well, did you?

[Braddock, VC]

Vote today, that is. I was up with the larks and voted at 0830.

Wonder what the outcome will be.

[Michael Ramsay-Fraser]

A huge swing to UKIP sadly, I expect. Except here in Scotland where the MEP's will be divided up between Labour and the SNP. Thankfully, UKIP don't stand a chance north of the border.

[Rich too]

It is a sad reflection on how badly this country has been run for far too long.

ps and no I haven't and probably won't. there's no party worthy of my vote.

Edited By Rich2 on 22/05/2014 14:53:23

[John F]

UKIP are a total joke. Closet racists.

They haven't got a clue what they're doing and are only gaining popularity by being bullish and telling us they don't want immigration.

Oh. I feel a political argument starting! This isn't going to end well.

Edited By John F on 22/05/2014 14:54:46

[Prop Nut]

Hopefully UKIP will do well and show the rest of the parties that a large number of voters have had enough of them all. Perhaps someone will tell us when any of the other parties get a clue about what they're doing!

Edited By Prop Nut on 22/05/2014 14:58:36

[Michael Ramsay-Fraser]

"It is a sad reflection on how badly this country has been run for far too long."

 

How very true. I was listening to Jim Sillars talk recently and, irrespective of your political view, he was one of the old school politicians who could sway you with their passion and depth of commitment. Both parties had them. Heseltine, Whitelaw, Michael Foot etc. You might not agree with them, but, by God, they were great orators. I don't think anyone believes a word the present lot say.

Edited By Michael Ramsay-Fraser on 22/05/2014 15:00:46

[Rich too]

Posted by Michael Ramsay-Fraser on 22/05/2014 14:59:26:

"It is a sad reflection on how badly this country has been run for far too long."

How very true. I was listening to Jim Sillars talk recently and, irrespective of your political view, he was one of the old school politicians who could sway you with their passion and depth of commitment. Both parties had them. Heseltine, Whitelaw, Michael Foot etc. You might not agree with them, but, by God, they were great orators. I don't think anyone believes a word the present lot say.

Edited By Michael Ramsay-Fraser on 22/05/2014 15:00:46

those politicians (who had strong beliefs) are long gone.

rightly or wrongly, I want us to be independent of Europe, but I am happy to accept the result of a referendum - just give us one!

they just don't listen any more....

[Michael Ramsay-Fraser]

Posted by Prop Nut on 22/05/2014 14:57:12:

Hopefully UKIP will do well and show the rest of the parties that a large number of voters have had enough of them all. Perhaps someone will tell us when any of the other parties get a clue about what they're doing!

Edited By Prop Nut on 22/05/2014 14:58:36

I agree in the principal of a protest vote but don't feel UKIP are deserving of it. Their racist xenophobia reflects poorly on a country with a proud tradition of tolerance and acceptance and shames us all. We once stood alone against fascism, now we appear to want to embrace it with open arms.

[ericrw]

Well I have voted UKIP. Hope the results will give the present Parties a good kick up their backsides !!

[The Wright Stuff]

The problem with UKIP, referendums, and arguments over Europe, is that very few people on the street understand the implications and consequences. These decisions need to be made by qualified people (economists, politicians, industry experts), not emotional voting by people who are just dissatisfied with the present state of affairs...

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Ahhh politics, don't you love it

It would be a fair point TWS if ..economists, politicians, industry experts gave a monkeys about the rest of us.

John

[Kevin Wilson]

Posted by The Wright Stuff on 22/05/2014 16:55:27:

very few people on the street understand the implications and consequences.

I hope you will accept me quoting in part.

Quite true that the populace are fed one sided opinions and misinformation to bolster a single parties viewpoint.

We need the truth not some sensationalised statement such as "450,000 jobs in your area will be affected if we leave Europe". Difficult to believe living in a small town of 10,000 inhabitants; a significant number of which probably commute to London.

So why are we treated as fools and not given the true facts? Well that is politics!

[GONZO]

Cast my vote as always by post, wife does the same. Not saying who I voted for but as I come from very working class background ?????.

As for UKIP being racist I have mixed feelings. I'm a white IC3 (think thats the correct classification) born just outside St. Albans and grew up at the Elephant and Castle. But, when I moved to the the 'Black Country' 14 years back I suffered extreme REGIONAL prejudice to the extent that when the locals heard my London accent I was abused in public. The climax of this was when I sold my house in Amblecote one of the purchasers removal men wanted to have a fight with me at 11:00 in the morning just because I was from London. I've subsequently learned that there is some sort of v/long standing bad feeling/grudge held by the 'Black Country' people towards Londoners.

The reason for the story is I know what its like to suffer prejudice but I've been alive long enough to feel like a stranger in my own country and culture. Thus, the mixed feelings about UKIP.

[Keith Simmons]

Sadly there is a saying, Petty thieves get hanged, but the big ones are welcomed into Politics !

We are a laughing stock of the World and the leaders have no backbone. Politics is now all spin!

I just want to enjoy life and I don't give a toss..

[Peter Miller]

The other day I was listening to the 1 o.clock news on the radio.

An MP was being interviewed and he stated that most members of Parliament couldn't run a bath.

Hear, hear!!

[david chapman 4]

lets get out of the eec we paid to much in and nothing back we haven't got the room how would the mp have living next door to them multi nationals who cant speak English who we are exploiting by paying less wages as we would not work for the wages that they are on so the big firms are making a mint we screwed india in the 1900 and the only people who benifit are the rich

[David Davis]

I voted at about five o'clock. I don't suppose my vote will make much difference but people have died so that we may have some say in choosing our government even our European Government, so I felt obliged to vote. I suppose that voting may give the ruling classes some idea that we are dissatisfied in some way but they don't run the world anymore! High Finance does! The recent recession has proved that to me if to no-one else and no-one elects the bankers.

As for UKIP, can anyone name any other member of the party either than Nigel Farrage and Neil Hamilton, the latter being a disgraced former Conservative MP?

I have come to the conclusion that unless you are voting with the trend, it's rather like punching a hungry Grizzly Bear on the nose, you make your point but it makes no difference to the outcome!

[Tomtom39]

I had a look for the Raving loony Monster Party didn't find them on my slip but plenty others of the "Raving and Loony" variety .

I shall now settle down to my saw and a bit of wood for comfort

[david chapman 4]

good old screaming lord such used to come on stage in a cofin and to the death march

[Tim Mackey]

Nope, and haven't for about 10 years.

[Codename-John]

I`m a political Atheist, and until direct democracy is the standard I will remain so

I also think that political parties should be abandoned, each elected representative from each area should stand alone in his or her decision, not be "whipped" into line to vote with whatever the so called leader of the party wants, and each and every decision taken by every MP in parliament should be available for public scrutiny at any time.

Manifesto`s should be legally binding unless there is public consultation to any changes,

Lobbying and party donations akin to Bribery should be made unlawful.

A Recall Bill such as the one Zac Goldsmith recently tried should be implemented.

Expenses should have to be signed off by a representative group from the MP`s constituency.

etc etc, maybe then I may have some faith in "democracy"

 

 

Edited By Codename-John on 22/05/2014 19:08:39

[Prop Nut]

Posted by Michael Ramsay-Fraser on 22/05/2014 15:07:08:

Posted by Prop Nut on 22/05/2014 14:57:12:

Hopefully UKIP will do well and show the rest of the parties that a large number of voters have had enough of them all. Perhaps someone will tell us when any of the other parties get a clue about what they're doing!

Edited By Prop Nut on 22/05/2014 14:58:36

I agree in the principal of a protest vote but don't feel UKIP are deserving of it. Their racist xenophobia reflects poorly on a country with a proud tradition of tolerance and acceptance and shames us all. We once stood alone against fascism, now we appear to want to embrace it with open arms.

Like the tolerance and acceptance that Nigel Farage got in Edinburgh, when he was told to 'go home to England'?

[John Privett]

Yes, I popped in to the polling station as usual on my way home from work. There was a short list (3 candidates) for the local election, and a list as long as my arm (or possibly longer!) listing 15 different parties with up to 10 candidates each for the Euro elections.

Will my vote(s) make any difference? Probably not, but if I didn't vote then I don't think I'd have any right to whinge about whatever shower get elected...

[Braddock, VC]

I, too, am disillusioned with politicians but if everyone doesn't exercise their right to vote then there can be no comeback. I feel the time is right for us to adopt the Australian system where one is obliged to vote and failure to do so results in an automatic fine.

Their politicians are every bit as ( insert your own word here) as the brit and euro ones but each one represents a solid positive result in that they are genuinely elected by the majority of the electorate.

I normally vote tory but today it was a toss up between ukip and the bnp, my choice was easy as I loathe tattoos, bodypiercing and skinheads so I voted for the party of a chap who smokes and drinks beer and enjoys the company of fruitcakes, can't be all bad.

[GrahamC]

I just did.... [Vote!]

Despite all my uncertainty about who I should cast my vote for, and my disquiet about all of the parties, I'm glad I did.

There was no machine gun armed goon preventing me from accessing the polling station if I didn't look like I would vote the right way. There was no manufactured long queue designed to prevent the wrong local people casting their vote. There was no pressure to cast my ballot in any particular way, and certainly no pressure for me to disclose my vote. There was no-one offering to cast my vote for me, or take my ballot away and 'put it in the ballot box for me'. I had to fold my ballot and place it in the box myself. There were no security cameras recording my vote. There was no pressure or manipulation.

And when the votes are counted, mine really will matter, and the winning candidates will be elected.

And though things may not be all that we want or wish them to be, I'm reminded again that what I did tonight is a distinct privilege denied to billions of people across the globe. I may be unsure about the choice offered me, but I'm very grateful to be able to make a choice.

Thoughtful moment over!

Edited By GrahamC on 22/05/2014 20:07:31