Do political parties 'create' friends to influence people? Don't waste your vote!

Suffragettes demonstrating in London* early 20thC

My friends at Hope not Hate yesterday published a link to a story in a local newspaper commenting on the fact that the UKIP campaign for their General Election candidate in the Castle Point [Essex] constituency has apparently been paying local businesses to display UKIP posters, placards and banners. And to make this story even more humorous, UKIP representatives are apparently trying to get away with the least possible amount of payment as small business owners are depressed to find that their neighbours may have been paid more [see article]

Well, in over 50 years political campaigning I have to say I have never heard anything like this! OK, political parties pay to advertise on advertising hoardings and other public advertising spaces like buses etc but not like this. I will be displaying a placard for the Labour candidate in my constituency as always. But - as they say - free, gratis and for nothing other than the belief that he is the best candidate. UKIP are apparently pouring money into the election campaign, flooding householders with multiple letters and leaflets in the Castle Point area in the belief that they can in this way induce more support.  Someone should explain to them that this is not the way that *real* politicians act. And also to make friends and influence people, UKIP 'bargaining' over what price they will pay to get posters etc displayed is really very funny! All rather desperate really.

Meanwhile, several newspapers and other media outlets have published a letter signed by 5,000 business people  supporting the Conservative party. As can be seen in this clip it is however a Conservative party 'production' which it asked these 5,000 'supporters' to sign. Some are not even business people. Again all rather desperate really.

Believe it or not, I got so bored with these shenanigans that in the writing of this I nearly deleted it all. Where are the good old days of good old political debate when candidates argued vigorously but relatively politely? When party representatives appeared on our TV screens to be interviewed and actually knew the answers to the questions they were asked? [Unlike the poor chap in the clip above. I almost felt sorry for him. Andrew Neil had such an easy job in that interview he must have hankered for the good old days when it was much harder and therefore far more satisfying to make a politician squirm]

Roll on May 8th when all this posturing will be over for another 5 years. Oh unless the law is changed again when no-one is looking and the 'fixed term' for the life of a parliament is changed again. Supposing this was to happen every year! Or the politicians decide to hand it all over to the civil servants and the country be ruled by referendum?

And now for the [possibly] boring bit. I say this at every election, but it is important. Next week on May 7th everyone registered to vote will have the opportunity to select their preferred candidate. Please don't waste this glorious privilege. Many of our ancestors, especially women, died to get the vote for all of us.



*Photo courtesy of http://secretsofabeautyaddict.co.uk/articles_and_interviews/articles/100th-anniversary-emily-davison/

Warning re the current political situation

                       The Great Chartist Meeting on Kennington Common, London in 1848*

Warning: Some of you may have noticed that there is a General Election in just under three weeks time. I happen to think this is quite an important occasion especially with regards to the National Health Service, Education, Welfare Services and much, much more. 

So here's the thing, politics of the left wing variety have been a large part of my life for as long as I can remember. Some of you may have already noticed that every now and then - not that often really! - I comment on something which I find interesting. This is likely to increase in the coming days! 

I am not apologising but quite understand if any of you don't join with me in that interest. BUT please remember that the privilege of voting is something which many of our ancestors fought for us to have. Many were attacked, arrested, injured, deported and died - especially women - to get us that privilege [see footnotes re Chartism and Suffragists] Please don't waste it. 

BTW, I do love a good discussion [argument] so feel free to comment. But as David Dimbleby pointed out to Nigel Farage in last night's BBC debate [16th April], insulting one's audience is never a good idea!

*Chartism was a working-class movement for political reform in Britain which existed from 1838 to 1858. It took its name from the People's Charter of 1838 and was a national protest movement.......Support for the movement was at its highest in 1839, 1842 and 1848 when petitions signed by millions of working people were presented to the House of Commons.........

The People's Charter called for six reforms to make the political system more democratic:

1. A vote for every man twenty-one years of age, of sound mind, and not undergoing punishment for a crime.
2. The Secret Ballot – To protect the elector in the exercise of his vote.
3. No Property Qualification for Members of Parliament – thus enabling the constituencies to return the man of their choice, be he rich or poor.
4. Payment of Members, thus enabling an honest trades-man, working man, or other person, to serve a constituency; when taken from his business to attend to the interests of the country.
5. Equal Constituencies, securing the same amount of representation for the same number of electors, instead of allowing small constituencies to swamp the votes of large ones.
6. Annual Parliament Elections, thus presenting the most effectual check to bribery and intimidation, since as the constituency might be bought once in seven years (even with the ballot), no purse could buy a constituency (under a system of universal suffrage) in each ensuing twelvemonth; and since members, when elected for a year only, would not be able to defy and betray their constituents as now.

                                        [Taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chartism ]

As the charter only 'covered' men, the Suffragette movement was formed to demand 'Votes for Women': 

Suffragettes were members of women's organization (right to vote) movements in the late 19th and early 20th century, particularly militants in Great Britain such as members of the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU).^[1][2] Suffragist is a more general term for members of suffrage movements, if radical or conservative, male or female.

The term "suffragette" is particularly associated with activists in the British WSPU, led by Emmeline and Christabel Pankhurst, who were influenced by Russian methods of protest such as hunger strikes. [ Taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suffragette ]

Elizannie electioneering with the brilliant Labour candidate for Castle Point, Joe

 Cooke [4th from right] supported by Richard Howitt MEP [centre]