local elections

[flammableBen]

I thought as much Reg.

Labour don't seem to be making much of an effort round Eastcott. I haven't heard anything from them anyway.

Ginger Shatner won't be getting my vote and I haven't heard anything about a green candidate, meaning my options are running thin. I could just randomly pick some unknown who's going for it, but I'll probably accidentally end up voting for some far right nutter.

This voting thing is a dangerous responsibility.

[McLovin]

I have reasons not to vote for all 3 major players in the Freshbrook/Grange Park ward.

Labour would be a wasted vote, and both Tories and Lib Dems are claiming responsibility for the abomination that is the new pedestrian crossing for Greendown School kids over Whitehill Way.

I think i'll vote Tories because a) i think the council is doing better under them, and b) it'll piss my dad off.

[Luci]

I might vote tory as he was the only chap that bothered to knock on my door and talk to me about what he does  

On a serious note, was going to vote tory anyway.

[Don Rogers Shop]

I will vote but just so i can say i have done.People who moan but dont vote do my head in.

Whoever i vote for is pointless anyway as i live in Walcot and we all know they wont do anything in thoses areas

[dell boy]

I will vote but just so i can say i have done.People who moan but dont vote do my head in.

Whoever i vote for is pointless anyway as i live in Walcot and we all know they wont do anything in thoses areas

 

[tans]

Im not sure, will probably go Tory again, but they are all lying fuckwits anyway.
Shame we dont have any Monster Raving Loony candidates here, they would definitely get my vote.

In the Generals in 2001?? I voted for an Independent just because he looked like a pirate  

[genf_stfc]

here in southampton the tories campaign seems to be based on the 10p tax rate furore, which i was fairly sure had exactly fuck all to do with local councils, and i'm sure that won't stop them putting the council tax up by 20% if they get in anyway.  however, they also appear to be the only party to have made an effort.  i wrote 'disgrace' on my voting form last time and ticked all the boxes, might have to do the same.

[Tails]

I'm voting for the novelty, but will be voting conservative because a nice coservative man came round my house and told me lots of nice things he would do for my community. He also convinced me that labour is ran by drug addicts and pirates. I never knew that!

[Lumps]

In my ward I have no-one to choose from other than the 3 major parties. As we've now reached the stage where ideologically there's no difference between those 3 "alternatives" then frankly they can all fuck off.

People can judge me how they like but I'm a bit sick of the "people died to secure the vote" argument. People didn't die to secure the vote, they died to secure the political power to attempt to change society for the better, and to improve their lot in life. When there's a candidate that offers that then I'll vote. Otherwise I'm as disenfranchised as my great grandfather was in his South Wales pit village at the turn of the 19th/20th century. OK yes I could walk all the way there to spoil my ballot but frankly what's the point.

My dad always voted and was very antagonistic towards those that couldn't be bothered to. However, if he'd ever lived in a ward where there were three Tories standing and no other candidates I don't think he would have dragged himself down the polling station either. And that's where we are now as far as I'm concerned.

Anyway, as political perspective and difference has been almost completely removed from the process of politics, the only judgement the electorate is trying to make now is the competence of the various candidates, and I'm not sure popular elections are the best way of going about that.

With the growth of cabinet style local government and the consequent increase in power of senior council officers, the amount of difference councillors make to the direction of local authorities is pretty fucking small anyway to be honest. And probably just as well, because the calibre of local council candidates has been falling badly for the last 20 years or so.

The route to becoming an MP has moved back to being:

Top university
MP's Research Assistant post
Placement in party central office or political think tank
Candidate in some unwinable seat
Candidate in winable marginal
(Hopefully) MP

The route through local politics that the left opened up in the 70's and 80's has pretty much been closed off. As a result no fucker with anything about them wastes time in local government politics any more. Which is how you end up with council leaders like Sue Bates!

(It's also meant the Labour Party, and therefore the commons in general is becoming as middle class as it ever was again. Someone should work out exactly how long it was from the formation of the Parlimentary Labour Party to the point at which the leaders of the two major parties were once again a pair of public schoolboys with bugger all in common with most of the electorate).

So anyway I'm not voting and that's final. Someone call me when the revolution starts and I'll knock up some barricades for you and make some sandwichs, but until then leave me out of the politics stuff. I did my bit and look what good it did me.

[Power to people]

Aint had a polling card and can't be bothered to vote for any of the wasters in my ward.

 You don't need a polling card to vote, as long as you're on the register, I always vote although flawed, our democracy is something that a lot of people fought for, some laying down their lives...its a mark of respect.

I'm with Reg too - my grandad hated politicians of every stripe but having fought and seen his mates die to defend democracy, he got bloody furious with people who couldn't be bothered to vote.

My area is totally Tory - and I'd never vote for any of them - Labour have not even bothered to put a leaflet in my door so in a sense my attitude is if they wanted me to vote for them then they would tell me what they are standing for and how they would improve things, but surely if they cannot be bothered (probably 'cas they don't stand a chance) to even send me an election leaflet then why should I bother wasting my time voting for them as they obviously don't want me vote !

I do think though that unfortunelty Labour are in for a kicking in the local's this year.

[Cookie]

The councillors in Eastcott are sound, the best in the borough, keep them in fb.

No green party this year  

[Arriba]

The councillors in Eastcott are sound, the best in the borough, keep them in fb.

No green party this year  

i voted green last time.the bloke who is the local leader is a nice bloke, but has the organisational skills of frank spencer.

[Colin Todd]

I'm voting Tory. They are not perfect but have done a reasonable job since getting into power. Labour were a fucking joke for the town last time they were in power

[jayohaitchenn]

In my ward I have no-one to choose from other than the 3 major parties. As we've now reached the stage where ideologically there's no difference between those 3 "alternatives" then frankly they can all fuck off.

People can judge me how they like but I'm a bit sick of the "people died to secure the vote" argument. People didn't die to secure the vote, they died to secure the political power to attempt to change society for the better, and to improve their lot in life. When there's a candidate that offers that then I'll vote. Otherwise I'm as disenfranchised as my great grandfather was in his South Wales pit village at the turn of the 19th/20th century. OK yes I could walk all the way there to spoil my ballot but frankly what's the point.

My dad always voted and was very antagonistic towards those that couldn't be bothered to. However, if he'd ever lived in a ward where there were three Tories standing and no other candidates I don't think he would have dragged himself down the polling station either. And that's where we are now as far as I'm concerned.

Anyway, as political perspective and difference has been almost completely removed from the process of politics, the only judgement the electorate is trying to make now is the competence of the various candidates, and I'm not sure popular elections are the best way of going about that.

With the growth of cabinet style local government and the consequent increase in power of senior council officers, the amount of difference councillors make to the direction of local authorities is pretty fucking small anyway to be honest. And probably just as well, because the calibre of local council candidates has been falling badly for the last 20 years or so.

The route to becoming an MP has moved back to being:

Top university
MP's Research Assistant post
Placement in party central office or political think tank
Candidate in some unwinable seat
Candidate in winable marginal
(Hopefully) MP

The route through local politics that the left opened up in the 70's and 80's has pretty much been closed off. As a result no fucker with anything about them wastes time in local government politics any more. Which is how you end up with council leaders like Sue Bates!

(It's also meant the Labour Party, and therefore the commons in general is becoming as middle class as it ever was again. Someone should work out exactly how long it was from the formation of the Parlimentary Labour Party to the point at which the leaders of the two major parties were once again a pair of public schoolboys with bugger all in common with most of the electorate).

So anyway I'm not voting and that's final. Someone call me when the revolution starts and I'll knock up some barricades for you and make some sandwichs, but until then leave me out of the politics stuff. I did my bit and look what good it did me.

I've been waiting for a sensible reply to the no vote argument. Thanks for that Lumps, i've never voted in any election for similar reasons.

[Simon Pieman]

I will vote Tory. Lib Dems are a joke and i don't want Labour back in power in these parts even if our local Tory candidate is a bit of a pleb.

I don't know if he is a pleb, but he certainly didn't proof read his leaflet.

Such a small oversight to make, but considering this gives the impression he spent all of five minutes considering the contents and design of the leaflet, I won't be voting for him.