I don’t often get political on here but here’s something to think about.
Turnout: 34.19% in the UK
Percentage of votes for UKIP: 27.50%
Percentage of the population voting UKIP: 9.40%
Percentage of the population NOT voting UKIP: 90.60%
So fewer than 1 in 10 people voted for Nigelย Farage and the closet racists, sexists and homophobes in his party. The headlines scream that UKIP has achieved a ‘historic win’. The Daily Express is rejoicing that the ‘Earthquake takes Britain closer to exit [of the EU]’.
Who is to blame for this travesty of democracy? Farage? His party? His voters? The press? Of course not. It’s the 65.81% of you who couldn’t be bothered to vote in the first place. There were 31 parties standing in the elections in Britain. You didn’t think that any of them came close to representing your views? Really? Did you bother to look? Was it because ‘politicians are all the same’? Have you ever met one? Spoken to one? Or are you basing your judgement upon the few who make the headlines for their wrongdoings? Apathy is a dangerous thing… But it looks as though more than 6 out of 10 people don’t care.
Categories: Cycling
One thing I disagree with in your original post. You refer to “closet racists, sexists and homophobes”. Closet? Hardly!
I wonder how many of the people who voted for UKIP actually know what their policies are? Would they like the NHS to be completely privatised? Would they like a tax cut for the super-rich and a tax hike for ordinary people? Would they like to see the end of maternity leave and paid holidays? UKIP are a threat to all those things we have fought for since the time of the Tolpuddle Martyrs. It’s not that long ago that another party rode into power on the back of an economic downturn by using fear, negativity and scapegoats and presented themselves as the new face of politics and not part of the political establishment. And if you say that it couldn’t happen here, ask yourself how on earth were people as sane and sensible as the Germans hoodwinked? Remember, he who does not know history is condemned to repeat it.
I do wonder what if more people had of voted. I for one know many people who would’ve voted for UKIP – purely based on the desire to remove various EU nations nationals from the UK. They didn’t, however, vote as they couldn’t be bothered and find it a hassle.
Going off on a tangent a little, but perhaps making it easier to vote electronically might drive more people to make their mark. However then we go back to the idea of the National ID card; which I’m certainly not against.
Great post Andrew. This really does put things in perspective. Although the sad truth is that what counts is those who did vote, not the population at large.