The last few weeks have been very turbulent ones for British politics. Just when everyone was letting the fact that the economic recession won't go away overnight sink in, the expenses scandal shook us up again. It has been outrageous to find out that the very Ministers of Parliament (MPs) who have been assuring us that we can pick ourselves up and get out of debt, are the same ones who've been misusing our taxes by claiming unnecessary expenses.
As the scandal was rocking Westminster, heads were rolling as the Speaker of the Commons, Michael Martin, was forced to step down and other MPs were exposed for their part in the expenses row. But not even all the political scapegoating and media blaming solved anything. Prime Minister Gordon Brown's cabinet has been thinning and the opposition Conservative Party have been gathering fodder with which to attack the Labour Party. While watching the news one evening, I heard a member of the public say that they would not be voting in the European and local elections in protest at the expenses scandal and to show their anger at the handling of the whole situation.
WHAT?!
I was shocked! And as I continued to hear more members of the public say this, and read the same consensus in the newspapers, I asked again, "WHAT?!". Abstaining from voting in protest almost always has the opposite effect of showing one's anger at any political situation. Instead, it allows the political parties on the fringes and margins of society - which are there because they may have extreme, prejudiced and harmful views - to gain momentum and win favour and seats in parliament. Why? Because they are piggy-backing on the fear and hypertension partly worsened by the media.
There are various reasons for not voting: apathy: either due to the political circumstances or through their own choice; no/little means of voting: maybe because means of registering voters are ineffective or too narrow; or even that the civil rights of those entitled to vote are not being upheld. But withholding one's vote is like sleepwalking into a minefield - like subconsciously doing something which will later prove more dangerous and defeatist than waking up and doing something about what you have a problem with. And to prove my point, the British National Party (BNP) won two seats in the European elections early yesterday morning.
There are a lot of issues in our current affairs which need urgent attention such as the economy, accountability, Gordon Brown's leadership style, the unity of cabinet and the government, and whether or not the opposition can indeed offer a turn around, to name a few. But refusing to vote or voting in those who have been left on the margins of politics for a reason, is not the solution.
As the scandal was rocking Westminster, heads were rolling as the Speaker of the Commons, Michael Martin, was forced to step down and other MPs were exposed for their part in the expenses row. But not even all the political scapegoating and media blaming solved anything. Prime Minister Gordon Brown's cabinet has been thinning and the opposition Conservative Party have been gathering fodder with which to attack the Labour Party. While watching the news one evening, I heard a member of the public say that they would not be voting in the European and local elections in protest at the expenses scandal and to show their anger at the handling of the whole situation.
WHAT?!
I was shocked! And as I continued to hear more members of the public say this, and read the same consensus in the newspapers, I asked again, "WHAT?!". Abstaining from voting in protest almost always has the opposite effect of showing one's anger at any political situation. Instead, it allows the political parties on the fringes and margins of society - which are there because they may have extreme, prejudiced and harmful views - to gain momentum and win favour and seats in parliament. Why? Because they are piggy-backing on the fear and hypertension partly worsened by the media.
There are various reasons for not voting: apathy: either due to the political circumstances or through their own choice; no/little means of voting: maybe because means of registering voters are ineffective or too narrow; or even that the civil rights of those entitled to vote are not being upheld. But withholding one's vote is like sleepwalking into a minefield - like subconsciously doing something which will later prove more dangerous and defeatist than waking up and doing something about what you have a problem with. And to prove my point, the British National Party (BNP) won two seats in the European elections early yesterday morning.
There are a lot of issues in our current affairs which need urgent attention such as the economy, accountability, Gordon Brown's leadership style, the unity of cabinet and the government, and whether or not the opposition can indeed offer a turn around, to name a few. But refusing to vote or voting in those who have been left on the margins of politics for a reason, is not the solution.
0 comments:
Post a Comment
Please feel free to comment on any post you would like to. Please also note, however, that no abusive, profane, explicit, swearing or personally demeaning comments will be allowed. Thank you.