Apathy and Ignorance

Do you know what scares me most about UK elections? Actually, hang on, what scares me most is the 'first past the post' system, but we'll talk about that another time.

Do you know what scares me second most about UK elections? The turnout figures. Only 59.4% of eligible voters turned out in 2001.

Now in the recent Iraqi election, despite death threats and acts of violence towards voters and polling stations, the turnout has been estimated at 70%.

Why?

I would hazard a guess that the Iraqis, newly granted the powers of democracy, have a true appreciation for what a privilege the right to vote is. On the other hand, the British seem to have lost sight of this - and this considering that it was only in 1918 that the majority of citizens were made eligible to vote.

So, as a nation we've forgotten that to live in a democracy is a privilege granted to too few of the world's population. But that can't be the only reason. Let's have a look at a few other theories:

1. People don't think they can make a difference.

Granted, in the first past the post system this is truer than it would be if we had a system of proportional representation. But at the end of the day, who is in parliament is still decided by the voters. And who helps to keep 'safe seats' safe? The people who don't bother voting because they live in a 'safe seat' area.

2. People can't see the differences between the parties.

Fair enough. Labour is now so right wing they might as well be Conservative, and the LibDems, though more liberal than the other two main parties, still aren't exactly radical. But then let's face it: if you want radical, you've either got to vote Green, or at the other end of the scale, BNP. And let's not even go there...

BUT if you look closely, there are some very discernible policy differences between the three main parties. And this is where the apathetic non-voter goes wrong. Because we don't live in a society of radical parties and radical viewpoints (sadly...), so what all of us need to do is decide the issues on which we feel the most strongly, then examine how the main political parties plan to tackle those issues.

I don't vote Lib Dem because I agree with 100% of their policies. I vote Lib Dem because on the issues that matter to me the most, their views ally most closely with my own.

3. People don't think the outcome affects them.

I'm not even going to dignify that with a response. Actually, no, I will, just to prove the point...

When you get up in the morning and turn on the lights, the government affects how much you pay for that electricity, who you pay, and how that electricity is generated. When you go out to get the bus to work, the cost, reliability and crowding of that bus is determined by the government. When you're at work, the hours you work, the pay you get, and the holiday you're entitled to is all affected by... can you guess? The government!

Your fag break, your lunch in the pub, your walk home past gangs of unpleasant chav-youth, the cost of the petrol you use to drive to the supermarket, the amount you pay for a bottle of wine... every single aspect of your day, right down to where your poo goes when you flush the loo, is affected by goverment policy.

So for fuck's sake, no for everyone's sake, get up off your arse, inform yourself (although you could do that while sitting on your arse by watching TV or surfing the net) and go out and vote on 5th May.

And if you don't, don't you dare complain to me about ANYTHING that happens during the new government. You will only have, quite literally, yourself to blame.