Kitchen Garden Forum

Evening Colin, now that is a very good reason for voting, i hadn't really thought along those lines.

Didn't vote - but seemed only one candidate around here so although tempted to vote for the other guy (if there was one) I don't know enough about them or their principals, background etc. Next general election though they will be gone I should think - & that is not too long away.

Westi
PS Is that un-PC not to just vote for a party but an individual - too much at stake in this - our police force for goodness sake

I recently opted for postal voting.
I have received no information regarding the candidates named on the ballot paper and more importantly, no information as to why politicians should be in control of my local polce force.
I crossed through the entire list and wrote:
None. I disagree with politicising the police.
I wouldn't have made the trek to a polling booth to do this, however.

WHAT A FARCE!
For the very first time ever I deliberately spoiled my voting slip.
I wrote across the slip that the entire election is a total farce and quite a few other comments which are not suitable for forum members. Using the Queens English without any naughty words.
There is a voting station in the next village 1.5 miles away yet my voting station is 6 miles away. So I drove 12 miles to register my protest.
I didn't know anything about the candidates because none of them had sent any leaflets about themselves. I haven't even received the government pamphlet that everybody was supposed to receive.
I can hardly think that this is an election in this country and not a third world country. The whole episode has been so appallingly managed.
I thought that it was only this area but it appears that the total mismanagement is nation wide.
JB.

13.5% turnout in Greater Manchester!
Seems like 86.5% have a clear message for this cobbled together government!

Colin Miles wrote:My daughter and son-in-law in Bedford are voting today, otherwise there is a danger the BNP candidate may get in!

Is that the BNP or BFP (British Freedom Party) ? We had no leaflets or whatever, just some mugshots in the local paper. I thought that in the photo the BFP candidate had an "angry man" look that you might more expect to find in the cells, not guarding the door !

Tony - looking at the list of candidates you are probably right - BFP not BNP, but looking at his credentials and affiliations (EDL) maybe not so different.

I've just emailed my MP explaining why I didn't vote. I don't want to be just counted as apathetic!

I suppose I could e-mail mine, too. She might read it when she gets back from p**tting around eating kangaroo testicles

Well seeing that there still seems to be a number of MPs who are pushing the expenses claiming system to the ultimate limit I think a diet of humble pie would be equally appropriate.

We had plenty of information about the candidates on-line, but there was no independent candidate. I object to political parties backing Police Commissioners and considered writing none of the above on the voting slip. In the end I abstained but feel quite bad about not using my vote.

I suppose we will have more idea if the post is effective when it has been in operation for a couple of years, but the cost of the elections and the salaries involved seem extremely wasteful when you think how many extra policemen it would pay for.

Spend £100,000,000 on an election for something nobody wants (not that they asked whether we did) then spend even more investigating why nobody voted!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20374139

I predict a larger turnout at the general election! Roll on 2015 and a Labour landslide!!

Well I did manage to glean information from the internet on all candidates , all had said they had no plans to privatise policing, only one candidate was independent and there was something about him that came over as very establishment and I was not inspired to vote for him. As I had no wish to see policing privatised I went to the polling station explained this on my vote like westi - spoiling my vote. The result is our area is now under conservative policies and looking at what they have done to the health service I just don't believe what she said about no plans to privatise ! To be fair she looked quite a decent candidate and had she stood as independent I might have voted for her, but as I know she will have to follow conservative party line I just wrote a big NO against all candidates and keep party politics out of policing - all to no avail because on a very small vote they now have the power ! I wonder how long before they start profiting by selling it off piecemeal !
LOL Johnboy it was my first spoiled vote too!

A big "well done" from me to all those who spoiled their ballot paper. I regret that I didn't, so my not voting could be dismissed as "apathy". Personally, I think that it is poor of politicians to blame a low turnout on voter apathy - rather, they should accept their failing to engage the electorate.

I gather there have been more spoiled ballot papers in this election than in most other elections which ought to give out a message. I believe there was also a polling station somewhere in Wales where not a single voter turned out.
It's has probably also been "Reality week-end" for all the elected candidates as they wade through their new duties and commitments and find that most of them are totally unskilled and unprepared for the roles.