I voted 'yes' to AV on the way to work. My parents weren't going to vote but I convinced them both to vote 'yes' as well for all the good it will do.
So it looks like today's UK-wide referendum, only the second in our history and the first for over 30 years, is going to be a big No to reform. The British public, who in the past few years have elevated whining, bitching and hypocritically sneering at every element of our political process to a national ritual will resoundingly destroy any prospect of electoral reform for the next decade. Not that I'm bitter.
We're giving a resounding endorsement to a system developed in the early 1800s to make it easy for land owners to show their support for either the Prince of Wales' Whigs or the old King's Tories.
Fuck's sake.
I voted 'yes' to AV on the way to work. My parents weren't going to vote but I convinced them both to vote 'yes' as well for all the good it will do.
Maybe for once, someone will call me "Sir" without adding, "You're making a scene."
People who just plain won't vote,
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Yeah I really cannot see this going through. The no campaign has been far too successful in framing it as 'anti-democratic' or 'too confusing', not to mention the smear campaign linking it so closely with Nick Clegg and his own popularity. I'm not even particularly excited by AV itself compared to PR, but clearly a no victory is going to be spun as a 'should we keep the status quo?' referendum with the public apparently happy with they way things are. CASE CLOSED.
The 'one person one vote' thing is so disingenuous and patronising, but they have been able to get away with it. Saying it's 'unfair' is like saying that ANY election is unfair if your personal choice doesn't win. It's been a hateful campaign all round really, and the yes people just haven't been able to offset that.
I wish my twitter feed with all it's #yes2av votes and Tory and Daily Fail hating was representative of all of Britain.
Maybe for once, someone will call me "Sir" without adding, "You're making a scene."
Stockport voters sought after wrong ballot error
*sigh*More than 90 people have cast invalid votes after the wrong ballot papers were delivered to polling stations in Stockport.
Stockport Council said people in Heatons North had voted for candidates in Heatons South and vice versa, between 0700 and 0710 BST.
The mistake was discovered at 0710 BST and correct papers were delivered by 0900 BST, the local authority said.
The council said it was trying to reach people to ask them to vote again.
Maybe for once, someone will call me "Sir" without adding, "You're making a scene."
URGH. So frustrating.
Also, Question Time appears to be cunting on about OBL for a whole hour, and not anything immediately relevant to the London audience, like, for example, the fucking referendum. How distracting.
I'm watching QT and it's getting my blood all angered up. Paddy Ashdown is talking a lot of sense though.
Oooh, they've just moved onto referendum.
Maybe for once, someone will call me "Sir" without adding, "You're making a scene."
Right, I'll just watch a little bit of the election results. *not staying up until 3 like with last general election*
Maybe for once, someone will call me "Sir" without adding, "You're making a scene."
BNP given a good kicking again at least.
Griffin feels the Earth move...
Hanging on by a threadNick Griffin's take on the election is, like his political ideology, both clueless and tasteless. Speaking of his surprise at the popularity of the Green party - at what he feels is the BNP's expense - he has blamed a horrific catastrophe hundreds of miles away. He's tweeted: "Greens seem to be picking up more than usual. On back of Japanese earthquake I guess?"
BNP anger boils..The BNP has held on to one seat with Linda Cromie winning in Queensbury. There's probably little comfort for Griffin here as both Linda and Paul Cromie have twice discussed going Independent in recent years so I'm not sure how long he can rely on their support.
Sore loserGary Lucas, defeated BNP candidate in Knowsley always has an interesting comment or two to make on his facebook page. He's not let us down tonight/this morning either: "Ballot box [is] not the answer in this country any more" he writes angrily.
Hope not hate blogDefeated BNP candidate Dave Leese who stood (and lost) in Stoke has gone straight back to his facebook page and ungraciously admitted defeat.
"Maybe the people of Stoke will wake up when they have sharia law and ther homes have been given to immigrants.
Maybe for once, someone will call me "Sir" without adding, "You're making a scene."
Labour wins control of Bury after straws drawn to decide dead-heat in Ramsbottom
Ram Shambo would have been a much better way of deciding.The power struggle for Bury council was won by Labour in dramatic and historic fashion today after the party clinched the deciding seat - by drawing straws.
Three full recounts for the Ramsbottom seat produced a dead-heat and under electoral rules, the two leading candidates had the choice of tossing a coin or drawing lots to decide the victor.
Labour's Joanne Columbine drew the longest straw to win the seat ahead of Conservative Robert Hodkinson who until then was tied for votes. Castle Leisure Centre erupted with cheers from the winning party after the nailbiting climax.
The Ramsbottom victory left Labour with a one seat majority in Bury council chamber, after four years in the cold.
Maybe for once, someone will call me "Sir" without adding, "You're making a scene."
Guys these are all just distractions. The important thing is what Gillian Duffy thinks.