Regarding all the recent letters concerning the defection of Audenshaw Labour Councillor Colin White to the Conservatives, I am amazed at the number of people who describe themselves as "lifetime Labour voter" or "always voted Conservative".
What is the point of having a vote, a choice, when that vote is just given to the same party all the time - regardless of who the candidate is? If a person votes for the same party in all elections, then is it really surprising that we can all end up disappointed with our elected representatives - and is it equally not surprising that many of our councillors and MPs think that they can do as they wish while in office and still expect to get away with it at election time?
I wonder if any of these voters ever actually bother to sit down and read election leaflets? Do any of these "Labour till I die" or "true Tories" ever stop to think that they are supposed to be electing an individual - not a party - to represent their area? If the only qualification, for such voters, is that the candidate should belong to a certain political party - without giving any thought for their character or reputation, their personal views or social morals - then I think it's quite easy to understand why our country is in the mess it's in? It also means that such voters deserve what they get!
Political parties may give themselves different colours, symbols and flags; but they are not supposed to be treated or followed like football teams - a vote is far too precious to be thrown away every time on the same political party - the real wasted vote is always the one that is made without any thought!
Carl Simmons
Denton South Independent
18th October 2013
Good points you raise here Carl, I mistakenly thought it'd be a reference to those that don't bother voting at all. Sadly, it's this way for most of my friends (in and beyond Tameside), I can say in advance who they will vote for regardless of what is said or done by 'their party'. I was guilty of the same a few years ago ... but have started switching to alternatives. If we could all become those precious 'swing' voters they all seek to win over, we might notice real progress.
ReplyDelete