The Importance of Voting

This blog generally focuses on fun stuff – trivia, pop culture, anything that comes to mind – but today I’d just like to take a moment to discuss the outcome of the European elections. Living in the North West of England, I woke up this morning to the news that Nick Griffin, the leader of the far-right British National Party, had won a seat in the European Parliament representing the North West. I'm not going to repeat the same stuff you've probably held elsewhere already, just offer a few thoughts.

I’m sad and angry at the fact that, on the same weekend that we commemorated those who died fighting the Nazis in the D-Day landings 65 years ago, that so many people would insult their memory by voting for a fascist party - 132,094 of them to be precise. I suspect there’s little point in trying to reason with them, if you’re predisposed to vote for the BNP you’re likely to be racist, stupid or rather naïve, and probably all three. However, this result was not quite as simple as the BNP gaining ground in terms of numbers – however they may like to dress it up. They increased their share of the vote from the 2004 elections, but in real terms, the number of people voting for them went down. So, how did they win a seat?

The latest European elections saw a substantial growth in small, fringe parties competing for voters’ attention at the ballot box. English Democrats, No2Eu, Socialist Labour Party, the Christian Party-Christian People’s Alliance and the Jury Team, to name a few of the higher profile ones. In some cases, these parties were, and indeed are, opposed to the BNP and its values – but by campaigning as entities in their own right when they had little or no realistic prospect of gaining seats, and drawing voters away from more mainstream and established parties, they have helped to bring about this sorry state of affairs.

 

It doesn’t help, of course, that many people didn’t bother voting at all – either due to apathy, disillusionment or anger with our own MPs over expenses, or in one person I encountered last week, because they ‘didn’t believe in Europe’. Well, whether one believes in it or not, staying at home does nothing for the political process, and merely guarantees your voice won’t be heard. It’s a wasted vote, and every vote wasted allows parties like the BNP to thrive.

 

So, I’d ask anyone reading this – next time there’s an election, please don’t waste your vote. Don’t back an outsider simply because you feel disillusioned with the mainstream parties. Politics should be about compromise, and finding the best practical solution to a problem. Read up on what the different parties stand for, and back the credible contender that best suits you. But more importantly, please just get out there and vote if you too want to stop the BNP setting the agenda in British politics.

 

Finally, a quick plug for the fine work done by the folks at Hope Not Hate. They're working hard to counteract the BNP's lies and propaganda, and good luck to them.