Police elections: use your vote!
Guest post by Pink Prosecco
The Police and Crime Commissioner elections: apathy aids extremism
Police and Crime Commissioner elections are due to be held on November. A very low turn out is expected: people don’t seem that interested or aware - unless, that is, you venture into the far right/nationalist corner of the blogosphere.
In several areas far right candidates are putting themselves forward for the post. In Bedfordshire, Kevin Carroll, co-founder of the EDL, is standing. English Democrat candidates are being put forward in Cambridgeshire, Essex and Kent. You can find more about the blandly named English Democrats here.
http://www.hopenothate.org.uk/hate-groups/edp/
As the AV system is being used I will, for the first time in my life, be voting (somewhere down the list) for a Conservative candidate. Find out who is standing in your area here
http://www.policeelections.com/forces/
- and use your vote!
Geoff Collier said,
October 10, 2012 at 8:47 pm
The Alternative Vote system is not being used for these elections. It’s the same system as in use in the London Mayoral elections, meaning that you are limited to first and second preferences. I suppose you could still feel the need to vote for a Tory though
Pink Prosecco said,
October 11, 2012 at 6:50 am
Apologies. That makes things more difficult, as voters will have to consider whether to vote tactically – and also work out what a tactical vote will be, as the constituencies are not the usual ones, I believe.
representingthemambo said,
October 11, 2012 at 7:42 pm
To be honest the voting system makes no difference, a Tory vote in any circumstances is the height of folly.
I think we need to reflect on what our priorities are. The EDL/BNP/ED etc are repugnant, but in the grander scheme of things they are mere irritants.
Who is it that has launched an all-out assault on the welfare state and is privatizing anything not nailed down to the floor? The BNP, or is it the Tories?
Who is more of a threat to working class people: the BNP or Tories?
Vote Labour and leave it at that.