Who Did I Vote For in the 2012 Local Elections

Well The local Elections are upon us today and I can declare that for the very first time in my life, since I became eligible to vote, I have NOT placed a cross on the ballot paper.

I did attend the voting station, I had an internal struggle with myself for about two minutes, I then folded the ballot paper and placed it in the box, without marking it!

There were four candidates on the ballot for South Ockendon, they are;

Barry Johnson
Conservative

David Paul Shirley
Liberal Democrats

Maggie O’Keeffe-Ray
UK Independence Party

Martin Christopher Kerin
Labour

One of the most striking things, for me has been the complete lack of electioneering by all of the candidates, where I live, or maybe they are just out and about when I am at work.  I visit Ockendon Market and Shops EVERY Saturday, without fail and even there I never came across any of the candidates out and about and engaging with the local populace, why is that, or is just that I am even more short sighted than I thought?

I have met Barry Johnson, once, during the last round of elections when he did turn up on my doorstep and we had a long conversation about a multitude of  issues and I was quite impressed with him, but he lost to a teenager from Labour Aaron Kiely, who as far as I was and am concerned was a complete waste of space and his head was so far up his ..... well never mind.  So, at least one good thing about this years election was that he didn't appear on the ballot paper. 

But, like the other three candidates Mr Johnson also displayed Scarlet Pimpernel like tendencies in that voters would seek them here and there, but never find them... not the best way to get people to vote for you....

Party literature through the letterbox.... In our house my wife doesn't deal with post, not something we have ever discussed, she picks it up from the floor and dumps it on my desk for me to deal with, even her own.  I don't mind, not really but it does irritate, slightly, that when picking up the stuff that has been pushed through the letterbox that she puts it all on my desk for me to sort, read, respond, bin or shred; even pamphlets and what is quite clearly crap such as pizza pamphlets and discount sale leaflets,  ISHBEL THESE GO STRAIGHT IN THE (RECYCLING) BIN for goodness sake woman....

So, if there was any electioneering literature IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ON MY DESK and I could at the very least have read these works of literary fantasy, but, the only one that found its way to me, and that was on TUESDAY OF THIS WEEK, was from the aforementioned Mr Nice Barry Johnson.  But, do you know what Barry, by then it was to late.  I didn't even read it.  If I had and I had questions would there have been enough time for us to enter into a debate, or would you have been to busy on the hustings, I have no idea but to my mind waiting two days before the polls open to put out something doesn't sit well with me, but I suppose at least you did, where the others seemingly did not......

So today has come and people up and down the country are having to make a decision, 'Will I vote' and if so, 'Who will I vote for and why?'

As I said, this is the first time I have not put a cross on the ballot. In one respect, I feel quite liberated.  In another I am full of disappointment!

I am disappointed that  I am living in a so called civilised 'democracy' where the people who want to be involved in politics, local and national, feel that they can do so little for me that I will continue to come back and vote for them, come what may.

I am disappointed that I am living in a civilised United Kingdom that Petty Politics and Prejudices and hurt, over things that happened hundreds of years ago  are leading to the break up of the UNITED KINGDOM

I am disappointed that I am living in a civilised United Kingdom that sees new FOOD BANKS opening up in every part of the Kingdom to help to feed the poor of our civilised country.

I am disappointed that I am living in a civilised United Kingdom where our Governments continue to sell of assets that should always remain in the public domain, such as utilities 

I am disappointed that our Government, the Coalition now AND Labour before them are dismantling our HEALTH SERVICE and selling it off to the highest bidders  

I am disappointed that the divide between the rich and the poor continues to grow and that those governing us will always be part of the former and therefore no matter what they say those at the poorer end of the spectrum will never see any relief to their plight.

I am disappointed that no one in politics seems to recognise or wants to admit that the days of mass employment are over. Technological advances in manufacturing and production have taken away the need for massive factories employing three shifts of workers round the clock, and so there will never be the jobs created to give all of the people of working age a job and so, the ranks of the poor will always increase - no one is saying that, why not? And why are we not now thinking of ways to make everyone equal in life as a result?

I am disappointed that the Coalition are still harping on about 'affordable housing' . If people haven't got jobs, affordable housing is a nonsense, social housing is needed now.

I could go on, but suffice to say  

I AM DISAPPOINTED 

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