It's that time again, politicians from left and right are
out pounding the pavements across the country looking for people to vote for
them. The 2015 general election campaign looks like it will be the closest
election in decades. Either Labour or the Conservatives could win it and the
Liberal Democrats, or the SNP are likely to be the kingmakers.
The political marketplace is now more crowded than it has
ever been and yet millions of people at this election will not even bother to
vote. Not to mention the fact that hundreds of thousands may not have even
bothered to register to vote, many of which will be students. I think this is
nothing less than a national tragedy. Our democracy is so important and yet
millions are disengaged from it.
Politicians from all parties must of course take some of the
blame for the level of political disengagement. Trust in politics is at an
all-time low and parties across the spectrum lack distinctive positive visions.
Not to mention the fact that many politicians come from privileged social
backgrounds that often seem alien to most voters. Despite this fact there are
more viable choices to vote for than ever before.
One hundred years ago not a single woman or a single poor
person of either gender had the right to vote and we are still one of the
significant minority of countries that have a genuine democracy that is free
and fair. We cannot take our democracy for granted we must use our voting
rights and always seek to improve and reform our democracy.
Beyond all other things democracy embodies political
equality. It is the only true and absolute equality that we have. Everyone
regardless of wealth, race, gender, class, ability/disability, age and sexual
orientation has just one vote. Regardless of whether you are a banker or use a
food bank you have just one vote. Regardless of whether you are the Prime
Minister or an ordinary person you have just one vote.
British democracy has faced many threats. We achieved
universal democracy in the aftermath of the First World War, but our
grandparents soon had to fight to defend it against the Nazis in the Second
World War. For the five decades that followed, Britain faced an equally big
threat to our democracy coming from communism and the Soviet Union.
History has shown us the tireless work of campaigners around
the world to achieve democracy; from George Washington to Martin Luther King,
from Emmeline Pankhurst to Aung San Suu Kyi, from Mahatma Gandhi to Nelson Mandela.
All of these political campaigners had to fight against those who were prepared
to deny them their fundamental democratic rights. Such people didn't struggle
to achieve our democratic rights just so they could be squandered by apathy.
Over the next five weeks engage with the political parties
and take the opportunity to use your fundamental democratic rights. No one will
ever listen to your voice if you are not prepared to use it. Of course there is
the feeling that people have been ignored by politicians; so for goodness sake MAKE
THEM LISTEN TO YOU!!! Don't be passive and apathetic, MAKE
YOUR VOICE COUNT!!! Use the democratic rights that your
great-grandmothers chained themselves to Parliament to achieve; and your
grandfathers fought a world war to defend. Don't take democracy for granted,
because in many parts of the world it does not exist. People from Hong Kong to
Cairo are campaigning for democracy today. Even in this so-called advanced
democracy; true democracy is less than 100 years old.
There is such a wide range of political parties out there.
The Conservatives have pledged to tackle the deficit with
spending cuts and tax cuts.
Labour aims to strengthen social fairness and improve living
standards.
The Liberal Democrats are the only party with a commitment
to fill the £8 billion funding gap in the NHS, also they have radical plans to
ensure civil liberties and political reform.
UKIP want Britain to leave the European Union and stop
immigration.
The Green Party wants to stop climate change and
renationalise the railways.
The Scottish National Party want to make Scotland an
independent country.
These are just the core issues that define the leading
parties, they have many more policies as well.
On May 7th ensure your political citizenship
by casting a vote. And if you really can't bring yourself to vote for any
party, then you should consider standing as an independent. If no-one is
prepared to listen to you, then you make them listen to you through campaigning
and persuading people. Democracy has the power to radically change things.
Apathy is not an option and frankly it is an insult to all those around the world who struggle
for democracy. OUR DEMOCRACY WILL ONLY REMAIN
VIABLE IF PEOPLE LIKE YOU BOTHER TO VOTE!!!
