AT elections about half of those entitled to vote do not do so.

With all the broken electoral promises and MPs’ devious financial actions, it is very understandable that many people are disillusioned and consider that their vote does not count.

However it is worth pointing out that it took protest from 1815 to 1928 to wrest from the government the right for all the population to have a vote.

It is easy to use our democratic right to vote and at the same time show disdain for all the parties by spoiling the voting paper — put a line through all the candidates!

Would this make any difference?

If only a handful of people voted then candidates would still be elected and a government formed — that is democracy.

The new government would be delighted because it would know that only a very small minority cared about what it did, and it could do anything.

If, however, the mass of nonvoters went and spoiled their papers then the Government would get very worried, for not only did people care but they were also angry and any spark could set off protests, even riots.

Remember the poll tax protests and the fuel price refinery blockades?

So, we should use our hard-won democratic right to vote — for what suits us best.

FRANK TURNER
Warrington

 

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