fptp

[Nutsey]

People forget that the referendum is just half of the Bill. The other half is the boundary changes that will now happen. Impact of which can be seen here:

http://filestore.democraticaudit.com/fi ... ualise.pdf

[hubgearfreak]

Anyone that can't be bothered to vote can't complain about the result.

+1

[[XAP]Bob]

Anyone that can't be bothered to vote can't complain about the result.

+1

But I did vote, and wonder what the opinions (however weakly held) of those (a)pathetic 60% are.

If they even slightly favour AV (individually) then that should* carry more weight than 24% of the population being passionate (which I doubt they were)


Bob

* Should it?
I don't know - but I haven't heard a decent reason for voting FPTP yet...

[hubgearfreak]

then that should*

* Should it?

no it shouldn't. if they really can't be ar, i mean bothered, to walk, cycle or drive 400 yards to cast their vote, then they don't count....at the count

[Mick F]

....Anyone that can't be bothered to vote can't complain about the result.

What about taking the trouble to vote, and then complaining about the result?

I've done that all my voting life!

[hubgearfreak]

if you vote, then you've every right to moan later

[Nutsey]

Correct me if I'm wrong but as you are saying the green vote went down then Boris is naturally following this downward trend by not concentrating on green policies.

Personally, I don't think the Mayor of a city the size of London should EVER ignore green issues. I live outside the city, but on high ground and we can see the smog hanging over the city from miles away.

Not that Boris cares. So long as he can keep his chums happy driving their huge cars through the city at minimal cost he's not bothered that London keeps failing the EU's guidelines on pollution.

Jan

Isn't he the one who commutes by bicycle?

[Nutsey]

Democracy eh? - you give people the vote and look what they go and do with it

it's fine in theory, but the electorate needs to be informed. with 10 million of them reading the sun and the mail (and then mostly for celebrity gossip) we're doomed

[thirdcrank]

I passed the polling station on foot at least seven times on polling day. I made a decision not to vote. My main motivation was that no matter how they spin it, voteseekers are rattled by a low turnout. It's back to what I was said above about apathy / antipathy. Had there been an "abstain" section on the paper, I might have gone in and ticked it.

Some commentators are suggesting that the swing in Scotland to the SNP was a protest against Labour by people who would never vote tory in a million years. There's not really a credible equivalent in England.

PS: I reserve the right to continue grumbling, moaning, whingeing whatever you like to call it whenever it suits me. It makes no difference to the way we are governed, but it makes me feel a whole lot better.

[Nutsey]

voteseekers are rattled by a low turnout.

Not the conservatives. They do well from low turnouts. The urban/young/poor folk will disproportionally not turnout compared to the rural/old/wealthy as the turnout knob is turned downwards.

[jan19]

Isn't he the one who commutes by bicycle?

Indeed he does (allegedly). So does David Cameron, with his limosine carrying his clothes and official papers crawling along behind.

I've yet to see anything Boris has done for cycling in London (as I've said, the BorisBikes were Ken Livingstone's idea). The "Cycling Highways" don't contribute to cycling as far as I'm aware. My borough, which proudly boasts the highest proportion of cars per household in London is apparently a "cycling borough". When I asked my local councillors what, exactly this meant I heard....absolutely nothing.

These two gentlemen might choose to cycle themselves (making it as cosy as possible while they do so) but do precisely nothing for the rest of us.

Jan

[kwackers]

If we can't have AV there most definitely should be a "None of the above" (with optional rant box) option.

[Mick F]

I'd love to see a zero turnout.

That'd rattle 'em!

+1 for None of the Above.

[[XAP]Bob]

Isn't spoiling the ballot the traditional None Of The Above optiom

[Mick F]

Yes, true.

It would be nicer to have a box to tick. This would allow peoples' "None" vote to be counted and recorded too.