With Euro and local elections coming up, it is tempting to not vote at all. But if we give up on democracy, the alternatives will prove much worse. So please do vote – for change.
My advice is, if you can find a candidate you know to be a good man, you should vote for him regardless of party.
For example, out of the whole country, in the Euro elections I would vote for Rupert Read in the Eastern Region of England. Rupert is an honest and hard working man with a passionate concern for the environment and for the quality of life in this country. He sees the need for a society not motivated solely by greed. He is that rare thing in modern politics – somebody who wants to serve, not to rule.
So look at who your candidates are, not what party they belong to. Give special consideration to whether you have an Independent candidate worth supporting, including some of the Jury Team. Remember people are more important than labels. I would, for example, vote for Bob Marshall Andrews or Malcolm Rifkind in any election given the chance. There are a few more of them in their parties.
Having said that, when it comes to party, this is my ranking of parties in order of preference:
1= SNP/Plaid Cymru
2 Lib Dems
3 Green
4 Respect/Solidarity/SSP
5 Libertas
6 Conservative
7 UKIP
8 Anyone Else
9= New Labour/BNP
I decided neither BNP nor New Labour deserved better than last place. The BNP is a racist party. New Labour is not, but then New Labour is a real and present danger to everybody’s civil liberties, of whatever race. When you think about it, that’s no better.
Yeah, right, vote Respect and vote for ant-semitism.
True to your lights, Mr Murray, true to your lights!
Kardinal,
You do talk extraordinary nonsense
Correct, no better, actually worse, New Labour 10th.
I’m voting green (or pirate party)
You’re right about Rupert – he really is an excellent candidate and there is an outside chance he’ll get in too (needs to do just a bit better than 2004, which is very doable!)
My view is that the EU is nothing more than a scam serving the interests of global corporations whose main interest is privatizing common goods, and removing democratic control over economies. So I’d vote for anyone or any party who/that will work towards its dissolution.
‘My view is that the EU is nothing more than a scam serving the interests of global corporations whose main interest is privatizing common goods, and removing democratic control over economies. So I’d vote for anyone or any party who/that will work towards its dissolution.’
Pretty much true. We need to escape quickly. Also, if we pull out Blair won’t be our President. Worth leaving just for that. Just the rest of the poor sods left will hsve to put up with him. We’ll probably end up being invaded under Blair’s orders for being terrorists. Disappointed to see Craig list the Tories over UKIP!
Agree with last two comments. Withdrawal from EU is top priority. Only UKIP and BNP offer that policy. So UKIP it is I’m afraid.
‘My advice is, if you can find a candidate you know to be a good man, you should vote for him regardless of party.’
You’re a bit behind the times Craig. Women have been allowed to stand for parliament since 1918.
sorry to post this here, I like to share this story with you.
Al-Libi who was turtured to confess a link between Saddam and Alqaida has died, in Libya, they said he committed suicide.
Reading the HRW report, it appears he was ready to confess to any thing but his interrogators wanted a good story.
In the end they put him in a small box 50cm x 50cm for 17 hours, and when they took him out he came up with a story that they accepted, and was used by Powell at the UN.
http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2009/05/11/libyaus-investigate-death-former-cia-prisoner
I also read the CIA report, it says he couldn’t create a story about Biological weapons because he didn’t know what the word biological means>
You can find this on page 79-81 in the following Senate report
http://www.intelligence.senate.gov/phaseiiaccuracy.pdf
I’m in agreement with those here who feel our country’s right to self-determination is now paramount. This leaves me with depressingly few options, but not so few as to consider voting BNP.
It’d be nice to hear Craig’s reasoning for placing UKIP so near the bottom of the pile. My ears are open . . . .
“Al-Libi who was turtured to confess a link between Saddam and Alqaida has died, in Libya, they said he committed suicide.”–abualshawareb
I posted a link to that news on the ‘Hypocrisy of Tory Bloggers’ thread, but I’m afraid I didn’t explain adequately what it was. It sickens me that those who concocted and carried out this torture are walking free and the world (in general) doesn’t seem to care. AND it was done by the country that claims to “lead the world”. Right.
Tom Friedman in the NYT noted, “more than 100 detainees died in U.S. custody in Iraq and Afghanistan, with up to 27 of those declared homicides by the military. They were allegedly kicked to death, shot, suffocated or drowned.”
Is there uproar in the US? Is there uproar in the British media? This stinks to high heaven.
Sorry for the off-topic.
Forgot to mention: I WON’T be voting for Libertas.
Ganley has links to defense contracts and the US Dept of Homeland Security.
Not the best link, perhaps, but there is info about Ganley’s company here:
http://peoplekorps.blogspot.com/2009/04/declan-ganleys-rivada-pacific-contracts.html
“Fed Contracts awarded without competition to DECLAN GANLEY’s RIVADA PACIFIC”
This is going to be a very confusing election for some people:
http://photopol.blogspot.com/2009/05/this-poster-caught-my-eye-other-day.html
Uh, I think you’ll find that New Labour is indeed racist. Quite apart from the fact that it’s done nothing to halt the unwarranted targeting (harassment?) of black/Asian young people by police for sus-type searches, white people (particularly the much despised middle-class) have been under heavy attack generally ever since NuLab came to power.
Did you forget about the Scottish Socialist Party, Craig?
I hope the SSP was not intended by you to be included in the ‘Anyone Else’ category.
You and readers here may be interested in this.
http://www.makegreedhistory.org/
All the best
Respect Craig, for putting Nu Labor on the same line as the BNP. I’m not feeling well this morning, but reading that cheered me up.
Thankfully being a non-resident I don’t in any way feel compelled to vote. In fact I’m thinking of revoking my passport and becoming Dutch, if I can face the paper work.
> Im considering voting BNP
– What? There ‘philosophy’ is obnoxious, and if they get into power they will discriminate against huge sections of the citizenry in the UK.
> Yeah, your right. I should vote for one of the other parties instead.
So you rank Labour with the BNP? What a fool you are. I don’t think you can really mean what you say. No one will take you seriously if you make such stupid statements Craig. Sacked by the FCO, your taxpayers’ money (6 years salary!) running out, you must still be a very bitter man. Get over it and get serious.
Frank
I am in favour of the EU in general. Many things it does very wrong, but it has good potential. Internationalism is a key part of my political philosophy. Nuch in the EU has been heading in the wrong direction, but the boon to individual freedom to travel and settle and interact including but by no means only in trade, has been a great boon to civilisation.
At the minute I still think the benefits outweigh the minuses. If they make Blair President I will be proved wrong.
Denise
Scottish Socialist Party is interesting – the Left had its biggest electoral breakthrough in a century with the SSP. Then the mad feminists ruined it by turning on Tommy Sheridan for messing about in a jacuzzi, which on the scale of global sins was pretty low. To be honest, I can’t remember which splinter is which. And I think SWP plotting and puupet-mastering is entirely unhelpful. I have added SSP on with Solidarity.
Dreoilin
Thanks. Useful info. They are still in the right place I think tough – the Tories have even more of such links!
Tea Junkie
No wonder we lost the Empire!
Sam
Very good point.
Eddie
New Labour have:
– Ended habeas corpus
– Reinstated information from torture as public policy
– Introduced 42 new reasons the police can enter your home without a warrant
– Arrested an opposition MP for the first time since 1812
– Introduced 37 new restictions on the right to protest
– Launched a major illegal war on a pretext of lies
Yes I rank them with the BNP.
Seriously. Others may wish to add to this list.
Hmm, Rupert…. I have known Rupert for a few years, he is committed but his record is a blank. He came to the Green Party very late and he proceeded to campaign for the Greens and got himself elected under the auspice of Adrian Ramsay. He’s not a crook, he’s a philosophy academic with lots of ideals.
I will not vote for him, not even as an ex candidate for that party, because of the takeover of the party by centralists who did not understand what a philosophical basis really meant, ie. decentralisation of power. Then there was the shabby way their Brighton lead candidate was pushed aside by caroline Lucas. She was already an MEP, he had build up the ward for decades, now she’s inspired to take the Brighton seat as well next to her MEP’s seat.
So I will be voting Independent
“the boon to individual freedom to travel and settle and interact”
Is this the main benefit of the EU? Seems rather paltry compared with the profoundly undemocratic, autocratic and disempowering nature of the EU agenda.
Odd that Craig should put the SNP and Plaid Cymru at the top of his list but puts a party seeking independence from the dictatorial monstronsity that is the EU near the bottom.
‘Frank
I am in favour of the EU in general. Many things it does very wrong, but it has good potential. Internationalism is a key part of my political philosophy. Nuch in the EU has been heading in the wrong direction, but the boon to individual freedom to travel and settle and interact including but by no means only in trade, has been a great boon to civilisation.
At the minute I still think the benefits outweigh the minuses. If they make Blair President I will be proved wrong.’
The EU is a great idea, I love the idea, but it just can’t work. There is too much of a disconnect between the European population and this institution. Corruption is rife and there is a lack of transparency. We will turn into another U.S.A.! Add to that the spectre of further globalisation, which I do believe will happen if unopposed, and it is quite scary. World democracy depends on self-determining nation states. It’s just too risky conducting larger experiments. Where would one seek refuge in the NWO? Do you not believe in the NWO agenda Craig? My view is we will slowly, but oh so surely, see Blair reintroduced to us in the mass media. It’s all part of the conditioning process. He is strong favourite to be EU President, subject to the Irish referendum of course. I’m not sure what will happen if they vote no. Probably some sort of fudge. Europe needs to go back to the E.E.C. pronto before it is too late.
No, I think international law and international institutions are potentially a great defence against the New World order and New American Century. So I support the EU, UN, ICC etc.
The EU, UN and ICC are part of the NWO, not a defence against it.
Craig. Internationalism (whatever that actually means) is garnish for neoloberal corporate globalisation. They used to say the Internet is benefit of globalisation.
Internationalism (which certainly isn’t dependent on the EU for success) is a sprig of mint atop a poo sandwich.
First and foremost, I have a lot of respect for you and think you are very brave. I’m sure you want to hear opinions and be criticised though. though. If we are struggling with democracy on our small island, then what hope those massive institutions pulling through for us? And if we lose the power to pull out and these institutions do become corrupted beyond repair the results could be catastrophic. The EU will soon become a totality and we will be plugged right in. Concentrated and unchecked power is the enemy of humanity. I think your view is blinkered by high ideals. I am very idealistic too, but you have to temper idealism with realism. The dynamics of power and corruption will flourish in larger institutions. Pinning your hopes on the I.C.C. and U.N. etc. is wishful thinking. Time will tell.
I am somewhat inclined to agree with Eddie regarding the suggestion that the BNP and New Labour are morally equivalent, although as usual his scorn is over the top. But in Craig’s defence, it is true that we are not nearly as horrified by the dismantling of our precious liberties as we should be. And given the criminality of our recent wars, perhaps it would be fairer if some of the BNP’s opprobrium in the media spotlight was transferred to our damned incumbent.
I am intruiged about the Jury Team idea and have assessed their representatives for my area (West Midlands). And my findings are not encouraging – little sign of political principles, a worrying level of reactionary appeal to tabloid voters, and badly edited candidate profiles. I recognise some here will have different views to mine but I offer the following out of interest:
Geoffrey Coady
– military focus
+ decent pensions
+ fighting corruption
Graham Burton
– policies well-meaning but vague
– poor spelling and not fully literate
Jeremy Spencer
+ permaculture
– “I support multi-racism and not recognise multiculturalism” (uh-oh)
– “Uncontrolled immigration must come to an immediate stop” (uh-oh again)
Kevin Sills
– military focus
– penalty for those who opt for non-military national service
– poor spelling again
+ well-meaning “honesty law” for EU politicians
+ renewable energy
– criticises “open-door on immigration” – bad sign?
David Bennett
– right-wing punitive sentencing
+ environment
* criticises public sector waste (doesn’t everyone say that?)
– “violently” opposed to deceit, lies, fraud and corruption (!)
Colin Thompson
+ regional representation
+ green issues
+ fighting anti-environmental power companies
* rebalance cost incentives to use public transport (unclear how)
I like the idea of giving political power to the non-political class in theory. But in practise, and without their having a decent grounding in political theory or principle, I wonder if it is wise? There was very little about foreign policy too, which seems strange.