Previously On VentSpleen.... Election Special

It's Bank Holiday Monday but deep in the bowels of Operation Let's Get Our Idiot Elected things have never been busier...


Of late, I have been ranting a lot about politics, bankers and lies as we role like an unstoppable llama towards Polling Day on Thursday. Reading through the articles that we have written it has occurred to me that there is a lot of conflicting remarks and, to be honest, I've confused myself. So Zarkwaan only knows how you lot must be feeling. Confusion and hypocrisy seem to be two words that are linked inextricably with politics and politicians. One minute we are championing Cameron (I didn't ever do this) and his shiny, slightly "face looking like its been whacked with a spade" sort of politics, the next he is Satan himself and must be taken down like the bad guy in a Ray Winston film. We are a hard bunch to please, us British, there certainly seems to be an element of the grass is greener about the way we vote. Those who are more historically minded amongst us will have noted that the Conservative vs Labour tussle has always been like this. Labour, red in tooth and kinship to the Unions means that it will always attempt to romance the working mans vote whilst also welcoming the swing voter. Conservatives, blue in blood and coldness will always opt for the comfortable and wealthy land owner vote and their modus operandi of an Election Day is to scaremonger the undecided with talk of strikes, over spend and Union power. Both their views have a base in truth and whilst they are always stretched to extreme they will, I am sure, garner votes for the cause.

Political Parties lie and they lie a lot when there future is at risk. The current ruling party will cover up past sins whilst boasting about victories and will fear a reduced MP return as much as losing power. Osbourne has been especially busy with a glossing over of the monumental failure with the economy and an ignorance of the desperation inflicted on starving communities. Here to is a party that ignores the introduction of the Bedroom Tax, it is no exaggeration to say that this cynical raid on the public piggy banks killed people, whilst it failed to close tax loop holes for the biggest multinationals. It is also seen an increase in the out of work and the long term unemployed, I don't care what they say the figures say, the statistical goal posts have been moved so many times there are more holes in the pitch than in a colander. The Conservatives only hope is that apathy wins the day and people just don't bother to vote. If we see an increase in the voting turnout this will spell a disaster of apocalyptic proportions for the Tories. It will mean that people are angry and want an end to the strangle hold that is throttling the life out of our country.

I have also talked about manifesto lies and that there is no point in reading them as the chances of a victorious party fulfilling them is about as likely as Milliband using Elton John's I'm Still Standing as his anthem. I refer to the Labour Leader's stumble on the recent televised debate. What? you haven't seen it? well have a look at this:



Ma colleague, steven harris, has written a tremendous article on Marxist opinion and Capitalism (read here) and together we have lambasted our political system for the laughable pretence of democracy that it is. I suggested that we needed to see a change of electoral voting system as the current First Past The Post system only benefits Labour and Conservative parties. Whilst this would mean a further fragmentation of the vote and an increase in smaller parties within Westminster, it would also mean that our country was represented fairly and that the wasted vote would be a non issue. 

Labour seems to have financed its entire political agenda on two impossible to achieve fund boosters. Namely, by tax hikes for the well off and for a closure of corporate loop hole which will see classic tax dodgers like HSBC paying up. I don't know what shower Balls and Millbland came down on but if they seriously think this will happen then they are not fit to lead the country. The only certainty in this Election seems to be that Sturgeon's Scottish National Party will take all of the seats in Scotland. Sturgeon, who took over from Salmon... hang on... why is Scottish politics so fishy? Is that a coincidence? Salmon, Sturgeon? Anyway, she has the eyes of a shark, cold and lifeless except when she smells blood, and now I am humming the Jaws theme. With Nick Clegg's ill advised coalition bed hop with the Tories having wiped out any credibility the Liberal Democrats had, we can expect to see a distinct lack of yellow splashing across our not green and unpleasant land. 

For the bipartisan voter though, this is the most exciting election in living memory. There are no safe seats and nothing can be taken for granted. With the news filtering through that the major parties are preparing for a second general election within months of the first (Labour and Conservative Poll results are not showing a winner) it looks like we are about to take another lesson in why our system doesn't work and why it needs to be changed. 

My final comment with this article? As ever, if you care and if you want to give voice to your frustration or passionate support then get off your back side and vote. It is only in the last 100 years that the right to vote was extended to all of voting age. By refusing to register you insult the memory of those whose very blood was spilt. Don't be ignorant and don't follow sheep like but form your own opinions and shout about them!

David Martin is a firm believer in wider reading but also spends his time watching horror films and going to the theatre. He has been known to venture outside but prefers worlds he can imagine. Follow him on Twitter at @ventspleen2014