(Some) power to the people
Thanks for playing my bespoke version of Would I Lie To You? yesterday. One or two people were pretty much bang on; others quite a long way off; some totally wrong. I’ll sort the ‘true’ from the ‘lies’ some time next week. Also next week, we’ll return to the game where I try to make wishes come true. And I’ll reveal how the winners of copies of my book can claim their prizes. Various other things will happen next week, too, notably a General Election.
You may well have watched the election debates and other shows like Question Time where people try to talk over each other; maybe you’ve read election coverage in the paper; maybe you’ve even had a tired-looking MP visit your home, and listened patiently as they explained that they were ‘the party of fairness’ and would ‘change’ everything, unless they were from Labour, in which case they would avoid changing things, except the things which needed changing. If you’re on Twitter, you will also have been privy to me and numerous other comedians endlessly banging on about the three-way showdown which looms. What with this, and the barrage of posters of a shiny-looking Cameron, the pamphlets that come through your letterbox, and everything else, you might easily develop Election Fatigue in the next few days. Don’t be put off voting. It’s important that we all take part in deciding how the country’s run. There, I’ve said the sensible things you would expect from someone who’s been on ‘Newsnight’.
However, here’s a Devil’s Advocate position.
Whoever gets in, Britain is going to be in pretty much the same position in three years’ time as it is now.
This is partly because, essentially, running the country is impossible. There are so many conflicting interests to balance that no matter what you do, some things will go well and other things will go badly. Whatever people promise before they’re elected, once they HAVE been elected they always behave in a certain way. I’m not saying politicians are corrupt, or liars (some, maybe, but not on the whole). It’s just that if you’re Prime Minister, you have to stay onside with the Bank of England, various foreign presidents, the City, the unions who control things like the NHS, and of course all the people who voted for you. To do this, governments compromise themselves into the ground. The whole business of being in charge of the country is an exercise in trying to please all the people, all of the time. I’m a person who has tried to do that quite consistently in my life so far, and I can tell you, you end up quite tired and disillusioned and playing to a half-empty room in Sheffield.
The other problem is, politics is like anything else: people tend to dislike whoever’s in charge, and back whoever says they can do better, and then dislike THEM, and so on. In the seventies people got disillusioned with the Tories and voted Labour in. Then they grew tired of Labour and voted in Thatcher’s Tories all over again. By the mid-nineties people were acting like Thatcher was the devil, the Tories would never govern again, and the New Labour Revolution began. Now, 13 years on – it doesn’t seem all that long to me – people are out of love with Labour and we’re seriously thinking about having a Conservative government once more. I realise this is how politics works – well, it’s how everything works, it’s just fashion - but it does make you feel a bit weary to think of our country constantly going ‘ah, not them… THEM. Ah, no, hang on – THEM. Actually no, what about THEM’ through the ages, like a doddery old man who can’t decide which of his sons is the favourite and which is the black sheep. You just know that if Cameron becomes PM, in five years Labour will be talking about ‘change’ and a ‘fresh start’ and ‘the waste of the past five years’. And then they’ll get back in and the Tories will want ‘change’ and so on and so on forever. And in the meantime most normal people will be about as well off or badly off as ever; hospitals and schools will work about as well as they ever did; crime will always be there. All this politics won’t have changed anything.
BUT. Let’s now be… whatever the opposite of the Devil’s Advocate is. The Devil”s Prosecutor. The sudden emergence of the Lib Dems as a third party, and all the talk about electoral reform they’ve brought on, and the prospect of a hung parliament and a coalition government, does genuinely mean that we could see politics changed by this election. This is probably the first election where what we do COULD actually lead to some big changes. At the very least it’s going to be the closest one since the seventies. And close results are always fun. So, yes, however dumb it sometimes seems, it is definitely worth voting for someone, whoever it is, on Thursday. Phew. Carry on as you were.
PS Some of you are too young to vote, I realise. But you can still watch it on TV. Or steal a voting card.
Posted by Knox on May 13, 2011
(ok, so this is the last one) – reading this a year after the elections, it’s depressing to think back to how much hope, no matter how cautious, there was around this idea of the lib dems actually being in with a chance to bring in change. could it possibly have turned out to be more nightmarish (probably including for Nick Clegg, who’s probably now wishing the lib dems back into obscurity, back when not everybody hated him with a passion…)
Posted by Dean on May 3, 2010
To offer a counter-point: yes, Mark is right that on a large scale, what happens in this country will likely be the same regardless of who gets in. At least over the next five years. Brown keeps banging on about how his policies will help us avoid a “double-dip” recession. Yeah. You know how best we avoid a double-dip recession? By making sure America doesn’t have a double-dip recession. It’s a bloody worldwide depression, and on that scale, we barely register.
Likewise, we’ll never eradicate crime or poverty by choosing the right party. It requires a much broader change in perspective.
But with all that said, remember that the national crime and poverty statistics also don’t effect us in our day-to-day lives. There’s a small knock-on effect, especially with things like the recession, but these big issue rarely effect us directly.
Instead, it’s the small things that we’ll notice. I can guarantee that each and every (UK) reader of this blog will find their lives affected directly by the result of this week’s election. There will be at least one thing that will happen that, when we sit and think about it, we’ll know would have been different under a different government.
Little things. The Tories want to make ‘efficiency savings’. Wonderful. Until we realise that all our free museums and heritage sites are ‘inefficient’. It’s those sort of things. Stuff you take for granted and don’t think about. Stuff that won’t get discussed in the campaign. That’s what we’ll lose.
Posted by Carey on May 2, 2010
I am actually quite stressed about this election. Despite my vote only being one vote it is important to me to make an informed choice. I am disgusted by the amount of people I see both featured in the media and in everyday life who come out with things like, ‘well he’s better looking so I’ll vote for him.’ It’s quite shocking.
I also get very frustrated with voting stereotypes, for example as a woman I will clearly be making my choice based on childcare policy, who is better looking, whose wife has better dress sense and what kind of biscuit they like to eat. The only thing in that list that is remotely important to anyone is childcare and that is not just important to women. I hate the fact that in terms of voting all my autonomy is forcibly subjugated to my uterus.
Thank you, rant over. Carry on Citizen.
Posted by Ben on May 2, 2010
I came here to say things, but Jackiec has said it all already, and much better. So instead of reading this, scroll down and read hers again.
Posted by helen (@iamanicelady) on May 2, 2010
I have voted already via postal vote, which really lacks the excitement of going to a polling station. I’m a bit miffed to be out the country and not able to watch the election night coverage, France aren’t really covering the election very closely, the only foreign politics they really bother with is the US. Recent French elections were exciting though, 11 different parties from National Front to Workers’ Rights, Communist Party and “The Extreme Greens” – now THAT’S an election.
Posted by Rachael on May 2, 2010
(Ray) I meant to make sure I differentiate myself from other Rachael so will try to do this from now on. It really annoys me when people say there is no point in voting, it is the public apathy that allows politicians to continue to ignore us and do what they want. imagine their surprise if it was a 90% (or even 100%) turnout this year, it would be great to think all those people who care enough to bitch on and on about the state of Britain would actually VOTE. Also since we are still pushing democracy down the throat of Afghanistan and Iraq then we should have a taste of our own medicine as it were. I will be voting, as I have done every election since I turned 18. I have also decided to plan my emigration if the Tories win. I just cannot face the thought.
Posted by LisaD on May 2, 2010
I used to be a bit apathetic about voting (raging enthusiasm the first time I voted for Bill Clinton was replaced with almost as intense disappointment not long after.) but in college I started reading more about the Suffrage Movement and then I felt pretty silly. Women got arrested, beat up, thrown in jail, trampled by police horses and for what? So brats like me could whine about how it doesn’t matter anyway?
A close race is pretty exciting, though every now and then I still get Bush VS Gore flashbacks and need to lie down for a couple of hours. I’m genuinely jealous that you guys have a proper 3 way race going. I keep hoping that all the unrest within the Democrat and Republican parties will cause an actual schism, but they’re all too power hungry to risk losing even a tiny drop.
Posted by Jackiec on May 2, 2010
Okay, am going to try not to bang on about this, but have to get it off my chest:
A vote cannot be wasted unless you don’t vote. All are counted and if everyone who says ‘our seat is XXX so my vote won’t matter’ actually voted maybe the seat wouldn’t be so ‘safe’.
Also, every year a whole load of new people become old enough to vote, many of you here. People without prejudice or bias. As Mark said this is going to be close, really close and so every vote matters – don’t waste yours! You never know, if we all pull together, maybe we really can make change happen, even possibly change for the better!
Posted by Alf on May 2, 2010
I don’t have any great political insights to offer, but I can tell anyone who’s interested that the opposite of Devil’s Advocate is in fact God’s Advocate (or “Promoter of the Cause” if one’s feeling formal, but if one is feeling that formal, Devil’s Advocate becomes “Promoter of the Faith”, and that’s somewhat less well established in popular phraseology). The terminology is derived from what used to be the Roman Catholic church’s official procedure to canonise people. Political insight, no; mildly dull trivia, yes. I know my limits.
Posted by EllieCat on May 2, 2010
I’m ashamed to say I rarely vote. There’s that old joke that whoever you vote for, the government always gets in.
The members of our household have discussed voting Liberal, not because we especially believe in their policies, but as a bit of a jolly wheeze.
But it might be amusing in the same way as putting roller skates on a pig might be amusing. It would be fun to watch it flailing uncontrollably for a while, but then it might actually start causing some damage.
.
Posted by Matt on May 1, 2010
And what’s wrong with Sheffield?
Posted by lisa brunders on May 1, 2010
I wasn’t going to bother voting. I’m in a “safe seat” constituency, but you’re right I should. It’s not that long really that women weren’t allowed to vote. So I will.
Posted by Rachael on May 1, 2010
I am already there, thanks to the postal vote. Here’s hoping they don’t all change their manifesto’s before thursday.
Posted by Lynsey on May 1, 2010
By the way, congrats on your inclusion in that Times influential blogs list thing.
Posted by Lynsey on May 1, 2010
Another excellent blog post Mark. I’ve voted in nearly every election since I became eligible and I think that no matter how bored you are of all this election stuff, it’s better to use your vote than not use it at all. Besides voter apathy can allow someone who you really don’t want to see elected the chance of gaining some power. I do think there should be a “none of the above” option on the ballot papers though, as I think those who choose not to vote would do if that was included. Plus it would be much nicer than spoiling the ballot paper.
Posted by Emmy on May 1, 2010
And by home I mean London.
Posted by Emmy on May 1, 2010
Thanks to my dual citizenship, I’m all signed up to vote. But I can’t. Because I’m flying back home on May 6th. What terrible timing.
Posted by Spencer on May 1, 2010
Good work on getting in the Times top 40 blogs. You’re the only blogger I’ve ever read avidly so in my eyes you bloody deserve the recognition! Today’s blog is absolute quality.
Posted by DeborahF on May 1, 2010
Sorry that should be “hell of a job” – darn predictive text
Posted by Iona on May 1, 2010
It’s annoying that I can’t yet vote (I’m 16) but I have developed an interest on politics and all my friends are now also interested in politics this election so if anyone says “young people” dong care about politics, they’re wrong.
However, at our school we’re voting for prefects on the same day as the general election so I’ll definitely get to vote in something!
Posted by DeborahF on May 1, 2010
I’ve had election fatigue pretty much since the election date was announced but then I’m really not into politics. I’m old enough to remember Maggie Thatcher being in power – 15% interest rates was ok with me then as I didn’t have a mortgage – can’t say I’d be so keen now.
My ideal prime minister wouldn’t treat us like idiots and be honest with the country even if the messages are hard to hear. Let’s face it our economy is up ‘shit creek without a paddle’ and whoever gets in will have a he’ll of a job on their hands and will probably be voted out at the next election because we’ll hate what they have to do to get the country straight again. So good luck to them.
However, this morning I posted my postal vote so I’ve already had my say
Posted by Misha on May 1, 2010
I can actually vote.
Just.
It’s an exciting time to be a first time voter.
Posted by Sam on May 1, 2010
For those who don’t know how to vote: http://voteforpolicies.org.uk/
On there you click the areas of politics you are interested in, it shows you condensed manifesto points from the top 8 parties. But it shows them anonymously, so you click the ones you agree with and it tells you at the end who you should vote for based on policies.
Also how your vote counts, visit: http://www.voterpower.org.uk/
If you put in your postcode it tells you how important your consituency is, and how much therefore your vote counts.
Posted by Corey on May 1, 2010
I think if you have the vote you should use it. I know they all seem the same and Mark’s right, we’ll probably all be pretty much in the same position in 5 years time…but even if you can’t decide who to vote for, go and spoil your ballot paper, show up and be thankful for the fact that we live in a democracy where we all have a say no matter how small it may seem.
Posted by Anji on May 1, 2010
I don’t know about the whole thing. I do know it has generated an awful lot of paper waste! How many leaflets do we need thru the door.
I will vote, I have promised myself that, but I still don’t know aboutthe whole thing.
Posted by Maddie on May 1, 2010
I have too much to say on this, so in a nutshell; Hooray for voting! Also, if you don’t know who to vote for, write that on your ballot and post it – they get counted
Posted by Tom Beasley on May 1, 2010
As a 15 year old, this is the first time I’ve really been old enough to take any interest at all in an election. For the last year or so, I have developing strong political views (I’d define myself as a Lib Dem, even before it became popular to be one). I have loved the TV debates and it has got a whole raft of younger voters and even adults into politics. I plan to go and do an election blog now, so keep an eye on http://www.tombeasley.uni.cc/
Posted by Cathy on May 1, 2010
I’m a first-time voter, and on Thursday I’m going to London! I’ve never been to London before!!! (By the way, I live in Sheffield and will endeavour to make sure you never play to a half-empty hall again.) But apparently it will be the most boring day of the year to be in London… Anyone know of anything interesting going on near Westminster around 1pm by any chance?
Thanks for explaining the political system so well! I remember threatening to stay up late for the election results when I was about nine and being told by my mum that there was no point ‘cos Labour would win… this time, no-one knows and I’m old enough to stay up, so it’s going to be exciting!
Having said that, my area’s been Labour since 1909 so my vote probably won’t make much difference, whichever way I vote…
Posted by Sam on May 1, 2010
Sometimes you have the seeds of change, however change takes time, and people aren’t patient enough to see things through is one problem. Results need to be now, and if they aren’t then it hasn’t worked.
Another one is the showbuisness aspect of Politics. Politicians don’t tend to be seen as principled as they are constantly playing the popularity game with every second of their existence being scrutinised by the 24 hour news cycle, so they must always be pleasing everyone, which gives them no room for ideals or principles.
This is systemic of how people engage with politics, it is all media and image orientated. So you have to get politicians who understand this, which aren’t always the ones who best understand the issues. Michael Foot being a classic example of this.
Also careerism has crept in, nowadays our politicians go into it as a career, they want money and power. This is what partly lead to the expenses scandal. Before people would live in the real world and work for years and then they’d know what needed changing and they’d go into politics to do that. Now we don’t, which is why we’re getting increasingly younger politicians. This has really affected the Labour Party, a party founded on the Trade Union movement, people would work, join the union, work their way up the union and then into the Labour Party, now they don’t. And thus the core of the party has gone astray.
The core of all parties has gone astray, as the political goalposts have been moved so much over the twentieth century that parties ideals get moved with them. For example the NHS, the tories notoriously against this at first, but the people liked it, so the tories had to stick with the socialism of the NHS. Then Thatcher privatised everything (well other stuff happened inbetween, this is some what of an abriged version, very abridged, there’s forty odd years between those two events. Or you could just imagine Britain was very quite and everyone stayed very still then Thatcher popped up. Although that makes it sound quite sinister, although I suppose she was). New Labour couldn’t undo this as it was popular, meaning the values of the parties get sold out for the sake of votes.
Another problem is the voting system. It needs reform. First past the post does not work. A hung parliament is the best chance of getting reform. As currently a party can not get the popular vote yet still get into power, its whats kept the Lib Dems on the side for so long.
There is more I can say, but this is already pretty much an essay, and I think goes into more depth than the actual blog, whifch surely can’t be right.
Sorry.