Right up to the point I walked into the voting booth yesterday I still had naff all idea who to vote for in the London elections. I had my usual internal debate of whether to cast a vote or draw a huge cock across the ballot in protest before putting an X next to Paddick on the grounds he was the least shite of them all, not that I especially was enthusiastically supporting him to win.
As I type it looks like Boris is ahead and may well win, although it’ll probably come down to second preferences. I may be unusal insofar as I’m not verhemently anti-Ken or Boris, just distinctly underwhelmed by them both.
I’m no fan of the current incumbent, but think he’s done a decent job in several areas. I also think Boris is a lot more capable and intelligent than people give him credit for, and there’s a surprisingly large amount of stuff I’ve found myself agreeing with him on. I just don’t think he’d be suitable for London Mayor. But it’s just difficult to get enthusiasm.
And as for the local elections… to me it looks as much as people wanting to give Labour a darn good kicking rather than a big Cameron love-in, but I could be wrong. I usually am. Both parties look equally unappealing from where I’m sitting currently, and I really hate voting Lib Dem continually for the reasons I voted for Paddick - they may be a bit rubbish but aren’t as rubbish as the other parties.
Finally, a quick thought on the second preference in the London election. I’ve lost count of the number of articles or people I’ve heard saying the electorate don’t understand how it works? How? It’s perfectly simple. The first vote is for your favourite candidate (or least worst), the second vote for your second favourite candidate (or marginally more shite but not as shite as the rest). How is that complicated?
In my more misanthropic moments, I wonder if we shouldn’t just sod it all and install a dictator. Or emigrating. But then I’d probably get locked up under the former or be equally underwhelmed by the latter.
Better the political devil you know, I suppose.
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