5th December 2007

Martin Whiteside writes about blue saloons, red jags, yellow bandwagons and green bicycles in response to Kenneth Clarkes recent visit to Stroud

Former Chancellor Kenneth Clarke in his visit to Stroud blamed 'the dumbing down of politics' for voter apathy (SNJ 14/11/07). Unfortunately his party can share the blame for that, but what he misses is that our electoral system is also failing us and that the three main parties are now largely indistinguishable in terms of policies.

Labour promised in their 1997 manifesto a referendum on our voting system. We are still waiting: I fear that, like the promise for a referendum on the new EU treaty, they will not deliver.

People don't vote because it seems to make little difference: in neighbouring Cotswolds the Tories will always get in. In the last election for every person who voted Labour, almost two voted for other parties, two did not vote and hundreds of thousands who support the Green party still have no voice at Westminister. Is it perhaps any wonder Britain is seen as the 'dirty man' of Europe while our CO2 emissions keep rising?

Many voters recognise the main parties and their 'business-as-usual' approach are failing us. The blue saloon and red jag keep heading down the motorway trailed by a yellow bandwagon while a group of people on green bicycles are trying to tell them they are going the wrong way.

It is a pity that Kenneth Clark didn't recognise that our 'democracy' is unjust and fails to translate the will of the electorate into  action. We urgently need electoral reform so that Green voices can be  heard where they are needed.