Dear Caroline
Like most people I've never belonged to any political party nor do I have any particular allegiance to any one political party - instead I usually decide who I'm going to vote for in the few weeks prior to a General Election. Last year we had a General Election and like most people I followed the various campaigns and debates of the three main parties in the media but I confess I have grown increasingly disillusioned with mainstream politics - they all seem to say the same things.
Where I live in the Tonbridge and Malling Constituency there were 7 candidates standing at the last election and when their various leaflets came through the door I read them to see if there was anything amongst them that was different to what I'd already heard several times on TV, Radio and Newspapers. It was then that I discovered Steve Dawe of the Green Party, (who seemed to be have been completely side lined by the mainstream media for some reason). I was especially attracted by his election flyer and in particular The Green Party's social economic policy and their strap line "Fair is worth Fighting For" really spoke to me especially in the light of economic banking crises which seemed to me to be fuelled almost entirely by greed.
So that said you'd think I would have voted for him wouldn't you? - if only it was that simple! Like most people I live in a safe seat constituency where we have had the same Conservative MP for 36 years and the chances for any change are extremely low. No offence meant to Sir John Stanley as I don't know him personally - in fact I've never seen him - he doesn't campaign round my way at election time (no need to I guess given that it's extremely unlikely that anyone else other than a Conservative can win an election in Tonbridge and Malling there's not really much point in anyone campaigning - or voting for that matter - I notice that 20,401 people decided not to bother - can't really blame them can you - after all what's the point?).
You see I knew that if I had a voted for Steve Dawe (Green Party candidate) I might as well have not voted at all for the good it would do. So instead I voted for my second choice which was Liz Simpson, (Liberal Democrat) because although deep down I knew she couldn't win either I knew she stood a much better chance of winning. This is the trouble with First Past The Post elections - casting a vote is a bit like placing a bet on a horse - as when choosing the candidate you wish to vote for you have to weigh up their odds of winning or else you're in real danger of throwing away your stake money, (or vote) on a complete outsider who doesn't stand a chance and by so doing you might be inadvertently allowing another candidate that you really dislike to "sneak in", (complicated isn't it)
That's why I shall be voting YES to the Alternative Vote on Thursday May 5th - because had last years election been under AV instead of First-Past-The-Post I would have been free to vote for Steve Dawe first and Liz Simpson second - and I wouldn't have had to worry about wasting my vote or anything silly like that. I can't help but wonder how many other people were in a similar position to me at the last General Election - and how many of them would have voted for the Green Party if the 2010 election had been under AV instead of FPTP? Certainly makes you think doesn't it.
Yours Sincerely
A Frustrated Voter
Tonbridge and Malling Constituency
P.S. In case you were wondering here are the results of the 2010 election in Tonbridge and Malling Constituency last May:
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