I have just received an email from the Labour Party, inviting me to vote in the leadership election. I paid my £3, so here I am.
I have nothing to say about the election or the candidates (albeit I do have opinions) but who the hell dreamed up such a stupid system that sells the right to vote at three quid a go?
The rest is between me and my conscience, (such of it as remains).
It encourages engagement and membership.
ReplyDeleteBig Jezza for the win!
ReplyDeleteI wish I'd backed him at 100-1 a month or two ago!
Just proves that Labour know nothing about managing financials.
ReplyDeleteIn some American States they have "open primaries", which means that anybody who lives in the area can slouch along and vote for somebody to be the e.g. Republican candidate for dog catcher, or President, irrespective of whether they've ever voted Republican in their life or would consider doing so. This seems to be the same sort of thing.
ReplyDeleteRegardless of whether one needs to be registered to a political party or not, there is never a fee to either vote in a US primary or to take part in a caucus (where they are held). Nor is it 'slouching along': Voters have to be on the electoral roll, and most states have postal voting upon request.
DeleteNO it isn't the same sort of thing at all. There are Gestapo types vetting your application to see whether you fit the bill as a genuine Labour voter, if they think you are not ,they will throw you out and you'll end up with no vote and a lost three quid.
ReplyDeleteIf that's democracy....
"who the hell dreamed up such a stupid system that sells the right to vote at three quid a go?"
ReplyDeleteThe entire parliamentary labour party with an overwhelming majority. Including Tony Blair who said it was wonderful leadership, long overdue and something he should have done...until they realised The Wrong Person was winning.
It's potentially a masterstroke - even if a few thousand infiltrators have been let in, they now have more registered supporters and members than every other political party alive. It's galvanised their support, especially among the youth vote.
It's galvanised nothing. An enormous number who have no interest in the Labour party other than to see it crash into the oblivion it so richly deserves, have joined it to vote in a leader who may well take them into that land of oblivion. Oh I do hope so.
ReplyDeleteTheir foolishness will be punished with 10 years in opposition. JC will be elected as leader but fail to win the 2020 general election, at which time he can be replaced on the grounds of both failure and age (he will be 71.) Perhaps the Miliband the party actually wanted will be back to lead for the 2025 election.
ReplyDeleteThe future is Blue.
I feel deprived. I wasn't invited, and anyway was too busy to pay my £3. My wife and I will join the party if Jeremy Corbyn is elected.
ReplyDeletePolitics shouldn't be focused solely on winning elections. Principles and philosophy are what matters - something most of our politicans (of all parties) seem to have forgotten; hence the widesparead disillusionment with the political process.
Far from being an extremist, Jeremy Corbyn seems to display a lot of common sense.
The Conservative Party may regret wishing to have him as their opponent.
I'm sorry but throughout my life I've tried to place myself in the left-centre ground of politics...mostly I've voted Liberal, Social Democrat or Liberal Democrat...I could never bring myself to vote Tory...but in all honesty, if it was a straight choice between voting for Corbyn or Cameron, I'd vote tactically for Cameron...I hate the man, his policies and his ministers most of all...but I despise Corbyn far more...
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