Election 33
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Well, that's it.
I've cast my vote.
Not, however, because I felt compelled to show my support for one party or another - but because I firmly believe anyone who chooses not to vote doesn't deserve to be able to express an opinion after the election.
Interestingly, although I left home with a pretty good idea of who I was going to vote for, I changed my mind at the very last moment - but, more of that later......
When I went to bed last night, in line with a theme which had been developing as this blog progressed, I had decided to vote for the Liberal Democrats. Not because I was especially enchanted with their manifesto or those who presented it - but, rather more as a means of demonstrating my reluctance to support either of the other two main parties.
I wouldn't deny that, given a straightforward choice between a left or a right-wing political party, my natural inclination would be to support the one on the right - i.e. the Conservative party. This, by the way, isn't because I'm especially fond of them or what they represent - but, it's because, in my experience, the Tories deliver what it says on their tin.
Speaking of 'what's on the tin', as this election campaign has progressed it has been a source of absolute bewilderment to me how many people seem to be deciding who they'll vote for on the basis of events which occurred the best part of thirty years ago. I mean, of course, Margaret Thatcher's regime. Putting aside the rights and wrongs of what she did (and there are many), the fact remains that she achieved what she had promised to do.
The same, however, cannot be said of the socialists - and, in particular, Tony Blair's New Labour. In addition to abandoning long-held working-class principles and adopting (some might say, stealing) Conservative policies, they certainly have not delivered what they promised - a referendum on the European common market, for example.
Anyway, returning to this morning.........
In line with what I had already decided, voting for Labour wasn't on my agenda. Furthermore, since I see characteristics in David Cameron's behaviour with which I'm not entirely comfortable (he reminds me just a little bit too much of Tony Blair) that counted the Conservatives out, too. So, I set off to vote comfortable with my conclusion that the Great British public deserve a hung parliament - and voting for the Liberal Democrat might achieve that end.
Unfortunately, however, when I arrived at the polling station, I discovered that my candidate was the only one who lived outside the constituency. So, I changed my mind and voted for someone else.
Here's a clue .
