Never talk politics… oops

I can’t say I have a full understanding of politics’ or the British political system. That said I strongly believe in the right to vote and the importance to use that right in a reasoned and educated manner.

Over the past couple of years I don’t know how many times I’ve heard peers kicking off about Gordon Brown and the fact he wasn’t democratically chosen… there is some grain of truth in this but it’s fundamentally flawed. To put this argument forward demonstrates a huge misunderstanding of the British election process, unlike North America in Briton we do not vote specifically for the Prime Minister. The fact that this creates such confusion across the board makes me think the referendum on ‘how our vote gets counted’ has to be a good thing.

It's no secret that I like Gordon Brown (his resonation speech made me cry) and after my trip through the States where I saw first hand the troubling poverty, which has increased dramatically since the economic crash my respect, for him, has grown. I can also see that Briton has boomed and is now bust under a Labour government. But if we’re honest it would have happen who ever was in power and considering it was the Conservative party that privatised our banks in the first place I can’t see how it would have been any better with them in charge.

Personally I feel a deep sense of foreboding, as the Conservatives in recent years have not been supporters of the Arts. I suffered greatly at school as I was forced to study triple science and technology because John Major, the Conservative PM at the time, felt we needed more engineers. Like you can force people to be talented in certain skills. It also seemed very short sighted to over look some of the greatest exports Briton has; music, fashion, design, television. Of course just because this happened fifteen years ago doesn’t mean it will happen again, but it makes me nervous, especially as I plan to return home with a creative business.

Who ever is in change Conservative, Liberal Democrat, Labour or Monster Raving Loony Party, I still feel very lucky to come from a country where I have the freedom to write my views publicly without fear. However much we like to moan Briton isn’t that bad yet. And to those who say it’s not important to use your vote, it’s your right to have freedom of speech, freedom to vote that make it so crucial. We must never take this freedom for granted. Look what nearly happened in France in 2002, please here’s a link go read about it, it’s scary. I also get a warm sense of pride that less than 2 minutes into the Conservative and Liberal Democrats announcing their alignment the British public had already naming them the Con dem party. I think that’s what we call ‘the British sense of humour’ governments change but that never will.