Welcome

Welcome to Norfolk UK Politics. Over the coming month I will predominately be following the candidates during the run up to the 2010 elections. I will providing independant information and links to what the candidates are up to and what they're about. I am not affiliated with any of the parties running and will try to provide a critical but unpartisan record of what is going on.

Why Bother?

Voter Turnout By Constituency, 1997 General Election

Norfolk Mid 76.3%
Norfolk North 76.3%
Norfolk North West 74.7%
Norfolk South 78.4%
Norfolk South West 73.3%
Norwich North 75.9%
Norwich South 72.6%

Voter Turnout By Constituency, 2001 General Election

Norfolk Mid 70.15%
Norfolk North 75.05%
Norfolk North West 66.16%
Norfolk South 67.62%
Norfolk South West 63.11%
Norwich North 60.89%
Norwich South 64.74%

Voter Turnout By Constituency, 2005 General Election

Norfolk Mid 67.0%
Norfolk North 73.0%
Norfolk North West 61.6%
Norfolk South 68.7%
Norfolk South West 62.5%
Norwich North 61.1%
Norwich South 59.9%

Source: www.ukpolitical.info

As we can see there is an overall downward trend in voting across the county and there is no reason to believe this won't continue in 2010.

I believe strongly that we should not become complacent and that we should exercise our hard won right to vote. Many in the political sphere have not done much to make us feel that they're worth our attention. People are understandably angry and weary of the scandals and the childish yaaa boos of the House of Commons. People feel that their views are unrepresented, their concerns unheeded and their taxes frivolously spent. However, as George Jean Nathan states: “Bad officials are elected by good citizens who do not vote.” Disengagement is not the answer; it leaves those who least represent the majority but who shout the loudest to decide who governs us all. There are many millions more of us than there are those who are meant to represent us; by getting involved and engaged they've got no choice but to listen....