There's less than three months until a General Election, and I'm trying to get a wee bit excited at the prospect, but I really can't. Compared to the last American election, which was already at fever pitch by this point, I just can't get excited by this election. None of the leaders are very exciting. I can't even really think of a debate about the issues that is really exciting. I am a politically-minded person. I will stay up all night to watch the results. I want to be excited by the prospect of an election, but I'm struggling.
The prospect of television debates between the leaders for the first time ever is possibly one thing that might make this more interesting. But the scandal of MP's expenses has lead to such a disillusionment with politics in general there seems a strong danger there will be the lowest turnout ever.
Perhaps one way to re-engage us all in politics is some grassroots work for reforming our political system. This is the idea of Power 2010, a campaign that has collected a number of ideas and are now asking people to vote now online to produce the top five reforms that the campaign will ask all political candidates to support. I've voted and I'd encourage all UK citizens to do so.
It seems like this is a good time for this as MPs voted last night to give the public a referendum on a new voting system. But this won't be until after the next election, and a lot can change between now and then. And I can't help remembering that Labour said they would reform the House of Lords in 1997, and have not got around to that in 13 years.
Hopefully something can be done to re-invigorate our democracy.
The prospect of television debates between the leaders for the first time ever is possibly one thing that might make this more interesting. But the scandal of MP's expenses has lead to such a disillusionment with politics in general there seems a strong danger there will be the lowest turnout ever.
Perhaps one way to re-engage us all in politics is some grassroots work for reforming our political system. This is the idea of Power 2010, a campaign that has collected a number of ideas and are now asking people to vote now online to produce the top five reforms that the campaign will ask all political candidates to support. I've voted and I'd encourage all UK citizens to do so.
It seems like this is a good time for this as MPs voted last night to give the public a referendum on a new voting system. But this won't be until after the next election, and a lot can change between now and then. And I can't help remembering that Labour said they would reform the House of Lords in 1997, and have not got around to that in 13 years.
Hopefully something can be done to re-invigorate our democracy.
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