blogg #8

The constituency I live in is called Exwick & St Thomas and the size of the
electorate is 11,305

My local MP is a man called Ben Bradshaw and he represents the labour party.

The name of the local council is the Exwick & St Thomas borough council
The local area is a typically Labour dominated area but over the last few elections it is slowly returning more conservative votes.

2010 is an election year and I believe that it is your right as a citizen to have a vote and make your voice heard. Over the past 150 years people have died and been imprisioned just so people can have a vote, in secret and without pressure from others to vote a certain way. When people do not vote they show a lack of respect. I can understand when people say that they don’t believe that any of the (major) parties don’t seem to hold any of their interests, but thats why people ALSO have to right to soil their ballot paper. I know it’s a waste of a vote to do, but it is showing your opinion in another way.
If people don’t want to vote for a particular party, they should simply not show up. Active abstaining is better than just not voting.

The main things that may influence my vote include how the political parties act up to the election. Labour (as of the time of writing) seem like a moribund party, almost resigned to defeat, but i think this will change in the months and weeks leading up to election day. The tories on the other hand, have possibly the best chance of winning since John Major was put in charge. They are showing a confidence that has been drawn from the demise of the Labour party. However, i do still think that Labour will come out on top.

http://www.devon.gov.uk/text/membersguidedivision-13.pdf