The other day I blogged about the lack of participation in the political process.  Last night those fears were confirmed as the Labour vote in the European elections collapsed to just 15%.  The map of British politics was changed last night with the Euro-sceptic UKIP coming second behind the Tories and the BNP winning two seats, the far right party’s first ever in a national election.

The BNP’s share of the vote didn’t go up, but the lack of support for Labour allowed them to win two seats in the north of England.

So it seems silence IS consent.  The problem is you don’t always know what you are consenting to.

As an aside, we were talking about the circumstances in which Scotland might vote for independence.  A Tory government and England winning the world cup were the perfect storm but I wonder how Wales voting Tory and England electing racists will play in the Scottish political arena?

I’m watching Question Time, the weekly political panel show, on the BBC.  I probably shouldn’t blog while watching.  I’ll probably write something I’ll regret.  But here goes anyway…

There seems to be a theme.  It’s all Gordon’s Fault.

The world economic situation was him.

The situation with MPs defrauding their expenses system is his fault.

The ‘young people’, you know, those aliens that roam our streets, stab each other and generally causing havoc, that’s his fault too.

We’re happy to blame others.  We’re happy to lay responsibility at the feet of the government.

But it’s just as much our fault as Gordon’s.

I think it’s fine to have a go at the government, but it’s not fine to abdicate all responsibility for every part of our lives to our elected representatives.

It’s interesting that the discussion has turned to a TV company’s duty of care to participants in reality shows.  There’s an outcry about how Susan Boyle was treated, mostly from the same people who bought the newspapers and watched the TV shows who dragged her through the mire.

Big Brother starts tonight.  Another chance for people to watch people be systematically abused for our amusement.

No-one forces us to watch, but we do.  No-one forced us to borrow more than we could afford, but we did.  No-one ever said that MPs shouldn’t be watched, but we were happy to put an X in a box as though that somehow ends our responsibility in a participative democracy.

There are reports that voter turnout could be as low as 28% or as ‘high’ as 50% in today’s elections for the European Parliament.  So, rather than taking action when we are dissatisfied once again we have chosen to disengage.

Why on earth do we think that things will change if we do and say nothing?

Silence is consent.  Shhhh.  It’s ok.  Someone else will sort it out.

So here’s the thing about democracy… it only works if people participate.

It’s fine to be appalled at the behaviour of our MPs but what do you expect?  Around 60% of us voted in the last election.  A third of the population just couldn’t be bothered.  Voter turnout INCREASED from the previous election.

Democracy needs us to find out who we are electing, what they believe, and then to hold them accountable.  When we don’t participate then people think they can do what they want. When we don’t participate minority parties who say they will represent you grow.  When you don’t participate you can’t then turn round and complain!!!

Tomorrow the European Elections take place.  Take part.  Vote.  if you don’t want to vote for anyone on the ballot then spoil your paper.  These are counted.  If you don’t vote then you get what you deserve.

If you live in America then today you have the chance to make the world a better place.

I’ll repeat that.

If you live in America then today YOU have the chance to make the world a better place.

How many days like that come along?  Not many.  And when they do you really have to make the most of them so today go and VOTE, please.

Over the past 21 months the US election campaign has been captivating.  It finaly boiled down to Obama v McCain.  In an era of consensus politics the process couldn’t have thrown up a more stark choice.  Some people in America won’t understand why I’m posting this.  Some people in America don’t understand that who they pick for President matters greatly to how the rest of the world will live for the next 4 years and beyond.

If you need an example then look no further than the current economic crisis or the ‘war on terror’.

So please, as they said in the West Wing, VOTE early and VOTE often!  Some change would be good, for all of us.