So, this is an unashamedly non-business related post. It also isn’t political in a much as I’m not telling you who to vote for. If you really care about my political views, which I’m sure most people don’t, go look on my personal Facebook account…
No, this is about persuading those whose view is either “well what difference does my vote make” or “they’re all the bloody same, why bother voting?” to go out there and put that X in a box. Or even to draw a big willy on the ballot paper because you think they’re all idiots, but at least register your view! I’m the first to say that our voting system is hugely flawed, but at least it’s free and fair (within its own limitations). Go ask someone in Russia how easy it is to vote against Putin. Lots of people in the world have had to fight hard for the right to cast their vote freely, we are lucky in the UK that we can take it for granted. So let’s not take it for granted.
But that’s not my main reason. Even if you think you don’t know enough about politics or think your vote doesn’t matter, it can. For example, if some of the 13 million or so who didn’t vote in the referendum 8 years ago had bothered, then maybe our young people would still have the right to live, work and study in 27 other countries.
Further, if you think our hospitals are creaking, our education system is neglected to the point of letting our children down, and you can’t drive down the street without risking a bill for a new tyre and wheel, you need to vote for the party you think is best placed to fix it. Otherwise what right do you have to complain? Even if you think they might not end up changing anything, at least vote for the people you think might try to run the country how you want it to be run. And if you think the current government are best placed to make our country a better place to live, work, study, raise children etc, go ahead and vote for them.
Thanks for indulging me. Now, where’s my voter ID?