So. Tomorrow we have the opportunity to vote on whether we, the people of Bristol, would like a mayor or not. David Cameron and George Osborne have rushed down here to tell us to vote yes. This instantly makes me think no. I have watched the shenanigans with Boris and Ken. This also makes me think no. We have no idea whether a mayor would be good or bad, but it is a step in an unknown direction, which also tempts me to think no.
But Bristol City Council has been consistently rubbish for the last, oh I don't know, millennium so maybe I should think yes. Maybe anything is better than what we have now. Look, we should have had a leaflet telling us about this election but have we had one? Er, no. But a lot of people in north Somerset and south Gloucestershire have had one. They haven't got a vote on this, but Bristol City Council (in its usual fashion) has cut corners and opted for the cheaper Royal Mail option which is to deliver the leaflet to ALL people with a BS postcode rather than selected postcodes actually within the city.
This is just indicative of what Bristol City Council is like. There is never a majority so all decisions are compromises. They have utterly failed on transport, schools, etc, etc. Surely anything is better than what we have now.
But that is not a good basis on which to decide whether you want someone with vast power to rule over us for FOUR years. And so far no-one even knows what candidates there might be to vote for, which makes it even less appealing.
Okay, so that seems to be me decided. Anyone want to change my opinion?
To have, apparently. Bristol bucks the country's trend.
ReplyDeleteToo many f**king Tories. And it was raining. Plus most people have, inadvertently or otherwise, binned their mayoral election leaflets.
ReplyDeleteAnd then again, the turnout was - well actually, higher than expected - but still abysmally low. Because we Bristolians are exceptionally apathetic.
We know, from experience, that politicians are a load of w***ers, but - hey - they're going to give us a million pounds (although according to some reports that's actually a loan, so not worth....)
And then again - as long as someone can (metaphorically) flutter their eyelids then the politicians will keep coming - after all Cherie Blair was happy to "visit", and we have plenty of other things to sucker them in (slave trade, for a start....)
Oh, love it. Now we have a Conservative councillor, a current LibDem MP (who votes contrary to anything you ask him about) and a NEW FATHERS FOR JUSTICE candidate. Going well, eh?
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