A New Beginning Regardless

We are now at the Hustings and for the rest of this day there will be a great movement of the general public as it does that which comes so easily to it, albeit sparingly, to cast its vote and decide upon the Country's future, its development in an ever-changing world and its development into a thriving 21st Century Parliamentary Democracy.

As I drive to work each morning along the coastal road from Blackpool, accompanied by the sounds of John Humphries putting politicians and other public figures through their paces, I am increasingly aware that we, the Great British Public, do, contrary to popular opinion, take the business of electing central and local government more seriously than some sections of the media would have us believe.

I think that the one thing I see as I read between the lines is that, for all their outward show of confidence and sense of victory, every politician knows that we in these islands more than many countries, have a curious knack of disproving the opinion polls at the very last minute.

A great change is upon us and the import of it is seen, for example, in the Contract published this week by the Conservative Party and David Cameron's declaration that it will, if elected, lay before Parliament the Great Repeal Bill.

That word 'great' is highly significant. In my history classes I remember my teacher Miss Martin introducing us to the sweeping changes of the new Victorian Era with the Great Reform Bill of 1830 which became the Great Reform Act 1832. 150 years later it was still having a massive effect upon the life of this nation, the British People, and even in the classroom, the four ensuing years of British History 1815-1914 seemed for me to all rest upon that Bill and its Act in 1832. Everything could be traced back to it.

I read this week that the proposed Great Repeal Bill will lay before Parliament no less than 13 Laws for immediate repeal. Some I suspect I will agree with, and many along with me, regardless of our politics; others I fear might be very important pieces in the Nation's fabric which, if removed, will cause problems. Let us see how matters progress.

24 hours from now I cannot help thinking that the people of the Union will not be nearly so ready to give us a hung parliament as the media suggests. We know that pitfalls of that; neither do we want to return to just two parties holding sway. I sincerely hope that we will have a government with the required 326 seats to secure an outright majority, but also the arrival of a third party that is taken seriously.

Whilst all of us pride ourselves in the UK on our freedom of speech, I am nevertheless relieved that the imploding of the BNP means it is probably going to be hard pushed to secure a seat at Westminster. That is how it should be.

I come from an era (as a young man) when it was not possible to truly say that we lived by the principle 'live and let live'. The 1970s are unrecognisable from this first decade of the new millenium.

Our young people do not necessarily appreciate this.

But this is what heartens me beyond all else.

The huge increase in young people registering to vote.

Young people DO have the ability to think how our country should operate and how our institutions are best served in enabling the country to be that continued safe haven.

To any who read this and are currently still thinking of wasting their vote, I would urge you not to do so.

Let us not take for granted that which millions in the world only dream of - universal suffrage.

Kenneth T Webb
Editor
Liverpool CityLife
LIVERPOOL
6 May 2010