Ironically people not voting is how the likes of the BNP get themselves elected.

Did the BNP vote go up this time? Probably not but Labour (and other mainstream voters) staying at home allowed the BNP's percentage to increase which resulted in two MEP's this time round.

Good work by the protesters or even the apathetic?

Again, you're aiming at the wrong target, you either embrace the 67% protest vote for what it is or you ignore it.

The politicians prefer to ignore it because its easier to do that rather than examine themselves and their nefarious ways and question why they are so unpopular that in a free vote that only cost you a bit of shoe leather (they even provide the pens), two out of three would rather abstain.

If you're going to ignore the 67% then you can hardly blame them for what results, if you don't ignore the 67% then you should answer their huge majority decision rather than criticise it.

For me it's a matter of personal responsibility. I choose to vote regardless of what the majority decide to do.

Thats what free choice is

Will you enjoy being, in part, represented by the BNP in Europe?

In a way I admit that my abstinence from vote may have contributed to the minority extremist popularity but maybe (in this is a big ‘maybe’) the mainstream politicians may just sit up and take note that it was their popularity that led to abstaining voters and in turn to parties like the BMP gaining seats.

So in some twisted way this may be a good thing and TBH the BMP MP’s/EMP’s constitute such a relative minority that they don’t really pose a real threat anyway.

If I were a Labour politician I’d be more concerned the UKIP are currently a more popular party.

Unfortunately in the European parliament they do. Not as individuals BUT when they team up with other extreme right wing members from other countries they have quite a strong voice!

No.

And before you ask, I'm no more responsible for their election than anyone else who didn't vote for them, like I said before, you either ignore my abstaining vote or you take note of it, its either a valid vote or its not valid in any way - so am I to blame for the election of the BNP members or is it nothing whatsoever to do with me ?

The paradox with MEP's from the BNP, UKIP and ED is that none of their policies can be acted upon until they have achieved their first objective - the removal of the UK from the EU.

If they manage to team up (they won't) and achieve that then they are out of a job and totally inneffective in the UK parliament.

They are a snake that eats itself.

You are more responsible than someone who chose to vote (for any other candidate than theirs) last Thursday even though you find yourself in the majority.

The BNP (without increasing their vote(?)) now have a platform (and legitimacy via the democratic process) to project their views of Britain in Europe. PR and especially the low turnout saw to that.

Good work by the apathetic?

Genuine question: Why is it assumed that results would have turned out differently had more people voted?

I didn't vote.

I left the house for France before the polls opened and didn't sort things out to vote electronically or by post beforehand.

I feel a wee bit guilty about my part in any rise to power by extreme-ist parties but I think the lion's share of the guilt for that should be borne by the other parties for failing so abysmally to appeal to the greater population to vote for them.

Both mainstream parties have politicians who have committed prime facie acts of fraud. All parties have had their noses in the trough for a long time. The trough was introduced by the tories and the government have attempted to delay/restrict the amount of information we should know about their troughing.

All of this has happened during a time where those same politicians were publicly decrying fact cat city workers and bankers or prosecuting benefit cheats whilst defrauding you and I out of Capital Gains Tax.

Note one of the pollutions currently in government is worthy of my vote. If you believe people "died for my vote" then none of these politicians are worthy of those lives given up.

I know this is a bit of a rant but i joined the thread late.

Oh, and I like kebabs.

The MEP's are elected on the % of votes cast for each of the parties standing. The more votes that are cast the harder it is for the fringe parties to win seats as their percentage (of the vote cast) remains lower. Those who stay away help parties such as the BNP gain legitimacy through representation, not my idea of a desired outcome.

Nor mine. What I don't understand is why the percentages polled by various parties would necessarily alter if a greater number voted. Surely 35% of the population constitutes a fairly representative sample on which to base a prediction of how all the non-voters might have voted, had they got off their a$$es?

This system has potential. It just needs a change to reflect that a non-vote means a vote for not having a politician, and the number of representatives is reduced accordingly. Less politicians, and everyone is a winner. We should keep empty seats so us "non-voters" can see just how many spongers we have kept out of "work"

I think there is good evidence that in general (it can never of course be proved in this case) that smaller percentage turnouts will favour more 2extreme" parties. In overly simple terms, your more rabid, fanatical, single-interest voter is more likely to come out to vote than your more moderate, mainstream voter with no particular axe to grind.

In general terms it's easy for the pollsters to see (make assumptions) on which parties managed to get their core vote out.

From news reports it appears the BNP vote didn't increase as such but the low turnout in support of the mainstream parties allowed their percentage to increase sufficiently in some areas to return two MEP's.

Whats to say some of the people that didnt vote may have voted BNP?

where does it say all who didnt vote wouldnt have voted BNP?

Please see above. Established political theory and research suggests that low turn-outs, particularly where low turn-out reflects mass disaffection, tends to favour "fringe" parties, for the reasons outlined above. As has been pointed out above, poll evidence suggests that the BNP did not increase the number of votes they received significantly, rather the number other parties got decreased dramatically.

So you're actually more upset because a party that you disapprove of had two MEP's elected ?

Oh and thank you for giving my non-vote some legitimacy, its more than the politicians do, I'm proud of my protest if it carries some kudos with you.


As for the election results - thats democracy for you.

Is there? Where?

But don't the BNP appeal more to the sun reading, bar room experts these days or aren't they trying to, rather than the rabid fanatical type you describe.

You know, it's interesting you say that, because since posting that I had a little scout around. Now, I can't say my literature review has been entirely comprehensive, but all I can find so far is a host of articles which say that "analysts agree" that this is the case or something similar. None of them seem to actually reference anything to provide evidence. So, perhaps there isn't any good evidence.



They may be trying to, but I don't think even said bar room experts are going to be convinced to vote BNP unless they are actually racist bigots. It's a reputation the BNP is struggling to shed, but is unable to do so, probably because it's election pamphlets keep frothing about "repatriation" which is just "send the b*****s back" but in fancier language. Even a Sun reader will have spotted this.

I think that if turnout was at 33% percent or similar that it is about par for elections in the country in recent years

Quality post Mr Diablo. I am pleased you searched for a source reference and, having failed to find one you discounted reported opinion as evidence.

It shows you're a cut above most on here, not that that is saying much.

Does it? I must admit I've never read any BNP literature.

I still think you give the average Sun reader too much credit.

I also don't think most Germans who voted for the Nazis in the 1930s were rabid fanatics, which should really highlight the dangers of the BNP and should act as a kick of the Arris to the mainstream parties to get their act together and make themselves worthy of my vote.