Alder's Tone

Only enter here for a political rant. A floating voter who is totally disengaged vents his spleen here, and suggests that one of the party leaders needs serious physcological help.

Politics is usually one topic to give a wide berth, but the outlook has changed a little since the last general election. Sure, Labour introduced the Child Trust Fund, and it has worked for us. Although the rates are garbage at the moment you can't knock the intention behind them. Shame about the rest of the economy. But memories of the poll tax are still strong north of the border, so their chances are slim up here. So who to vote for? Let's have a brief, and not comprehensive look, at the parties, and not necessarily from my usual family perspective. This one's all mine.

Cards on the table, I'm a floating voter. I have voted for all three of the main UK parties, some minor parties, and up here the SNP. Even the Pensioner's People's Party got a vote one year - I admit that this was a protest vote against the big parties and the candidate didn't win, but at least I carried out my civic duty and voted.

Which raises a good point. Without delving into the history books and go on about individuals and groups that fought hard and suffered persecution trying to get everyone the vote, it did happen and we do piss on their efforts if we don't vote. There are no "accessibility" issues with voting, it is a privelege that has been fought for and we should do it.

For this year's general election, however, I'm really stumped. The big issues for me are just a few.

The gravy train is departing on May 6th from platform Westminster, with 652(ish) passengers on board. Some parties don't attend Westminster as a protest against the monarchy, so why bother being an MP? For the expenses, which they still claim. No party is immune to expenses abuse, and even those being challenged in court expect us to pay for their defence as well as their prosecution. Conflict of interest? Will any of this change to the extent it needs? Unlikely.

Policies. On some policies you can't get a piece of parma ham between the parties. They'll all continue to milk the motorist for tax. They will all continue to duck their responsibilities on ensuring a fair regime for all legal residents, and a removal for illegals. And as for the Liberal Demo9crats lumping all bank staff under the "over-bonused banker" banner is just plain wrong.

So it's going to be local issues that decide it for me. Or so I thought. I saw the candidate list in the local paper this week, and was shocked to see that only two of the candidates actually live in the constituency. 2 live in Edinburgh, one in Central Scotland, one in the Birmingham constituency of Edgbaston. Edgbaston?? Is the Liberal Democrat candidate planning on moving, or claiming for 3 homes and all the extra travel expenses? Only the Tories and UKIP have a local candidate. In these times when we are encouraged to support the local economy, if that extended to voting locally too then there are only 2 candidates. I would certainly advocate any rule which states the candidate must reside in the constituency, thus blocking "safe seat" selections (of course dossing on a mate's floor would need to be controlled)

Leader's debates. Alex Salmond is taking the BBC to court for exclusion from the Leader's debate. But North of the border there are 4 programmes for the Scottish leaders, of which 3 he's boycotting. Make your mind up, fella. "I want to be invited, but when I am I won't go". If Alex Salmond is complaining about not being on the stage with Messrs Clegg, Cameron and Blair, sorry I mean Brown, then he needs to remember these points:

• The term "Prime Ministerial Debate" was used. The three men on stage are all possible Prime Ministers. All of their parties are standing for election in enough seats to give them a majority. Only subjective opinion may refute that, but mathematically these three men are the only three with any chance of being in Number 10 on May 7th.
• He's not even standing as an MP. So how can anyone who will have no voting rights in Westminster put themselves on stage? Why wasn't I invited, I have the same position?
• When he was an MP he didn't attend, still claiming a salary yet he didn't do his job, because he had another in Edinburgh. This is just a whinge of mine, nothing to do with his lack of presence in the Prime Ministerial debates.

And yet he takes the BBC to court. Wasting BBC funds that are being diverted from broadcasting to defend themselves. Salmond needs to stop behaving like this or those floaters, like me, who have suppported his party in the past will start to regard him as psycotic and not return. For the good of the SNP, and for Scotland, he has to go and get some help.

So who are we left with, locally? UKIP and Tory. There's no independent candidate to support, no minor party, so I am seriously thinking about not bothering as I can't even have a protest vote.

And that's what sickens me most, not the bahaviour of our duly elected, but the prospect of not voting at all.