It's the Election

The first thing to say is that you should vote. Don't come crying to me when you get continually shafted over the next 4 years if you never even bothered to take a few minutes to vote. It is entirely up to you who you vote for. What follows is just my opinion. I should say that I don't belong to any political party and my motivations for what I've been doing have always been pretty clear.
This is really about my constituency, Aberdeen South. As I wondered round the town today I saw quite a number of BackingBlair stickers. No photos as the borrowed camera was being used by it's owner. The cheek! Anyway, here is my advice:

Vote Vicki Harris
Liberal Democrat candidate for Aberdeen South

I was going to give one clear and straightforward reason why I think you should do this but I'm feeling generous so I'm going to give two.

Reason Number 1
Vicki Harris does not work for this man.
Aberdeen South is a Labour/Liberal Democrat marginal. There are only two possible outcomes here.
2001 RESULT FOR ABERDEEN SOUTH
Labour 38.0%
Liberal Democrat 28.6%
Conservative 19.8%

The Tories are too far behind to win by any of the available doors. So, if you don't want Mr Blair returned with another huge majority, you should vote for Vicki Harris. This is one of the few places where your vote can make a difference.
Labour will win the election. (If you're in any doubt, have a look at some of the links in the previous post). A vote for Vicki Harris will reduce the Blair majority.

Reason number 2
Here is another reason and it's a bit more positive. Consider 1997 and "Things Can Only Get Better". Remember the optimism? Mr Blair was going to change British politics for ever. It hasn't happened. Some things have changed around the edges but politics is the same as it ever was. There is only one way to genuinely change the way politics works in this country and that is to elect more Liberal Democrat MP's. I support most of the policies of the Lib Dems but that isn't what I'm referring to here. The point is that the two party system, with Labour and the Tories alternating as the ruling party, is a sytem which is failing the country. Two choices are not enough. It's like being asked to choose between a punch in the face or a kick in the bollo stomach. There is only one way in which this will ever be changed; a third party must win enough votes and MP's to be able to demand that the system be changed. So if you're sick of Blair and Howard shouting at each other over that table every Thursday, if you're sick that a vote for a minority party counts for nothing under our voting system, if you genuinely want politics in this country to undergo radical change, vote for Vicki Harris and elect a Liberal Democrat MP.

For what it's worth, I think it will be a close run thing. The result is due at around 2am so we'll find out then. If you don't live in Aberdeen South, as always I recommend BackingBlair if you're looking for voting advice.

Update/Edit I forgot to add at the end: My email service is misbehaving so if you've sent me an email I almost certainly haven't received it. I'm not sulking or anything.