Leading article: For today, the Westminster drama is a side-show
These elections are about much more than the future of Gordon Brown
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Independent Minds
Today's European and local elections take place against the background of a Prime Minister fighting for his political life and the continuing saga of MPs' expenses. This extraordinary drama has swept aside much consideration of what the elections are supposed to be about, the future of the European Union and the performance of local councils.
Inevitably, the outcome will become part of the Westminster drama, too, as the results are announced over the next few days. But the elections are important irrespective of their impact on the immediate future of a precarious Prime Minister. Britain's involvement in the European Union is no minor matter. It is central to a wide range of pivotal policy areas, from the economy to the environment.
Voters often complain about a lack of choice in elections. They cannot make that complaint in relation to Europe. Depressingly, the Conservative leadership is now more euro-sceptic than at any time since Britain joined the EU in 1973. David Cameron's pledge to withdraw from the European People's Party, the centre-right grouping in the European Parliament, has left him in the absurd and dangerous position of seeking alliances with small right-wing groups. Some of his new allies espouse extreme views on homosexuality, Europe and global warming. Moderates in the EPP have expressed their disapproval of Mr Cameron's actions. French and German centre-right leaders are dismayed.
Almost as alarming is Mr Cameron's proposal to challenge elements of the Lisbon Treaty even after ratification. If he becomes Prime Minister, it seems that Britain would be heading for another period of destructive rows with the rest of Europe at a point when constructive engagement is more urgent than ever. Despite his own, and his shadow cabinet's defiant euro-scepticism, however, Ukip still looks likely to do well with its even more impractical and calamitous proposal to withdraw from the EU altogether. Neither deserves support in today's elections.
The rise in euro-scepticism follows more than a decade of Labour government which began with Tony Blair declaring that his historic objective was to end Britain's ambiguous relationship with Europe. Relations, though, are as ambiguous as ever, highlighting the Government's subsequent timidity. At times ministers have been constructively and energetically engaged, not least during the collapse of the financial markets last year. But far too often, Mr Brown and others have displayed an expedient surliness towards Europe, reinforcing voters' doubts instead of challenging them. They are partly culpable for the increase in popular hostility.
Only the Liberal Democrats have consistently put the case for Europe, doing so even when seeking to hold seats in parts of the country, such as the south-west of England, that are more euro-sceptic than others. Like his recent predecessors, Nick Clegg is unequivocal in his support for the EU. A strong vote for his party would show that parts of the electorate recognise the importance of Britain playing a positive role at the heart of Europe. On that basis alone the Liberal Democrats deserve to perform well.
The local elections matter too. In ways that are too often overlooked, the performance of local authorities has an impact on all our lives. It is to be hoped that votes will be cast partly on the basis of whether or not the ruling parties have been effective. The national political mood may be febrile, but today's elections are about much more than the fate of Gordon Brown.
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Comments
I have a mother-in-law of 74 and a son of 20, two ends of the spectrum. Both say the so called main party candidates are a waste of time given what has happened in recent and not so recent memory and there is no point in voting.
Because they feel that even if they vote they have no say because we will end up with the same type of political animal in parlaiment where party dictates how they vote and not us the electorate.
It seems that unless or until we can truly ensure that our MP's vote for what we want in the constituency then we will end up with the same self servers for 5 years.
Until we sort out whether it is the tail that wags the dog or the dog that wags the tail and way to ensure the correct balance then the only beneficiaries or voter apathy will be the sitting MP's.
When will we see Gordon, Dave or Nick start to implement the sort of change that really matters and will get my mother-in-law and son to vote.
A riot, French-style, might also not go amiss, especially if it could be focused effectively! We Brits are too supine, which must encourage the arrogance and condescension we see from our governing elite.
Which is the problem in just sitting hopelessly on your a**e, like mishmos's ma-in-law and son. Too many Brits do that. If not voting let you effectively cop out of the long hand of government, I could understand it.
But it doesn't - unless you can successfully vanish, untraceably and untaxably, into the black economy or you're rich enough to make yourself - and your money! - a "citizen of the world".
But otherwise there's no escape: they tax you, patronize you, submerge you in ever more legislation, raid your pension pot, make you fill in a fifty page form to claim a social security benefit ... while, we now learn, they could grow rich in secret, with lax regulation and codes of conduct which they'd never let the rest of us get away with ...
You're stuck with them. So the least you can do is take the only opportunity you get to try to determine who gets in and what they do.
Or, of course, you can riot!
A politicians dream, no wonder democracy is disappearing.
By abstaining, I vote for the overwhelming disenfranchised majority.
Keep waiting mishmos--you'll understand that apathy comes from frustration.
Why does the author presume that being euro-skeptic is such a tragedy. If more mainstream parties where against this giant gravy train perhaps normal right minded people would not be tempted to vote BNP etc. It seems the majority of the electorate wish to at least roll back the superstate bearing down on them. Perhaps the problem is that our 'democracy' does not represent the majority view?
However, you deceive yourself because when the Lisbon Treaty aka EU Constitution came before the House and despite having promised along with all other parties, a Referendum, the Libdems ran away and in doing so effectively voted to disenfranchise every UK citizen regardless of their views on the matter whether pro or anti.
Nick Clegg and the Libdems are the dross and dregs of British politics and morally as bad as any "expense cheating MP" from any party in the House because they are totally dishonest at every level.
The Liberal party was formed from a fusion of the Whigs and the Chartist Movement in the mid Nineteenth Century, they were the radicals of their day but before WWI broke out, they were destined to lose that crown to the Labour Party. In 100 years, they have never managed to challenge Labour to recover their appeal to the average voter so, change the 'rules' bring in fudge voting as PR.
These creatures are prepared to change your and my world with PR, they are not prepared to get up off their fat bottoms and launch a "Libdem Vision" that all can buy into, they are little better than crooks, a muddle class Mafia. In the "expenses Scandal" some MPs have taken public money they are not entitled to but that is just cash; "He who steals my purse..."
Contrast and compare these villains who would steal your vote, your voice and your Country for just a mess of potage for them, even Kim Philby would look reasonable in comparison in such company.