Voter turnout is still higher in Iraq than in the UK

Naomi Muse

It should be compulsory to vote, and it should be compulsory for politicians to answer questions.

Ian Walker

Perhaps it helps that the Iraqis have a fair and inclusive electoral system (open list) rather than the "appeal to 0.5% of the electorate in the right seats, gain a massive majority" system that we have?

Until we fix that, we'll never bridge that "chasm."

Rob C

Iraq also has a democratically elected leader - whereas we have an unelected dictator. Not sure if we are simply too complacent or wise to the reality that we never actually get what we vote for? Ironic the twists of fate - another 5 years of Brown and perhaps we'll be seeking asylum in Iraq?

Chris

Maybe they have someone worth voting for and a system that doesn't make it impossible to get rid of an incompetent clique?

Richard Manns

Actually, the bets are that turn-out will be higher than 2005; nothing like the idea of Brown for the next 5 years to send you running to the booth.

(Cue Simon Heffer et al. to declare "they're all the same!" Yawn.)

JohnW

Iraq also has the US army to bus them at gunpoint to the polling stations... or is that Afghanistan?

2trueblue

It shows how much we value our democracy, or what we have left of it.

Herbert Thornton

In Iraq, forces that want to enforce policies against the will of the voters threaten them with death for voting - and actually carry out the threat to show that they mean it.

In Britain, the forces that want to enforce policies against the will of the voters consist of the Labour and Tory parties, the BBC and much of the media - and they and the government use -

1. Dishonesty (as in the matter of the Lisbon Treaty)

2. Deceit (as in the matter of uncontrolled immigration, which we have recently learned has been secretly allowed to increase even more in order to increase the size of the vote for Labour)and

3. Unrelenting propaganda to brainwash people into the idea that any opposition to multiculturalism is "racism" and therefore wicked.

So how do you account for enthusiasm for democracy being greater among Iraqis than among the British? It would seem that (so far) the tactics used by the British establishment are a great deal more successful than assassinations and bombs.

We are often dismayed by the grip that Islam exerts over the populations of Muslim countries, but it seems to me that the grip exerted over our own populations by Political Correctness has grown to be even stronger.

If Iraqis are now brave enough to vote against Islamic extremism, surely the time has come when the British should be brave enough to vote against Political Correctness? And is not the only effective way to do that to vote either for UKIP or the BNP - and preferably the BNP?

Robert Eve

Preferably UKIP.

WeatherspoonThree

I expect the turn-out at the forthcoming general election will be very low and given the greedy behaviour of our MPs and their unwillingness to even discuss the important issues that trouble voters, that is not surprising. But I feel very strongly that voters should not boycott the electoral process. The current voting system is wide open to fraud so don't waste your vote; make sure you register your disgust by spoiling your voting papers

Robert Gregory

The turnout in this coming - UK - election will be very interesting. Given that 75% plus USED to be the norm. What is the betting on the current circus ?

As Norman Tebbit says - Conservatives just aren't enthused - not surprising as most have no Conservative candidate to vote for - so they stay away.

Martin Denning

I am in a foment of irresolution about the next election - too anguished to explain fully here. What I am pretty certain about is that the prospect of 5 more years of Brown and his gang, will almost certainly send tens of thousands of us over the edge. It will simply not be worth going on.

echo34

Richards on re-schemed rest days after working the weekend holly. Probably back to work Wednesday.

echo34

Another thought, he could be on strike today with all the PCS members, i don't know how to feel about that!

Herbert Thornton

WeatherspoonThree -

I understand & sympathise with your frustration - and that of others who despair of both the Tory and Labour parties.

But I think it is a great mistake to try to express your feelings towards them by merely spoiling your ballot paper - because they will take absolutely no notice of what you've done.

The only way to impress anything on them is to vote against them - and even better, to vote against them in enough numbers to actually ensure that they aren't elected.

With that aim in view, Robert Eve prefers to vote UKIP - fair enough. I still prefer the BNP because I believe they are more popular than UKIP. Ideally, the BNP and UKIP should at least agree that in some constituencies, they would, to avoid splitting the vote, not run candidates against each other. If that resulted in a few defeats for Labour and Tory candidates, it would be well worth it.

Roy Smith

Hard times bring out the voter in you. It can't get much harder than in Iraq. I f Brown can continue to borrow or print until the election, keeping an aura of wellbeing over the electorate, he will be half way there.

Ron Whitehand

Did anyone notice that BBC News on Monday evening had John Simpson give a report on the Iraq election and it was a very pessimistic view on turnout and result. Yet at 60% turnout the Iraqi's have yet again proved BBC News correspondents to be wrong. That of course is Par For The Course with all John Simpson's BBC News reporting on Iraq.
However, I do have to say that last night's report by Mark Urban from Singan Province shown on Newsnight was first class. He's certainly showing 'Lord' Simpson how to give a good news report on a very difficult subject.