Election

I cast my vote in the UK election this morning on the way to the office. I didn't do it with any great enthusiasm and found myself thinking fondly of the Russian ballot option 'against all', but done it I have.

I was convinced that it was important that I should vote by my memory of the Iraqi lady that I met earlier this year who was so thrilled to have had the chance to vote in her own country's election.


I live in the Mitcham and Morden constituency. In the last election in 2001, Labour got 60.4% of the vote, the conservatives got 24.1%, the Liberal Democrats got 10.1%, and others got 5.4%.

I have voted for Labour for two reasons:

1. I think it was right for the UK to support the US regarding Iraq.
2. The sitting MP Siobhan McDonagh, who was born and has lived most of her life in the constituency, seems to be a conscientious local representative.

I am very uneasy about this however as I am completely disillusioned with Labour's performance in running the country.

My particular b�te noire is the government's propensity to introduce ludicrous, incompetent legislation. I have written about the proposal to make a crime of incitement to religious hatred here, and about the hate crime law in general here and here.

This is an administration that can't remember why it repealed the 1795 Treason Act! And I - God help us - have voted to have them back again because I can't see any credible alternative.