Amy (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
such_heights) wrote2009-06-06 08:02 pm
such_heights) wrote2009-06-06 08:02 pm
uk politics kind of suck right now!
So, what's the European equivalent of emigrating to Canada - Scotland? The Netherlands? Because if the local election results coming in are indicative of the shape of things to come, then, well.
In Doncaster, about 20 miles from me, the new mayor vows to cut gay pride funds.
Also, the BNP claimed its first county council seat in Burnley, the next town over from my father's family. They found another in my home county of Hertfordshire. There is no escape! /o\
With the European Parliament election results coming out tomorrow, it's also relevant that David Cameron (let's be honest, our new PM in all probability), has spoken about his desire to move away from the centre-right EU grouping, the EPP-ED, to form a new right-wing Eurosceptic group. He'll need 25 members from 6 countries to qualify as a grouping. Huh. A collection of disenfranchised right-wing political parties forming a new separatist coalition, I see no way whatsoever that could go wrong. source, source, and more source.
*moves to the moon*
In Doncaster, about 20 miles from me, the new mayor vows to cut gay pride funds.
Peter Davies, of the English Democrats, said: "My policy on gays and lesbians is very simple. I don't think councils should be spending money on them parading through town advertising their sexuality." (guess what I'll be doing come August 16th)[source]
Mr Davies has also stated he intends to cut funding for translation services for non-English speakers in the borough. The English Democrats say they want "English freedoms and values, not multiculturalism".
Also, the BNP claimed its first county council seat in Burnley, the next town over from my father's family. They found another in my home county of Hertfordshire. There is no escape! /o\
With the European Parliament election results coming out tomorrow, it's also relevant that David Cameron (let's be honest, our new PM in all probability), has spoken about his desire to move away from the centre-right EU grouping, the EPP-ED, to form a new right-wing Eurosceptic group. He'll need 25 members from 6 countries to qualify as a grouping. Huh. A collection of disenfranchised right-wing political parties forming a new separatist coalition, I see no way whatsoever that could go wrong. source, source, and more source.
*moves to the moon*
no subject
The BNP also gained a seat in my home county (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/leicestershire/8086063.stm), and though Coalville is not particularly diverse, neighbouring Leicester is about as multi-ethnic as it's possible to get.
The economic crisis and the general fail of the government at the moment are bringing out the worst in voters. My university was pushing students to vote in the European elections on the basis that the BNP had a chance of getting in, and it was our job, as voters, to stop that happening. We thought the whole idea was ridiculous - the BNP getting in just seemed impossible.
Admittedly it is starting to look a lot less impossible now.
no subject
Leicestershire? D: Ugh, that's really depressing. We had that campaign going on here too, and it's so sad it seems to be called for.