Came across this which is relevant to me and thought others might find it interesting.
The website this is from can be found at Vote Or Vote None
” Not voting makes you silent and invisible.
So before you miss this chance to use your vote, think …
Who gains by me not voting?
The short answer is: they do, not you. Here’s why.
Why use your vote
Voting in democracy is the way in which ordinary people have some small power over the corporations, the state, and those with wealth and power.
Voting is how we gained education, health, safer work and pensions. We didn’t always have them.
If you don’t use your vote, our politics is weakened, and ordinary people are weakened.
With weak politics, the banks, corporations and those with wealth have all the power. That’s where we’re heading now.
By not voting, you weaken ordinary people, and suggest we don’t even know or care.
We don’t have the power to change the world on our own. We would all be dictators if we did. We have to change it with other people. Politics is the tool to do it.
Bad politics is not like a duff product, where you can just replace it. With bad politics, the only solution is… more politics to fix it.
By not voting, you just allow more bad politics.
We improve things through elections and debate. We make our elected representatives accountable for what they do – by voting them in and out. It seems the best option there is. It’s not working well now, so together we need to improve it.
What matters most to every politician is
(a) their job, and
(b) their credibility through evidence of public support.
That’s why your vote matters.
Your vote scares them. So use it.
Either Vote to improve the quality of the MPs who get elected, or Vote NONE to create
visible evidence of the lack of support and the demand for better UK politics. ”
maltbyblogger 