And the winner is....

 The voting is done. Hardly anyone under 50 bothered. The results have been written on a scrap of paper and handed to a journalist who has been eating sausage in a cup in a car park all night (This is what my daughter tells me happens in Nuneaton).  And the winner is....the Conservative party.

It’s not very surprising.

I want to be surprised and political commentators want to be surprised but we’re not. The timing of these votes is tricky and they’re not a general election. I would never vote for an independent in a general election but would I be behind getting my mate Kev on the local council? Yes, absolutely.  A vote that comes at the precise moment people are being given back freedoms isn’t likely to see the government doing that punished. Also, life changed so much recently and none of us are ready for any more change. Change is scary. 

Us humans don’t cope with fear very well. Most of us freeze.

The other reason that it’s not surprising is that most people’s political views are either left (people before money) or right (money before people) and those who vote right have an easy decision. The left vote is split by three credible parties. 

Then there was the leaving the European Union decision, which took votes from everyone. Now that the conservative party have embraced and ‘delivered’ that wish they have gained supporters from both sides. And a fake war with France in Jersey didn’t hurt to strengthen that cause.

There is also the issue that the Labour Party have been in opposition too long. This week’s Question Time was a depressing eye opener.

“I’m a Labour member and even I don’t know what Labour stand for,” said a young woman. Others agreed.

The Labour MP was visibly upset at every one of these suggestions. 

“But we have,” she said, “we’ve opposed the government on all these issues.”

That’s not quite the same as giving a clear message of what you are going to do. You can’t oppose the government if you are the government.

I hope the left get their act together soon because we really need a government that will put people first for a while. There needs to be more cooperation and less fighting and there is a desperate need to stop calling people stupid. 

It might be unfathomable how people can love Boris but it doesn’t make the people who do stupid. You might not understand why people wanted to leave the European Union but they had reasons that don’t make them idiots. It may look like the people of Basildon are fools but ... no sorry, even I can’t understand that. Labour in Basildon said, “We are going to spend £60million improving that concrete jungle town centre. We are going to turn it into a nice space, help the druggies to find a way out and do everything we can to make it nicer.” The conservatives said, “Nope. That’s a waste of money, everyone in Basildon is a hopeless waste of space there’s no point spending anything on them.” The people of Basildon decided they agreed with the conservatives. 

If I’m honest, I find it all very depressing. Politics is like the rain. None of us like it but we need it. 

Forget me nots to cheer myself up