May 5th Elections and Yes to AV

'New Road Layout Ahead' gets my 1st preference!

It's that time again - time to head to the local polling station and cast not one, not two but three votes. The first two ballot papers will be the Local Council election and the National Assembly election and the third for a referendum on the AV voting system.

Voting in North Belfast I already know that I might as well not bother in the first two given there are already candidates almost certain to be elected on the back of their tribal branding.

It's like the democratic version of going to the supermarket and asking for a bottle of water but knowing you're going to end up being given a bottle of engine oil and a bottle of bleach - not exactly what is needed when you're thirsty as both will be hard to swallow and damaging in both the short and long term, but never the less it's what we're given by 'popular' demand.

I will be voting though. No point giving up as it's good to try and dilute things a bit. Sadly, the Greens haven't even been bothered to run a candidate in my area this time (for either vote, to be honest I don't blame them) so the lack of choice is truly underwhelming. I'm quite tempted to make an origami penguin out of my ballot papers just to give someone a smile but in reality, after doing my research again, it'll likely be a 1st preference vote for the Alliance candidate in each but after that I'm drawing a bit of a blank for 2nd preference let alone a 3rd or any other.

There is a silver lining somewhere in these elections though and that is the referendum. Sure, given a choice I wouldn't have AV or First Past the Post... so it is a bit of a bleach and engine oil choice again however at least there is a referendum.

In a twist of fate, the Assembly election will already be using what I would consider a better voting system - that of the Single Transferable Vote (a type of proportional representation). So this referendum for the General Election voting system isn't exactly the most amazing referendum there could ever be but it's a rare occasion anything is put to a referendum so probably good to make the most of it.

I'll be voting Yes to AV. Sure it's not perfect and it's not even as fair as some forms of proportional representation but it is at least a change towards that distant daydream of a majority view of the populous being represented in parliament (even if like in Northern Ireland I might personally disagree with that majority view).

The current first past the post method means that if there are many candidates in a vote, a candidate can be elected just by having the largest minority and a majority view being disregarded and worse than that in my eyes, FPTP is great for the more right wing 'traditional' parties - after all, there is a reason our out of touch Prime Minister and the BNP are campaigning for a No to AV vote. As stupid as they might look, they do have advisor's and they know a fairer representation will eat into their meal ticket.

As I don't really want either voting system but a third choice that we aren't being offered. The overriding thing (other than the reasoning above) for me voting Yes is the No campaign itself.

The No campaign's main reasoning is: "Our current tried and tested voting system gives everyone one vote and delivers clear outcomes. The Alternative Vote is a complicated, expensive and unfair"

Sure, FPTP gives everyone one vote... but then this current voting system means it is very likely that the majority of people's votes are not going to count for anything - your fate is in the hands of a few swing voters in a few locations in England - great if you live there but what about the rest of us whose choices are just swept under the carpet?

As for the criticism of AV as being complicated - The system we have for the Assembly elections here in N.I is already more complicated to understand at a mathematical level - at least with the vote counting - but yet amazingly, thinking of who you want to vote for and putting them in number order has turned out to be scarily simple. Sure, if you want a 2nd preference then it's not as easy as counting to 1 but somehow I think we'll all manage if we've managed to make it to the polling booth- obviously the No Campaigners missed that episode of Sesame Street with the count.

"Expensive"... only if you believe that a new state of the art system of voting machines will be rolled out - and given the fact STV requires more math and we still have hand counting, it seems a little presumptuous they would be needed... again with the whole No Campaigners missing too many Sesame Streets - I'll try to help... One vote... ah ah ah... twooo votes ah ah ah...

"Unfair"... but still fairer than FPTP!

Anyways, that's just my 2 cents on it all.

Happy Voting :)

Religion a leading question - Census 2011

The 2011 Census. A document that was sent to every household in the country - a survey aimed at giving a snapshot of the people who live on these shores at a specific point in time and a handy tool to see the make up of what is an amazingly diverse amalgamation of human beings scattered around the UK. But what about the question of Religion?

Sadly for Northern Ireland, one statistic from the census that is keenly awaited by many is the response to the question that deals with religion affiliation. Groups with vested interests both faith based and political will be swooning over the results to see if they can claim a popularity victory and with it the political and financial sway it provides. Due to the question and answers put to the public by this census, I honestly doubt they'll be disappointed with the affirmation I expect them to receive. For all intense and purpose, through my eyes, the people who wrote the census might as well have written "What is your religion? Catholic or Protestant."

You might think I'm exaggerating, so lets take a look at this question and the answers from the 2011 census on Sunday...

OK, so first of all (in my opinion anyway) this is a leading question aiming towards having someone answer positively and I'm not alone... the British Humanist Association also agrees and here's why; the question assumes a positive response - even with a negative response as an answer - this encourages the respondent to relate to a choice provided. For instance people are more likely to answer to any loose connection they have when asked "What cultural background do you belong to?" (combined with some listed) compared to "Do you have strong cultural background? If yes, please state." (with no multiple choice).

To compound the problem the question comes with both multiple choice and space for an open answer. On this occasion; four denominations of Christianity, a write in box for 'Other' followed by 'None'.

This limited degree of options though seems somewhat unique to Northern Ireland. I'm sure those who designed it would say it just reflects the main denominations and communities in an area but it all has an impact on the responses they will receive. So lets take a look at the same 2011 Census question in Scotland where we see a much longer list and these faiths are practised in N.I too:

It seems odd that he rest of the UK followed a similar route in this question and N.I had to be special, in the same way job application forms want to know which 'side of the community' you grew up in.

The option of 'None' for instance has to be there to make it not stupid too, but in the Northern Irish census this appears even below the write in option. Odd really that the same question should have too very different layouts of answers. I also do wonder why in NI we didn't get a small reminder within the question that these questions were voluntary? Seems an odd omission to make. My biggest annoyance with the Census and this question was universal across the board and that was the 'Other, please state' option. It turns out there are 393 recommended abbreviations provided in the help section of the Census website; from the mainstream denominations of the largest institutions and belief systems all the way through to the satirical such as Church of the Pink Unicorn - not to mention the odd cult along the way.

Of all the abbreviations though, this one took my interest the most:

"OWN PERSONAL BELIEFS"

Yep, only as important to the census creators as Pink Unicorns if the choice of answers they listed in the multiple choice were down to expected popularity.

Yet surely common sense would have 'own personal beliefs' along side any organised religion or lack of belief  at all? Given this option, how many people would tick it rather than stating a denomination of Christianity? Without this answer it seems we've found that establishing an overview belief isn't the main purpose for the inclusion of the question, it's to put people in boxes so politicians can make excuses with 'facts'. I mean does having a bible in the home really mean you have to divide yourself into one of four or more denominations of Christianity, given the question asked, I reckon people will have done, even if they haven't been to church since they were children. That's neither right or wrong, but if these stats are to be used for more than just curiosity, someone really needs to start rewording that question.

As the BHA found; "by assuming that all participants held a religious belief, the question captured some kind of loose cultural affiliation", asking such a leading question is going to give unrealistic results - at least in relation to the interpretation that the stats will be used for. Translate this into the Northern Irish religious and political scene and given the way the question was asked, laid out and with the multiple choice answers selected - if loose cultural affiliations are being responded to, then the religious and in turn, political landscape that is being reflected by the question, will surely just feed back the same old answer.

But you know what, the same old answer is probably the answer some authorities led by community leaders with their heads in tribal politics and religious institutions wanted to hear.

Northern Ireland's alternative general election summary.

Inspired by the funniest bit of media to grace the UK's May 6th, 2010 General Election, I thought I'd try to bring a bit of an alternative review of the political events we witnessed here in Northern Ireland over the last couple of days. So please join me for a few minutes and I'll try not to keep you hanging around as long as Fermanagh and South Tyrone.

If you haven't guessed already the bit of media I'm referring to was the immensely funny Channel 4's Alternative Election Night. A show that was hosted by David Mitchell, Jimmy Carr, Charlie Brooker and Lauren Laverne and made me laugh all 4 of my cheeks off even more than Conservatives complaining on Radio5 today. It wasn't meant to be funny on the radio but I just couldn't keep a straight face. I mean callers were lifting their handsets to their heads to moan that their party has to actually come down off its high horse and 'talk' with other parties. Parties that after all make up the other 63.9% (with one constituency still to be decided) of voters who didn't vote for them... or as the case might be outside of England, the 80.5% of the electorate who voted against a Tory government - and that's a stat including the other comedy gold that was the Ulster Conservatives and Unionists New Force (though not the Fermanagh and South Tyrone unionist candidate who said he would take the Tory whip). How long will the quick attempt to buy a tribal vote just in case of a hung parliament continue is a intriguing question. Is the UUP likely to get Conservative HQ 'junk' status? Or is it just likely there is to be a bit of re-branding? Perhaps "UCU New Force can be felt by Jedi Cameron as strong - trust in the force, party" or "Ulster Conservatives and Unionists Revenge of the Sixth"?

And it wasn't just the Galactic Tory Empire that was having trouble with the Rebel Alliance here in Northern Ireland when it came down to tribal politics. Our fair and benevolent First Minister Peter Robinson found his hand being lightsabered by the positive force. Naomi Long led the Alliance to arguably one of the most significant victories of the election here and one that shows that even tribal leaders aren't above the democratic process. A positive campaign and admittedly although as I'd be biased since I voted Alliance in my constituency, a great step forward in Northern Irish politics. I'm almost tempted to move to East Belfast!

As it is, I'm not alone in the optimism that this might be a turning point in Northern Irish politics. Akin to taking down the shield generators on Endor, in time, maybe the Alliance and the Ewoks, ermm sorry, Green party and other moderate candidates may be able to normalise politics here, letting us finally vote on issues that effect us all as a single community. We can but keep the dream alive.

Why a single community? Well, other than what I said in this Nick Roll post, I hate to break it to everyone on planet Earth but we are all human and part of a global community - our species' future will depend on everyone pulling together at some point - even if it is just to co-ordinate getting away from each other and flying to separate planets like in Dr Who with Starship UK the other week! So even if the naughty boys and girls (who make friends by choosing to sit in separate groups and only agree to play with each other nicely when someone holds the chance of more toys their way) would like to make us all think otherwise, that isn't our future. At least not a pleasant future anyway. I think the Channel 4 Alternative Election Night got it spot on in bringing it all into perspective when they had the charismatic and worldly wise Dr Brian Cox giving the top 5 things we SHOULD be worried about. From Super Volcanoes to Supernovas, which would pretty much kill all of us, number one was mankind's own stupidity.

Which leads me nicely on to another MP elected - Sammy Wilson. His re-election by the votes of the happy go lucky residents of East Antrim may worry anyone interested in the growth of science, technology, niche green markets in renewable power and manufacturing throughout the UK - after all, his vote in Parliament is unlikely to be for green economic change - at least going by the environmental views he's held in the past - but wait! Maybe I'm not giving the credit to the DUP voters in East Antrim they deserve... after all, sending him to London to once again be 1 voice amongst 649 others (where we would hope some common sense on major issues might shine through anyway), we're also getting a free gift! I personally believe it to be one of the best results of the election - now he's re-elected, he's stepping down from his his ministerial position and the Northern Ireland Assembly. Good times!

In North Down we saw popular opinion shine through for Sylvia Hermon who left everyone in her dust and I thought she came across very well on TV. The interview made it seem like she might be in a game of Deal or no deal. If it came to it Banker Cameron or Banker Brown could be calling to test the waters but the good news is she sounded like she'd hold on for bigger money. Sure, if it was needed for any party to join some tangled coalition or informal support, maybe they'd all get to take turns at opening the boxes until it was their turn to play? I reckon we could hold out for £299 million if Plaid Cymru are holding out for £300 million. All we need to make this work is Noel Edmonds on board. Sadly it'll all probably collapse before going to air due to the banker getting a bit greedy selling all the audience seats to people who can't afford them. In the short term maybe getting all the Blues out of the way first is a good idea and we'll leave the Reds for later!

The most hotly contested seat of this general election in the whole of the UK though has to be Fermanagh and South Tyrone. It wasn't the eventual winner that made it exciting but the number of votes involved. In the end Michelle Gildernew took the seat by a margin of 4 votes, yep, wouldn't you be gutted if you were a Rodney Connor supporter and didn't bother to vote or missed the cut off time? Who knew there was actually a place where every extreme vote counted!? After being bored to sleep by the slow results trickling through at around 2.30am we missed this one being called live or the recounts with the final result being declared at 20300 to 20304 after the 3rd recount! Not only that but now it seems even this result is being disputed. Here is the full story of the Fermanagh and South Tyrone count on the BBC site. I feel sorry for anyone counting there, just imagine you've been up all night and get asked to do a 3rd count! All the while, probably being glared at by the two candidates/supporters from opposite sides of the 'traditional' divide. I suspect it would feel like making a funny sound by accident and then making it again to make it sound like you meant to make the sound and then realising they might not have heard the first time and thus have to do it again all the while wondering if they heard all 3 and think you need help.

The rest of the DUP, Sinn Fein and SDLP candidates who gained the public's vote seemed to be elected without much of a shock with no other seats changing hands and not too many delays. With counting happening overnight it also proved to the rest of the UK and Ireland that we've either found a new use for the night staff at a 24 hour Tesco, or, as is more likely, we have joined the rest of the world in planning accordingly for a special occasion. Get us and our in time election declarations, still a wee way to go before rivalling Sunderland.

And that was that for now. We could probably all end up doing it all again before too long depending how all the negotiations go. So next time I want to see TV executives asking the party leaders to compete in Krypton Factor as well as live debates. The good news is that no matter what, most of us who live from pay check to pay check are still likely to be worse off in the near future but luckily the financial system and billionaires will be very grateful. I'm rather dubious at the moment as to how things will pan out, I doubt it'll be as bad as the election scare tactics made out but you never know. Like the public in Greece found, you never know if we hear everything - like those big numbers that have gone walkies. I presume, like IKEA flat packs, where these days they usually give you one extra screw that you weren't expecting, I'm still waiting for one to show up both in the package here and over the water. I'm just hoping this half decent start to a hung parliament does end up providing some real and long lasting changes, both in a shift to normalised politics for Northern Ireland and general electoral reform in the whole of the UK. With nothing more to say on the subject for now I'll sign off today with a video recently posted by Stephen Fry. So just in case it goes mammaries up with electoral reform this time out, here is that light hearted yet serious video starring John Cleese on the subject of Proportional Representation and why we need it:

Northern Ireland sees amazing twist in Election build up

"You wouldn't get this from any other guy"

Photo by Alex Folkes

Congratulations, you've been Nick Roll'd in honour of Nick Clegg. Do bear with me though... I just wanna tell you how I'm feeling about Politics here in Northern Ireland in view of the general election on May 6th. ((This is only my pub discussion opinion and not representative of any group or persons I may be linked to))

As you probably know, in Northern Ireland we vote for MPs to send to Westminster like anywhere else but unlike the now brand based (Americanized) all out commercial politics in the rest of the UK - I gotta make you understand that its likely to be tribal politics that will once again cast its shadow over meaningful policies and debates here. This is because there are a lot of people who are never gonna give you up when it comes to pushing socially divided campaign material your way - flashing national flags and colours on their posters is the least of it. In all honesty I think people who don't vote tribally are put off even participating due to the seemingly foregone conclusion and in your face approach. We even end up with campaign cars being driven around blasting out noise pollution from loud speakers like salesmen from developing nations (no offence to developing nations).

In fairness some of these party's representatives may make decent MPs, but in my view, too many don't! Not at all aided by the fact the traditional divide here shares a religious connotation that means faith based politics also gets thrown into the equation. Such as the case where we are the only part of the UK where a woman's right to choose is forced over the sea and where politicians don't seem to pay much attention to statistics unless it fits into the neat categories of Catholic, Protestant or Other.

So are our current MPs here in NI really representing what is often the silent majority? The sad thing is until people speak up, no one will know. Still, they (our political elite) say they're never gonna let you down, but they do let you down very often by being petty and argumentative. A prejudice that is becoming more and more outdated in the ever increasingly globalised world. I personally feel embarrassed at times seeing those who are supposedly speaking on my behalf talking to the media.

So for none tribal politics, the closest party to the Liberal Democrats in N.I are the Alliance Party who tend to work with the Lib Dems. There are also the Greens and several independents who would also appear to also focus more of their effort to helping their potential constituents in things that really matter most in our every day lives and less about reliving the past. Such MP candidates may be unproven as they've never been given the chance, but we can hope they're never gonna run around and desert you when the time is needed for you to call on their help. Lets face it they can't be much worse.

My current view of politics here is that giving a neutral candidate a vote is a vote for unity and a single community where differences can be respected including those who don't share the traditional view points. It's an ethos that's never gonna make you cry. Sure, if people don't start voting here on policies outside the realms of century old feuds - of decisions made by people and values long since dead - then the political system is never going to work for the people. Rather it will continue to work only for the Politian's and other groups with vested interests.

The politicians who become the spokes people for local issues where national prejudice aren't relevant are never gonna say goodbye unless they are democratically pushed. Even when they trip themselves up with scandles, they're not going to want to give up a good thing and will rarely step down. They may say they're "never gonna tell a lie and hurt you", that "we've known each other for so long" but that doesn't change the fact tribal politics only benefits the few with the polar opinion and those opportunistic enough to fill any voids left.

What about the rest of us just wanting a fairer and pleasant place to live, free from fear and hate and not being imposed on too much by other peoples beliefs?

If like mine, you're heart's been aching because of the frustration of the situation here, but your too shy to say it. It's not too late to try to do something about it. Over time, things will hopefully change for the better, but as the saying goes; there is no time like the present - so this May if you're registered to vote in N.I, think about what you are actually voting for and maybe consider voting against tribal politics. It makes no sense for people to keep voting for the same people over and over expecting things to change. In fact that's pretty much the definition of insanity.

And that vote against Tribal parties to me includes a vote against the Conservative's recent venture into Northern Irish politics - seemingly to try and exploit the chance for an extra seat by investing when stock is low - as they controversially sided with the UUP. Inside we both know what's been going on. They can say all they want about not becoming involved in Tribal politics but when you slap a union jack behind your candidate in North Belfast, either they're insensitive or they're buying into that realm of politics (and lets face it like the republicans in the states the Conservatives are experts at scaremongering) and I'm guessing they probably think, "We know the game and we're gonna play it".

Change probably won't happen at this election but with just a vote, a moderate voice can start to turn the tide towards effective, non-corrupt government that works for the people and not for the facilitation of lining the pockets of a few. It's a lofty goal and power corrupts so you never can know for sure but at least it's worth a shot.

If you were not going to vote because of past experiences or fears of it not being worth the time, please do try to scrape a bit of hope together for politics next month. If you feel the same, let's make the Tribal parties as well as the Conservatives and Labour take note! If you ask me how I'm feeling, it would be that we can all make the difference on May 6th, even if it's just by taking away some percentage points. That's not to say just vote for anyone, I'd suggest to listen to what everyone has to say and don't forget to read the small print :)

Don't tell me you're too blind to see that you've now been Nick-Rick-Rolled. I hope it was painless enough. If you fancy Nick-Rick-Rolling anyone you know, please do pass it on, even better why not Nick-Rick-Roll your own view of politics in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.