Sadly, because of postal ballots, that’s not always the case. It should be an affirmation of our democracy, the principle of one person, one vote.
We owe it to them to get off our backsides and cast our votes in the traditional manner. Past generations fought and died for our right to vote. It has to be something more solemn than pressing the red button on the Sky remote from the comfort of your sofa. But simply not being bothered to walk a few hundred yards to your local school, church hall or cricket club is not sufficient reason.Īn election should be an important day in our national calendar, one which brings us out with our friends and neighbours, whichever way we vote. Yes, there are legitimate reasons why some people are unable to make it on the day and they can be accommodated. You won’t convince me that the vast majority of them are incapable of getting to polling stations, which open from 7am to 10pm. The same number of voters are expected to apply for postal ballots this time. At the last general election, a staggering 8.4 million people voted by post - almost a fifth of the electorate. The whole system is completely out of hand and wide open to abuse. And that’s by getting rid of all postal voting, except for a few exceptions, such as the infirm and members of the military serving overseas. Of course, if the strike does go ahead, there is one surefire way of preventing the election being disrupted. Union leaders may be gloating at the prospect, but they would be wise to reflect on the fact that the reason the Royal Mail was privatised in the first place, and continues to face further cutbacks, is because the Government had to obey EU competition regulations.Īnd although Jeremy Corbyn says Labour would renationalise it, he wouldn’t be allowed to while Britain remains in the European Union. But the threat to disrupt the democratic process and prolong the Brexit logjam could easily backfire. If the strike was just about pay and job security, the union could rely on substantial support.
We’ve had the same postie, Mike, since we moved in 22 years ago - the same week, incidentally, that our home-beat copper was withdrawn. Most of us regard our postman as a trusted friend, in the way people used to look up to the local bobby. They are a vital, valued part of the community, a reassuring presence on the streets, a reliable, traditional service at a time when banks and police stations are closing everywhere and councils can’t even be bothered to empty the dustbins once a week. In the normal course of events, postal workers could expect a good deal of public sympathy. The dispute is over pay, working conditions and plans to streamline the Royal Mail yet again, with the loss of up to 40,000 jobs. The same number of voters are expected to apply for postal ballots this time A December General Election, complete with millions of postal votes, is an unexpected bonus for them.Īt the last general election, a staggering 8.4 million people voted by post - almost a fifth of the electorate.
Naturally, the union wants to maximise its leverage when the demand for parcel delivery is highest. The Communication Workers Union (CWU) had planned walkouts to coincide with those recent American imports Black Friday and Cyber Monday, which have led to a huge increase in online shopping and helped suck the life out of High Street retailers, who rely on Christmas to boost profits - or, rather, make up for heavy losses the rest of the year. One told a meeting at the weekend: ‘They won’t only say we stole Christmas, we’ll probably steal Brexit off them as well.’ It’s a prospect militant union leaders are relishing. We now face the depressing prospect of the election result being challenged by those who claim they have been denied the right to vote Although Royal Mail bosses say they will prioritise election material, including polling cards and ballot papers, widespread disruption would appear inevitable.
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