The Womble's No Show

I've been doing a bit of agonising over who to vote for tomorrow.

I still consider myself a Conservative by instinct but I've long since come to the conclusion that when it comes down to rolling back the State's frontiers which have enveloped our very existence since 1997, they are not up to the job. Dave may slow the growth of State power, he will not reverse it.

I could never, under any circumstances, bring myself to vote Liberal, and Labour and the BNP (one and the same thing) are completely off limits. UKIP, especially in the context of European Elections, have appealed to me in the past but they just seem a bit wacky to me, and they lack discipline. Nigel Farage is an utterly inspiring leader, and the expenses-grabbing conduct of some of their MEPs suggests to me that they're no better than the rest.

If there were a Libertarian Party candidate, I'd vote for them, but they're not playing out tomorrow. That basically leaves the English Democrats. I like these guys, and I voted for them last time round. But they keep a low profile, they've put nothing through my door and the level of support for them last time was pretty pitiful.

In the end, the words my Dad so loved from a non-voting friend of his hold sway. This friend never voted for politicians because "voting only encourages them". Whether it's my age, cynicism or just the expenses thing, I've decided not to "encourage" anyone tomorrow. Let's face it, if there's anyone we shouldn't be humouring, it's the EU. I bet those tax-grabbing, money-squandering, self-interested federalists in Brussels would love a high turnout; it would feed their egos and help them to self-justify their existence.



So the Womble will "stay at home". But abstaining doesn't mean apathy. On Friday and Sunday I'll be hoping to see New Labour in carnage. And if I see it, boy, will I enjoy it !