Live Election Debates – Democracy in the UK

As most will know in the UK we have for the first time having election debates televised live (on the 15th April, 22nd April and the 29th April 2010).

For those who keep up with the news will know that from some corners there has been a lot of anger and disgrace over these debates.

The loudest shouts have been coming from the Scottish National Party (SNP) and Plaid Cymru (PC) but also from the UK’s 4th largest party the United Kingdon Independence Party (UKIP) and the 6th largest the Green Party of England & Wales.

Ofcom states:

“The allocation of party political and election broadcasts is determined mainly on the basis of the parties electoral strength and the number of seats they are contesting.”

Strength: SNP are in government in Scotland, PC are in jointly in the Welsh assembly.

Seats Contested: The Green Party and UKIP are standing in around 50% of constituencies.

The SNP will get a Scottish live debate as will PC in Wales however it goes without saying that the coverage will be much smaller.

As has been seen with the live debates that the Liberal Democrats have seen a surge in the polls, including the likes of the others could have radically change the face of the political system in the UK

I’m Turning Green!

There was a time when they would be ignored, they were of no interest or consequence to the main parties. Now however they are starting to sit up and start to ridicule the Green Party of England & Wales with Green Party leader Caroline Lucas stating “Nick Clegg is kidding himself if he thinks he can sell Lib Dem policies to Green voters” Clegg claimed “I am absolutely confident that we have the most radical and bold set of environmental policies of any party in British politics”.

A clear sign that the Green Party are moving away from the fringes to challenge the old guard of British politics.

This is of course very understandable considering that from the 1997 general election where the Greens got a mere 61,731 votes to the 2001 general election where they got 166,477 votes and in the 2005 election 257,758 votes.

The Green Party represent more than just environmental politics but the only credible libertarian left-wing party.

People in the UK are starting to see clearly that the continuing economic wealth is not being translated to quality of life and standard of living. The UK along with many western countries have hit the point where ever growing GDP is not a an indicator of quality of life with rich/poor gaps ever widening, crime rates falling yet prison populations increasing.

Policies such as replacing the house of lords with a fully elected second chamber, not renewing the contracts for rail companies bringing them back under public ownership, bringing dentistry back in with the rest of the NHS and creating jobs through the renewable energy sector is likely to find favour with more than just the eco-warriors but as well the average voter.