Why I’m spending my election day in the pub

Local politics is dull. There’s no way around it. Before reading this, I doubt many of you were even aware there was an election this Thursday. Why would you be? From dealing with bin collection schedules to launching campaigns to stop us chewing gum, Westminster this is definitely not.

Just one example of the groundbreaking work of our elected officials.

Councillors may think that they are big shots, but when push comes to shove, if they were any good at their jobs, they would probably be MPs and it seems no one agrees with this view more than students. Student areas regularly see shocking turnout levels and many students don’t even know you can vote in local elections at uni.

The local politicians have definitely noticed. Not only do they not make any effort trying to win the student vote, politicians of both parties have slagged off student houses or HMOs. First, Labour cllr. Aslam with his opinion that it’s a ‘shame’ students live in Lenton, and now conservative candidate Nick Packham with this lovely piece of anti-student leafleting:

What the wannabe politicos fail to realise is, without us, Lenton would be nothing but a husk. The doors of fine establishments like the Savoy and Bag O’Nails would rarely be opened.

Without us lot pissing away mummy and daddy’s money up and down Derby Road, Lenton would be a hell of a lot worse. Just look at student free areas like St. Anns or Hyson Green, some of the crimiest and frankly grimiest areas of the UK.

Cities like Nottingham need students. During term time, over 1/5th of the population of Nottingham goes to Trent or UoN. Local businesses that offer student discounts thrive on our government-given disposal income. By failing to even try and offer anything to us students, they take our enormous contribution to the city for granted.

Lenton needs students

In my book, this sort of attitude doesn’t deserve to be validated by a vote. If they can’t recognise that students will be around whether they like it or not, that’s on them. But if either candidate thinks that a student will bother voting for them, they’re definitely delusional enough to be in local government.

But, if you choose to vote in this somewhat pointless exercise in ego-massaging by people pretending to represent you. Don’t vote Labour, don’t vote Tory, Vote for Dave Bishop, leader of the Elvis Loves Pets party, the only politician on the ballot to have sussed that council elections are made to be laughed at.

A true Nottingham hero.

http://grumpyoldelvis.co.uk

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6A8J5p4Gtw[/youtube]