Re-engaging voters with politics will take more than hollow words. Jonathan Arnott. MEP.
As we are now in mid election, many politicians are declaring
their distress at low turnouts and slow voter registration. The truth is that
many people are disillusioned with politics full stop. No matter what
politicians promise or say, some people feel it won’t make a
difference.
I regularly speak at public meetings all across the North East and at
every single one somebody will come up and thank UKIP for standing; saying that
they haven’t voted in years and would not have voted this time if UKIP weren’t
standing. This is something I am very proud of: UKIP may not be for everyone,
but we have provided a voice and alternative option for many people who
previously felt disenfranchised.
I’m living in the Easington constituency (one of the safest seats in
England) and am standing for Parliament there. For many years no-one but Labour
has really campaigned there. There are no no-go areas for UKIP, and – like many
UKIP members standing in seats written off by the other parties – I hope to
provide a real alternative choice in that area for the first time in
decades.
The Scottish referendum showed how energised politics can be when people
care about an issue and feel their vote matters. When many young people in
England don’t care about political parties, the answer isn’t more party politics
but more direct democracy.
Giving power back to the people is core to UKIP’s beliefs. We believe
local people not just politicians should be able to contribute towards the big
decisions that impact their area. Increased local democracy, referendums on key
issues and a more representative voting system would all be positive steps to
bring politics and power back to the people.
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