Thanks for the image: http://bit.ly/1U3OqzJ
The ascension of political disengagement across the UK is undeniable. There is a general consensus that politicians are intrinsically self-seeking and untrustworthy, our two main parties reside in a disparagingly similar political space and our First Past the Post system can render your vote all but futile in certain circumstances.
It comes as no surprise therefore that voter turnout has remained dismal across all General Elections in the past fifteen years – consistently remaining below the 70% mark. The last election in 2015 saw turnout reach 66%, meaning that just over a third of the United Kingdom abstained from voting. It is a statistic made even bleaker by the fact that this was the highest turnout since the 1997 election.
But for those who are harbouring the same feelings of disengagement in regards to the EU referendum, remember – voting in the EU referendum is not the same as voting in the General Elections.
When you vote in General Elections, you are granting decision making power to a certain party and its members. The implications of this can indeed leave one feeling politically alienated and without motive to participate in the electoral process. However, when you vote in a referendum you are the one making the decision – you are essentially the focus of power.
A referendum is a democratic tool that puts you in a position to effect change on as equal a level as the Prime Minister, because unlike with elections, your vote does not fall into the hierarchical mechanisms of party politics. The newly formed rivalry between the Conservative party’s two biggest names; Boris Johnson and David Cameron, stands as a testament to how a referendum surpasses the constraints of parties and government.
With this in mind I would urge all those who feel disengaged from contemporary politics to see the EU referendum in a different light. Because a referendum is one of the rare moments in our democracy where the locus of decision making power shifts at least partially away from the elites, and centralises within the people.
So…read, research, register and most importantly make a decision!
Registration to vote ends at midnight on the 7th of June. Go here to find out more: https://www.eureferendum.gov.uk/register-to-vote/