Volatile voters make elections too close to call
PLYMOUTH voters go to the polls today in European Parliament elections that are expected to be among the most unpredictable on record.
Sixteen political parties and one independent are contesting the six seats for the South West UK and Gibraltar in the European Parliament.
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The South West sent seven MEPs to Strasbourg in 2004.
This year will see a game of musical chairs among the main parties as the region loses one of its seats.
Four sitting MEPs will be fighting to hold on to their seats: Giles Chichester led a three-strong Conservative group from the South West in the last Parliament, but his colleagues Neil Parish and Dr Caroline Jackson are standing down.
In 2004 the UK Independence Party (UKIP) formed the second largest South West party with two MEPs.
Only Trevor Colman remains, though the party is hoping for a boost from the expenses scandal.
Glyn Ford, the long-serving Labour MEP, leads his party's pro-Europe slate.
Liberal Democrat Graham Watson, who leads the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), is standing for election again and hopes to become President of the European Parliament.
MEPs are elected by proportional representation, so these four are probably unlikely to be unseated.
They face a strong challenge for the remaining seats from the Green Party headed by Ricky Knight.
Katie Hopkins, the outspoken former star of 'The Apprentice', is hoping to be elected as an Independent from a list of 89 candidates in the South West.
The political turmoil makes it difficult to forecast the result and could produce "the most volatile voting patterns in living memory".
A report this week by think-tank Democratic Audit said that conventional opinion polls could be misleading.
Think-tank director Dr Stuart Wilks-Heeg said: "This promises to be one of the most unusual elections we have ever seen."
Plymouth City Council is not holding elections this year, but residents on the city fringes will also be voting in the Cornwall Council and Devon County Council elections.
The Liberal Democrats are confident of retaining their grip on both councils, although the Devon Conservatives have been campaigning all-out in the hopes of overturning a small majority.
Comment – Page 10
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by steve, Taunton
Thursday, June 04 2009, 11:19PM
“Thanks for all the weird and wonderfull comments. Carefully considered them all, well disgarded most to be honest, then popped out and voted Liberal Democrat.”
by will_b, down Thunder Road
Thursday, June 04 2009, 8:52PM
“An part of the wikipedia article on the BNP
The BNP is opposed to allowing veteran British Army Gurkhas the right of settlement in the United Kingdom. On 12 May 2009, in an radio broadcast on BBC's Five Live, the BNP's leader, Nick Griffin, told presenter Nicky Campbell that on the issue of allowing retired Gurkhas the right to settle in Britain: "We don't think the most overcrowded country in Europe, can realistically say, 'Look, you can all come and all your relatives.' Griffin went on to say, "When the Gurkhas signed up - frankly as mercenaries - they expected a pension which would allow them to live well in their own country."
There has been controversy concerning a statement to the Sun newspaper, by actress turned campaigner Joanna Lumley, condemning a leaflet which had allegedly been distributed by the BNP candidate, Adam Walker with a picture of a dead Gurkha soldier crossed out and attacking her campaign for settlement.Both Walker and the BNP have condemned this as a forgery and the BNP have published a statement they attribute to Joanna Lumley and the Gurkha Justice Campaign, retracting the criticism.
On 17 May 2009, the Telegraph newspaper reported that the BNP's leader, Nick Griffin, had branded Lance Corporal Johnson Beharry VC, a black Grenada-born British Army recipient of the Victoria Cross an "immigrant" whose bravery was simply "routine". The Telegraph alleged that the BNP website called Lance Corporal Beharry VC's award of the Victoria Cross "positive discrimination by the PC-mad government".] Lance Corporal Beharry VC was awarded his Victoria Cross in 2005 for action in Iraq, when he returned to his burning armoured personnel carrier three times, under sustained enemy fire, to lift out his wounded British Army comrades from the vehicle.The BNP has denied these allegations.”
by Albert Dock, Wierdoland
Thursday, June 04 2009, 7:57PM
“There I was just looking through the Herald.....Then I fell into a NAZI blogpage...all harping on about the British Nazi Party....Its the year of 2009....not 1930”
by irene, mutley
Thursday, June 04 2009, 7:37PM
“We're just back from the polling Station. How refreshing to see a brisk busy number of couples and groups mostly clutching their polling cards and anxious for difference and change. We spoke to a few outside and almost all were determined to vote BNP because it so wonderfully articulates and represents the way that so many of us feel about what is wrong with our country. if anyone who has not voted reads this in time to get out and support the only truly British party of real british people they should go quickly to vote and make sure that their voices are heard.”
by irene, mutley
Thursday, June 04 2009, 7:36PM
“We're just back from the polling Station. How refreshing to see a brisk busy number of couples and groups mostly clutching their polling cards and anxious for difference and change. We spoke to a few outside and almost all were determined to vote BNP because it so wonderfully articulates and represents the way that so many of us feel about what is wrong with our country. if anyone who has not voted reads this in time to get out and support the only truly British party of real british people they should go quickly to vote and make sure that their voices are heard.”