Did "El Presidente" keep his word??

[teeteringhead]

A couple of weeks ago on the Jeremy Vine Show (BBC Radio 2) Tony Blair was being interviewed. One of the 'phone ins was from a military person serving in Iraq, complaining that the Service/Postal vote system had changed, many had not been informed in time, and were therefore disenfranchised.

Whereupon "TrustMeTone" said, "Don't worry, I'll look into it and personally ensure that they get their votes in time!!"

Well ..... did he?? Can't believe he'd make an empty promise :rolleyes:

Notes:
1. Please do not let this deteriorate into a pro/anti war thread.
2. Journos who cruise this forum, please feel free to pick up on this!!

[5206]

For example, see similar subject on Jetblast

5206

[November4]

"Don't worry, I'll look into it and personally ensure that they get their votes in time!!"

The date for registering to vote had passed when he said this then there was nothing that he could do unless there was a change to the election laws. That would need parliament to make the change but as it has been disolved......so there was nothing he could do for those who hadn't registered.

Yet another meaningless off the cuff remark from Trust Me Tone :*

[Scud-U-Like]

I got my postal ballot papers (council and general elections) early last week. The new postal voting registration system is a huge improvement on the old one, where, if you happened to get posted to a new unit, after the annual electoral registration deadline, it was just tough titty.

[Impiger]

Not quite the full Rembrant Scudulike. Under the old system if your qualifying address was say your parents home, or the address of a home you own but let out then your postal ballot remained vaild for that constituency regardless of how close to an election you were posted between units. Not sure about the new system as I've now put down something akin to roots and don't need the postal ballot anymore.

Anyway back to the thread - if Tone couldn't fix it did he write back and explain that he hadn't/couldn't. I don't mind a bloke who tries hard but fails and admits it. Its the sleazy barstewards who pretend to sort things out but don't that get up my nose.

[Hueymeister]

They aren't the only ones...I tried to register, but due to sh*te admin/postal system I missed the 'boat'. Doesn't really change much as Billy Conolly said ' don't vote it only encourages them!!!!!!!!...whoever you vote for, the w*nkers always get in!!'

[Dan Winterland]

This election, there appears to have been a policy of making the registration of servicemen and ex-pats (traditionally Conservative voters) as difficult as possible. A clear case of gerrymandering if there ever was one!

Unfortunately for Tone, I got my papers in time and voted against him.

[Fg Off Max Stout]

My postal voting pack only arrived at the Offrs' Mess this morning, the day before the election. Cheers Tony. I filled it in and sent it off immediately but can't be sure it'll arrive in time to be counted.

[Scud-U-Like]

Impiger

If, however, on posting, you wanted to change the address to which your ballot paper was sent or wanted to register in your new constituency, your registration form had to reach the Electoral Registration Officer, by the annual registration deadline. That was fine, provided an election was not called (often it was) before the next registration deadline, which could be almost 12 months hence.

The new system allows postal voting registration, right up to a few weeks before an election. While not perfect, it is a far more flexible system for most people in the armed forces.

For all their pro-armed forces rhetoric, the Tories never did a thing to improve voter-registration methods for service personnel.

[BEagle]

Shall be off to the polling booth tomorrow to put my X in the 'Get rid of the lying $hit' box.

Can't decide between the Popular Party, Peoples' Party or Popular Peoples' Party though.

But it most certainly won't be the L is for Lies, L is for Labour Party.

[grobace]

BEagle,

Why don't you give UKIP a whirl?

[BEagle]

Err, no thanks!

Shall vote for whichever party has the best chance of $hitcanning that gurning poodle and his slimeball gang.

[Darth Nigel]

To paraphrase Lewis Black:

There ought to be another choice
[X] Kill me now

[JessTheDog]

It was only a campaign by some serving, reservists and ex-serving and some robust questioning in the Upper House by Air Marshal Lord Garden that got this subject onto the agenda.

The system was changed from one-time registration to annual registration.

Service personnel were not informed properly, and were never consulted. Have you ever managed to get hold of a DCI? They normally sit in someone's in tray!

Leaflets were distributed - 1 leaflet for 3 personnel in all 3 services. Compare this to 56,000 new AP 3003 RAF History books at who knows what expense - 1.37 books for each member of the downsized RAF, so a lucky few will have a spare to flog on EBay! Mind you, this is a slight improvement on the 1 shared between 10 personnel AFPS consultation leaflets!

The success of the leaflet distribution is uncertain. Army formations have not received them and a certain place near Walter's Ash apparently has not either. They may have gone out the door at the last minute.

Have special measures been introduced for those OOA to participate in the electoral process? I would doubt it.

It seems that it is OK to implement regime change abroad but not to take part in it in the UK. Perhaps this is because HMG is aware that those in uniform feel slightly bitter at recent decisions regarding the Armed Forces....

[tgarden]

JessTD

Thanks for your kind words about my efforts to raise the visibility of the service voting problem. I have not been alone in this, and the work that the army equivalent of pprune (ARRSE) has been particularly valuable.

I have an assurance from Sam Younger, who runs the Electoral Commission, that they are going to review all the arrangements for the Services, given how most have been disenfranchised this time. We will need hard evidence of the problems, and I encourage everyone to contribute their own experiences. In particular we are tracking when postal forms arrived in overseas locations at ARRSE weblink (http://www.arrse.co.uk/cpgn/Forums/viewtopic/t=16058/postdays=0/postorder=asc/start=50.html)

[Pontius Navigator]

Having looked at your ARSSE (link) sir, I then browsed further. Very earthy.

Makes the prose here very staid and boring. Glad I joined light blue and not mucky green.

How about urban DPM for the RAF?:O