What to do

Well, it has arrived.

We have a postal vote and no longer the option of walking round to a polling station. My jury remains out on whether or no this be a good thing.

So now I must think a little harder about what to do. It has been exercising me for months. I believe that my vote is precious and was hard won and that I must use it... but I really want to tick a box that says "None of the Above"

The system is badly broken and must be fixed - but what can I do in the meantime.

Of my available choices I have:

 the "When Hell Freezes Over" party who have faced my lifelong antipathy and that is not about to change now

the "I trusted you and you sold me out" party who will never again receive a vote from me

the "Historically you had my vote but I no longer recognise you or your aims" party who have so much ground to recover before they can regain my vote that I believe it to be an impossible task

the "new kid on the block" (in relative terms) party who no right-thinking person could ever encourage in any way, shape or form and most certainly not ever vote for and it beggars belief that anybody would but that people do, increasingly so. I don't want to live in their world. It terrifies me.

and, finally

the default option, a party that I hold no antipathy for but who I do know will pull the same confidence trick on me as last time's lot did, though with a bedfellow that would cause me personally fewer tears.

It's a moot point. How I vote will not affect the outcome. How my constituency votes will not change (much). I have a conscience and a vote and I wish to exercise them but I know that it is futile to do so. My convictions mean nothing to anybody, except to me.

It is wholly dispiriting.

I reckon it is high time that Norway claimed us back. What's the state of their political system? Is it just as bad? Has the entire world gone nuts, perhaps.