ELECTION 08: Always exercise right to vote, urges university professor

May 1 2008 by Mike Chapple, Liverpool Daily Post

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Some people are dying campaigning for the vote, while others – who have that right – treat it with indifference. Mike Chapple reports.

A SOUTH African-born academic who did not get the right to vote in his home country until he was aged 40, because of the Apartheid regime, has urged people in Liverpool not to take their democratic rights for granted.

Speaking ahead of today’s local elections, Professor Gerald Pillay, the 53-year-old rector and chief executive of Liverpool Hope University, said citizens should always exercise their vote.

Prof Pillay said: “Democracy respects that every individual is important irrespective of their colour or their beliefs and that they have a right to a stake in that future.

“Such things as a low turnout in countries that have the freedom to vote shows how much that’s now taken for granted: in countries such as Burma, people are still dying or being imprisoned campaigning for this basic human right.”

He added: “Especially in this, the Capital of Culture year, every citizen of Liverpool has the responsibility to decide what they want for the city’s future. We are on the cusp of something potentially wonderful and it’s important as many people as possible use the vote so that they can have a say in it.”

The question of why Liverpool regularly produces some of the lowest of the country’s voting turn-outs has long been a topic for debate.

Almost a year ago, Central Ward recorded the lowest turnout when 11.96% of the electorate voted.

Liverpool-born writer, broadcaster and former Daily Post journalist Brian Reade said: “Liverpool is a city of extremes. Liverpudlians are either passionate about something or they don’t give a toss and I think that apathetic side has been reflect-ed in the more recent voting, or lack of it, at local elections in the city.”

The overall average turnout at last year’s city polls was 27.48%. But dur-ing the 1980s, when the political situ-ation was more dynamic, the average turnout was regularly in the 40% region. Militant held sway in a city where many regarded Margaret Thatcher as its nemesis.

“I think maybe there was a feeling of people being united against a common enemy,” said the award- winning columnist. “The problem, now, is that often you have mediocre people voted in on a mediocre ticket. Voters here have also been happy for the status quo to be maintained.

“But,” he added, “people do get up off their backsides and vote when they feel there have been cock-ups by the administration – and with things such as the cancellation of the Mathew Street festival last year and the council tax going up this year – there may be a reaction in the numbers voting this time.”

PRINCIPAL lecturer in politics at Liverpool John Moores University Liz Sperling said: “Liverpool people do know what they want but if the council doesn’t give it to them, rather than engaging them about it there’s a tendency to disengage. It’s not something that’s just peculiar to Liverpool though, there’s massive disengagement elsewhere too. There’s a sense that politicians are no longer there for what they should be there for: remaining in touch with the people. Instead there is a general sense that politicians are there to look after themselves, not those they represent.”

The apparent apathy has been fuelled by the dividing lines between parties becoming less tangible and the lack of traditional flamboyancy among the candidates, she said.

“Ideology has gone from politics and in terms of Liver-pool ideology is very important, but the parties don’t seem to reflect any of that any more.”

In Central Ward, the council’s elections manager, David Kidger, is hoping that the extra work of his team will at least push this year’s turnout into the average mid-20% expected throughout.

“But of course,” he added, “in a democracy, people have a right not to vote. And no matter how much information you give them, there’ll still be people who will say they don’t know where to vote. You can tell them it’s in Tesco’s car park.

“They’ll answer I know but I only go there on Fridays. In those circumstances, there’s only so much you can do.”

mikechapple