BNP accounts to be investigated

The BNP is to get its accounts for 2008 investigated so the Electoral Commission has been telling the media. So the media has splashed it about suggesting that the BNP is running a kind of political ponzi scheme. I've become very suspicious of quangos lately but not for the same reason as the BNP. I think they think they are doing us all a favour by these antics. The truth is nearer to them being cackhanded helpers of the BNP cause.

According to the BNP they have had mega hits on their site. They are being watched daily by loads of people. So what do they say about their 2008 accounts?

Quote - "Responding to the EC’s announcement, BNP treasurer David Hannam said that he had spoken with that organisation’s head of enforcement, Natalie Birtle, earlier in the day. “I received an assurance from Ms Birtle that the investigation would be closed next week after we had met with her to discuss some final points. To open an investigation on the basis that it will be closed the following week, seems to me to be lacking in logic and indicates there must be some ulterior political motive,” Mr Hannam said. “This is further evidence of the increasing politicisation of the Electoral Commission, which is supposed to be an independent body,” he continued."

So basically there's nothing much wrong with the accounts. But the media is flagging it up as if it were. When will those opposed to the BNP get it into their thick heads that trying to undermine this party by furtive methods is never go to work. In fact it does the complete opposite.

Hard on the heels of the Electoral Commission and their antics come the church forums who are totally against inviting BNP candidates along. A lot of poncy clerics and self-righteous spokesmen talk about "giving them the oxygen of publicity". But all they do is pour loads of petrol on the BNP's network of publicity beacons. Surely these fools should know that they could out-debate a BNP candidate? Or are they so feeble-minded as to know what to say?

Democracy in England - LibDems £2.4M Donation!

Here's a quango at work in the political arena. The Electoral Commission in fact. In a toss of coins they come down in favour of the Liberal Democrats retaining a dodgy loan of £2.4 million and get quite exercised over a UKIP donation of £363,697. The LibDems keep their cash because they could not be held to have realised that the money came from a convicted fraudster. UKIP on the other hand failed to realise that their donor was not on the electoral register at the time of the donation. Even though a district judge ruled that UKIP should only repay £14,481 after ruling the breach had been accidental, the Commission appealed to the High Court and won.

If they had dug a bit deeper with the LibDems one wonders what they might have found out. In any event it hardly seems evenhanded.

Are UKIP voters barmey?

You couldn't make it up. Traditionally in the UK, polling station staff fold ballot papers before giving them to voters. UKIP's high command, ever vigilant for the problems their supporters face at election time, have demanded unfolded ballot papers. This is because some voters cannot conceive of the idea of unfolding them before putting a cross on their paper.

One man from York told the BBC he had been "absolutely shocked" that he could not find the party he wanted to vote for on the ballot paper and had to ask officials where it was. "They explained you have to unfold it again, right at the very bottom there was another very neat fold that you could not see, folded backwards," he said, implying that UKIP was under the last fold (but he could possibly check that!).

My question is "Should such a person be let into a polling station in the first place?"

You have to wonder! UKIP is saying, "We are getting literally hundreds of calls saying we can't find you on the ballot paper so we voted for somebody else." It's all a load of nonsense. Pull the other one. UKIP is just in it for a publicity stunt. Or a pre-emptive strike in case it all goes pearshaped!

More fool the BBC and the Electoral Commission for falling for their prattish behaviour.

By-elections 'happen too quickly'

The BBC reports that it can only be TWO days in which voters can register for a ballot. The Electoral Commission wants the minimum time between calling and holding general elections and by-elections to be increased from 15 to 25 days. I'd think that was very fair.

This all stems from the hypocrisy of politicians. They want elections timed to suit themselves but parade around the country suggesting that they are going to open up democracy. At least it is better than in Harold Wilson's day. He went months before he called a by-election! And in those days if you weren't on the register you weren't on until the new register was compiled by the council. So there is an improvement there.