Robert Buckland Weblog

The date of the General Election remains a secret known only to the Prime Minister.   The smart money is still on May 6th, but there remains a chance of a March election, which is why the national campaigns began before the last Christmas decorations were taken down.  These weeks and months require unusual stamina from Parliamentary candidates, and here in South Swindon my team is working hard to secure as much support as possible.

There is no doubt that people’s trust in politicians and the entire process has been eroded by the expenses scandal.   The wish for change is almost tangible.   Memories of the flawed decision-making process that led to the war in Iraq are being stirred by the Chilcot Inquiry, and the emergence from the shadows of Gordon Brown will be an event even more interesting than the evidence of his predecessor.

I spoke to a number of local residents today who had never voted before.  It may not be the best time to encourage people to participate, but is it lack of participation that has got us into this mess?   Opinion is divided as to whether turnout will go up or down at the General Election.   My hunch is that turnout will increase.  Anger at politicians does not necessarily mean abstention.  I believe that the best way to register concern about the mess that Parliament has got itself into is to vote for a fresh start.

There have been many moments in our history when our Parliament has fallen short of the standards expected of it.  Equally, there have been many moments when Parliament has risen to the challenge and led the way.   The only way to go from this situation is up, surely?