Rosher.Net

I was bemused by the amount of enclosures in the envelope containing my Validation of Nomination for the upcoming May local elections. Nearly all of them were about personal security! How to stay safe from ones constituents, how to avoid confrontation and how to deal with harassment, intimidation and threatening behaviour.

I guess I’m free to feel bemused rather than terrified in my friendly little village and parish, but it really does highlight the breakdown in society we’re experiencing when the police warn you about not carrying valuables – but do carry a charged mobile phone (worth about £1500)… – and don’t go alone and don’t go inside and don’t discuss controversial topics… gosh.

I feel like I could be getting into deep water… Again… Thankfully (also regretably) I’m fully expecting to be uncontested this time around. Volunteering and public service take a back seat when times are hard.

and if you’re reading this, a timely reminder… you need photo ID to vote now. One could argue this potentially disenfranchises a subset of the population without passports and without driving licence and other such documents… the poorer end of society who might not be liable to vote for the incumbent government.

You can, if you have no other means of identifying yourself in the polling station, apply for a Vote Authority Certificate free of charge from government or your local authority. Don’t lose your right to vote. It was hard won.