It is the election season with a lot of political spice. An aura of melodrama pervaded. Odds were offered hourly and they were read avidly but the hardcore doubted whether they were true barometer of what was in store for different parties. The newspapers turned into campaigners. Each had been having its own agenda. One asked voters to throw out the Tories forever. Another had been painting Blair as the worst kind of gnome.
Various ethnic minority communities, especially Muslims and Hindus, for the first time came out with their own manifesto of what they wanted. The three parties for the first time selected a large number of candidates from the ethnic communities but I suspected from the beginning that apart from a very few, none could expect to win. The whole idea had been to attract the ethnic community votes; it was all a charade to please the minorities. The strategy could prove counter-productive.
The votes of Muslims, for instance, in cities like Bradford and Leeds would naturally be divided and the winner would be the one who got the maximum votes from the English. The Asian representation in the House of Commons, I feel, would not jump beyond single digit. Only a miracle of sorts could get it past into double figures. One thing is sure, if a couple of Pak-origin candidates get in, fireworks can be expected on Kashmir issue.
But, I must say the weather has been magnanimous to campaigners. During the last few weeks of hectic campaigning, there was very little rain. Except one incident of lightning hitting Tony Blair's s helicopter, he and other leaders of all the main parties could, without weather interrupting their itinerary, criss-cross the country. Over the past four weeks they visited nearly 100 key marginal seats. They all seemed to be engaged in a do-or-die effort.
I have seen the last three General Elections here but this year's has proved exceptionally tough. Stakes have been high. After almost eight years, the Tories got their political spine back and leader of the Liberal Democrats Charles Kennedy got rid of his somnolence. Then Iraq gave Labour a sticky wicket to bat on. Tony Blair has had a tough time fending off political and personal abuses. Once known as Teflon Tony, the Iraq mud stuck and he for the first time sweated and spluttered trying to convince people that he was not a liar and they could trust him.
{{/usCountry}}I have seen the last three General Elections here but this year's has proved exceptionally tough. Stakes have been high. After almost eight years, the Tories got their political spine back and leader of the Liberal Democrats Charles Kennedy got rid of his somnolence. Then Iraq gave Labour a sticky wicket to bat on. Tony Blair has had a tough time fending off political and personal abuses. Once known as Teflon Tony, the Iraq mud stuck and he for the first time sweated and spluttered trying to convince people that he was not a liar and they could trust him.
{{/usCountry}}Michael Howard kept changing his tactics and the list of key issues, in attempting not only to revive his party's lost fortune but also to save his job. After defeats in the last two elections, the Tories have inevitably beheaded their leader. Comparatively Kennedy has had a smoother ride. Labour's Iraq policy and the animosity of Muslims and the anti-war protesters towards Blair handed over a big segment of voters on a platter to Kennedy.
Whatever it is, this election would change the contours of this country's social and economic direction and lives of almost everyone. It has been an election of transition rather than one for continuity. Even the incumbent Blair asked votes for Britain to march on.
Crime knows no limits
Polls or no polls, gun crime is unabated and juvenile offenders have been making headlines. A 15-year-old schoolboy violently raped his teacher in her classroom, leaving her bruised and bloodied. But he will not be named for legal reasons and will possibly be let of with some kind of psychiatric treatments. The teacher in the meanwhile has yet to pick up the courage to come back to the school.
The other day in Soho, an Asian youth was set upon by about 10 people including a girl, and left dead. The same night there were two other shooting incidents. The rise in crime and the failure to curb teenagers from turning into criminals is now a very serious issue. Most fear venturing out even in the hitherto so-called safer areas as incidence of muggings and stabbing have gone up. An elderly man was stabbed at about 8pm in front of HSBC in Golders Green. The area at that time is crowded with people in Starbucks and other eating joints. It is still unknown whether assailants could be traced or not.
Now young women have been requested by the authorities to refrain from binge drinking. It has led to an alarming increase in cases of molestation and violence. A police officer in Nottingham, drafted in the city town area where a number of bars are located said he wished to retire as it was impossible to cope with the large number of drunks who got violent.
Quote of the week
"Your argument is that of the wife-beater who sneers at the wife, ' You won't leave me because you haven't got anywhere else to go'," said Mark Mardell, of the BBC Questions to Tony Blair. In India this is called TINA factor.