#liz4ceredigion

I would like to start this blog post off with a short poem that sums up what has been my growing distain for party politics.

I can’t help but feel bamboozled

By these bureaucratic twits

And the more I stop to think about it

The more it makes me sick

These fools who run our country

Really haven’t got a clue

About what life is really like

For voters

Like me

And you.

And

If you,

Like I

Would like some answers true

Then we have no choice

But to join this endless queue

All the time remembering

that politicians

Are known

 to tell some porkies

And more than just a few

Because these classless toff’s

Are truly out of touch

With

Voters

Like me

And

You.

Those of you who know me, know I’m not one to mince my words. I take my time to speak, and hope that I am heard. I have genuinely felt I have been at a political crossroads recently. The last general election was the first time in my adult life that I did not formally discount my ballot on polling day. That is because Mark Williams MP personally earnt my respect and admiration. I only joined the party, because of him. I can count on one solitary finger the politicians I respect, the rest I would give the finger too.

The general election was the first time I got up off the political fence, only to have to leap to my new party’s political defence. The election was akin to social bear baiting. It didn’t matter what party you chose, you were criticized and vilified for it regardless. Because of all the political bitch-fighting many of the key issues were overlooked and the Conservatives crept in with a 36.9% majority.

It has been almost a year since the election and I have seen this country take a disturbing turn down a dark road. With the recent terror attack in Paris, the whole world has ebbed ever closer to a xenophobic wet-dream. In a time of global fear and social panic we are now presented with this In/Out EU referendum. Which in my personal opinion is a colossal waste of tax payer money which could fund vital social resources. All of the main parties are launching expensive campaigns to remain in the EU apart from UKIP and a few Eurosceptic splinters from within each individual party.  I would hope that most of us see that leaving the EU would be a disastrous idea and would only serve to alienate us from international affairs. I hope that the projected polls for an almost even split divide in the EU referendum are just as accurate as the polls projecting an even split divide between Labour and Conservatives prior to the general election.

I think we should all take these stats and polls with a pitch of salt. They are aferall devices created to perpetuate the sale of newspapers and to create click-bait articles to line the pockets of the already wealthy elite. I wish instead of giving us a pointless referendum at our own expense, we should have a referendum on the renewal of Trident. Then perhaps we would see some lasting positive global change, which would ensure we and future generations sleep much sounder. We spend an unjustifiable amount of money building and maintaining these nuclear weapons of mass destruction which we all pray are never used. Meanwhile we are cutting vital services all in the name of stringent austerity measures.

Most recently I had found myself at odds with my own party, as I disagree with a policy being backed by my party. The policy would see the removal of the right of a parent to remove their child from sex education classes. My eldest child is almost seven, and to tell the truth I had never considered her sex education prior to this. Speaking as a parent, I feel that if I thought my child wasn’t emotionally developed enough to deal with the classes, that I should be able to safe guard my child in whatever way I saw fit. There is also the grounds for removal for religious reasons. I myself am not religious, but I empathize with parents who are. Should it be the states prerogative to encroach on the individual religious freedoms of its citizens? I don’t think so. Personally I think more consultations and participation between schools, parents and pupils would be the most effective means of resolving these sensitive issues, where every side could feel understood and appreciated.

This evening, I attended the campaign launch for Elizabeth Evans. To begin with I felt like a total outsider. Half the people there were over sixty-five, and I swear the other half were barely old enough to drive. It was certainly a shame that my generation were under represented at the event. Many of my peers feel disconnected with the political system, to readily believing the bull shit perpetuated by the media and the state. The lines between media and state blur so often, it is hard for average Joes like myself to distinguish the two at the best of times.

Mark Williams MP gave a rousing speech, which resonated with me. Not just because I respect the man, but because I believe what he was saying. When he spoke about the “unfinished business” of the Liberal Democrats.  Kirsty Williams the leader of Welsh Liberal Democrats was also present and gave another impressive speech. I’m not a political fan-boy, I didn’t recognize who she was until after she had spoken. She was stood behind me in the buffet line, and I had no idea who she was. After she spoke I was fortunate enough to get the opportunity to speak with her for a few brief moments. She was very approachable, and down to earth. Here was me, a-nobody that was sleeping on building sites only a few short years ago, now talking with and exchanging ideas with the leader of a national political party.

I was tremendously surprised by how much I liked what our candidate for AM Elizabeth Evans was saying. She spoke plainly and touched on some of the important local issues, such as maintaining our NHS and protecting social resources like schools located in rural areas. I got a great sense of solidarity from the party, highlighting that each of us can make a big impact in small unique ways. It was just a shame the speeches weren’t recorded for podcast. It was a shame that more local people my age didn’t get to hear what was being said. Most of my friends, and myself included are sick of shabby politicians, saying shit they think we want to hear. It’s quite clear to me, that Mark, Kirsty and Elizabeth are anything but origami politicians that fold under pressure and for what it’s worth both Kirsty and Elizabeth have earnt my respect, and Elizabeth has most certainly won my vote.

I am not a mindless automaton, I even disagree with my own party on some key issues and favour the opposition on others. I wouldn’t just vote for or endorse someone out of a misguided sense of party loyalty. I think bias or blind party politics is part of the reason the world is falling apart before our eyes. I am voting for Elizabeth Evans for AM because I believe she can make a difference and would present herself as a universal conduit for the collective will of her constituents. I have seen Elin Jones AM over the years, and she used to be really great. PLAID promised a lot and delivered very little. They promised to support people in Wales with autism, but instead cut funding and access to public services. It was only because of Mark Williams MP and the Liberal Democrats that I was able to get the right support in place. Almost a year on and I am progressing through university, where I just received a triple 2.1 in my first semester. I wouldn’t be where I am right now if it wasn’t for that vital assistance I got when I was desperately in need.

During the last election, I got dragged into the political fray over a picture tweeted and retweeted by the PLIAD candidate Mike Parker. It was at a time when I was already in a very emotionally fragile state. Which most of you can relate to I’m sure. I had politely tweeted to Elin Jones AM and Mr. Parker to which he retorted with some literary quote of his own egotistical design. I’ll never forget it “glib incendiary”, what a pretentious sounding prick. The fracas on social media boiled down to me calling Elin Jones AM a condescending cow on twitter and she got pretty offended. It was slightly ironic, she, and her party publicly said that they would support autistic people in Wales, then got offended with how I (someone with a communication disorder) communicated with her.

I’d love to see Elizabeth dethrone the political queen bee of Ceredigion.

One can hope, and one can dream, of a Welsh government without queen Elin.

http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/liz4ceredigion