simon zadek

The Tories, according to a report in The Times today, missing having a straight majority in Parliament by only 16,000 votes. What makes this such an extraordinary data point are two other pieces of information. First that thousands, and potentially tens of thousands of people, where unable to vote because of administrative chaos at the election booths. Second that no identification is required to vote in the UK, a fact that would be a cute sign of trust if was not such an appalling symbol of misplaced unaccountability. Reporting in The Times on both counts:

Marie Marilyn Jalloh, an MP from Sierra Leone, said: “There has to be doubt over the legitimacy of the result. Where people have been disenfranchised or cases of fraud are found there should be another vote. In my country this would be very controversial…Your system is a recipe for corruption; it was a massive shock when I saw you didn’t need any identification to vote. In Sierra Leone you need an identity card and also to give your fingerprint. Here you need nothing. In this respect, our own system is more secure than yours.”

Compounding this is of course is the current spectacle of Messrs Clegg, Cameron and Brown negotiating for power, discussing the intricacies of electoral reform and cabinet seats, as Greece burns, and the European Union staggers in its attempt to match its unwieldy ‘network governance’ model with today’s imperative to act quickly and with authority. Mr Brown is our Prime Minister, and as an aside is paid to do this job, and should be on the ball in participating in this, Europe’s crucial moment. Or perhaps the ‘absenting’ of the UK from the most important moment in the Union’s history is in Europe’s interest, since there would be little prospect of the UK’s contribution reflecting anything more than domestic horse-trading.