Turnout For Euro Elections Could Be 'All Time High'.

There is good news coming from James Graham at Unlock Democracy that turnout could be high - nearly 50% - a record for EU elections.

"What I didn’t get a chance to discuss were the poll findings that Vote Match/Unlock Democracy unveiled yesterday suggesting that tomorrow’s turnout could be an all time high for the European Elections. 50% in our YouGov survey said they were definitely going to vote (another 11% gave an ‘8′ or ‘9′ incidentally), which YouGov advise suggests a nominal turnout of 43-45%. That’s pretty unprecedented".

It seems proportional elections in the UK are bucking the downward trend in turnout that afflicts Westminster elections under first-past-the-post.

All the devolved elections are held under proportional systems and in London, Scotland and Wales they have all seen rising turnout.

However, turnout for Westminster elections under first-past-the-post has fallen 11% over the same period. Coincidence? me thinks not. Give people real democracy and a real choice and it is hardly surprising they are more enthusiastic about voting.

Higher turnout is good news for all sorts of reasons, but not least that it makes the BNP's chances of getting an MEP more remote.

So get out there and show your anger at the major parties - The Tory MPs and their moats, servant's quarters, massive gardening bills and tennis courts. Top Tory and Labour MPs fiddling their taxes and Boris Johnson claiming for a donation for a poppy. Staying at home will not hurt the Tories or Labour. Going and voting for the Greens or Lib Dems most definitely would.