In pain, and in need of some TLC

By Julian Ware-Lane

It was a painful experience, a very painful experience. At the European election count in Castle Point yesterday afternoon and into the evening I witnessed my party coming fourth. The most painful part was seeing the racist BNP beat us by five votes. Pain quickly turned to anger, not at anyone in particular, more out of frustration.

A few phone calls to friends revealed that we were in trouble all over south Essex. I rarely swear, but I did give vent to a few expletives in the privacy of my car on the way home.

Then I watched the election coverage, flitting between the BBC and Sky. Seeing our vote nationally slip below 16% was bad enough, and seeing the Tories top in Wales for the first time in 150 years was hard to stomach. But worse was to come. The Yorkshire and Humberside result gave the UK its first BNP MEP. I went to bed shortly after and awoke to the inevitable news about Nick Griffin MEP.

I am not about to grumble about the result – this is democracy. Although a supporter of PR, I do not like the version of it used in Britain’s European elections.

I do not delude myself – last Thursday the British public demonstrated its anger with Labour by marking those crosses in many other places. We must now work out why and how we can regain those lost votes and re-engage those who protested by sitting on their hands. I am already sick of hearing excuses, I want solutions. And I want them now.

I will carry on campaigning; it is my way of dealing with disappointment. Work harder, and try to get others to work harder too. But I am sorely in need of some encouragement at the moment. This optimist is seeing a glass half-empty today.