[Margaret Pilkington]

Cashy, there are only so many votes to go around......the more parties there are on the ballot sheet, then the more the vote for the major parties is diluted.

Low turnouts also affect the results...that may seem obvious, but the turnout in the two bye elections was below 40%......only two fifths of those entitled to vote actually did so...that means that although the person who won got a majority, it also means that he doesn't engage with three fifths(the majority) of the electorate.

This disillusionment with politics is rife......and I think it can be squarely laid upon the shoulders of politicians in the past.......they told lies(as always)they took money from the public purse that they were not entitled to...they sold out our sovereignty to the pack in Brussels...they promised we could have a say in whether we stayed in Europe.

It is going to take a lot of reform, a lot of work to get people to engage in politics again, because those who have a vote feel that which ever way they cast it, it won't make a jot of difference to their own lives. Because politicians say one thing when they want your vote, but do something entirely different once they have got your vote...they toe the party line.
We have seen this and know this to be true.
I can't think of any current politician who is worth me putting my cross on a ballot paper.
Politicians are all the same...no matter which party banner they trade under.