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| Government e-petitions |
Over 100,000 signed the petition calling for a referendum on the EU. Not a single person voted 'Coalition' at the last general election. We didn't get a referendum but we did get a coalition government. I suppose that says it all really.
No sooner did MPs decide we couldn't have a referendum on the EU than another EU referendum petition was started. Today there's a debate about dropping fuel prices. Is anybody in this country actually stupid enough to think it will bring about a decrease in fuel prices? Is anybody stupid enough to think signing a petition calling for government to do anything it doesn't want to, will actually work? Is anybody out there so stupid they didn't realise that the 100,000 signatures nonsense was a con-trick? That it is a great piece of political sleight of hand? What concerns me is that people fell for it.
What might make a difference is if all those people wasting their time on petitions actually did something politically useful. They could join a party. They could leaflet their street. They could write to the local papers or even their MPs. They could lobby their local MP or even lobby Parliament. They could stand for election to their local council or even Parliament. Some could make a start by even getting off their backsides by going out to vote. No matter how much, or how little time we have, there is something useful we can do.
But e-petitions? Do me a favour. In fact any petitions and don't even bother asking me to sign, I've much better things to do.
