What point democracy if all we vote for is another #fubar?

Recent political years have the feel of the "we can now tell you" reporting at the conclusion of a big court case, the bit when journalists are let loose to reveal material that could only be put in the public domain after the conclusion of the judicial process.

I engaged in a bit of a rumbling-on debate with a close circle of friends and colleagues on the #generalelection this past few days; not for who to vote - whether #conservatives, #labourparty, #libdems, #reformuk or any of some of the potentially more population-micro-representative independents - but whether there was any point in voting at all.

What I took from this closed-circle debate was an apparent view that you and I have as little chance of making a vote work for ourselves and what we want as we would of single-handedly swimming up to the bow of a #channelferry and making it change direction. No wonder there's so many undecideds.

Since the election was called in May it's just been noise. It says a great deal that the screw-ups have made more headlines than manifesto and policy announcements and pledges (except the memorable clearly daft ones).

How many times have largely well-meaning but not-completely-in-control party leaders and straight-up colleagues woken to #FFS stories this past few weeks?? Hardly #siralexferguson or #maggiethathcer iron grip, credibility and authority. More #herdingcats.

For those reasons, every over-enthused declaration or promise, primarily from the main parties, has died at the sword of credibility almost the instant it was born. Few believe a word of ?Big #Tory Announcements (#covid partying denials, #gambling issues, questionable #PPE supply deals, #HS2, the small boats...), equally few can bring themselves to believe #labour (fewer faux pas, but they have no modern-day-relevant experience, yet, and as for the bear-traps difference of being in power....). The #liberaldemocrats, while identifying their good for a laugh niche, have a bit more cred behind their pledges, but are unlikely to have much influence despite common-sense, in-touch ideas. Reform UK? After a brief spike shot themselves in the foot. Several times.

But regardless of party colour, the past few weeks has been little more than translucent, unashamed, desperate, unsubstantiated vituperative finger-pointing, question-ducking, future-claiming which has caused the worst self-entitled and self-interested politicians and advisers to infect the best - and by best I mean the minority who, when they open their mouths, have (a) immediately previously engaged brain and (b) are genuinely concerned about somebody other than themselves.

There's nigh-on 50,000,000 registered voters, each with a unique set of wants and needs. Many of us are also responsible for the futures of hyper-aware pre-voting-age offspring who are furious at their lack of influence upon their futures.

I straw-polled my debate circle, asking what really mattered to them, and what they'd want to see change. In no particular order: deal with potholes, shoplifting, footballers' salaries, getting through passport control in Europe, come clean about #brexit failings, block stupid decisions spooking the #financialmarkets, sort the NHS.

As a follow-up, I asked which of those would actually get definitively tackled. Sorting the NHS emerged, but only with a qualified accompanying "meh....I'll believe it when I see it". One of the circle summarised: "It's all beyond the Tories, and #Starmer's lot have yet to find out not just what a bag of washing they've inherited, but how many more there are stuffed in the back of filing cabinets."

I know there have been huge sacrifices along the way to today's freedom and democracy,? but this election is a foregone conclusion, and #ukgeneralelection2024 could be as pivotal as any of the momentous historical steps towards that oft-quoted freedom and democracy, a process that started back in 1832 and finally arrived in current-day form in 1969.

But what point freedom and democracy if we're just voting for the next round of #fubar?

British politics needs a forest fire and a reset. The next Government, no matter what its form, needs to be held accountable for every last word like never before.

We're established as a nation which is largely free and democratic. But those three words need a successor phrase: #truthandintegrity.

And regardless of who's next in #Number10, in decades to come #election2024 needs to have been seen as nothing less than seismic. And, for once, in a positive sense.

When #rylanclark said he'd love to go into politics and replace the party system with a "Power Rangers of government model" there was chortling. Until you think about it: the best available, in the role best-suited, to best serve.

Nah, too much like common sense.

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