There are 50 million registered voters across the United Kingdom. These voters will need to choose the 650 MPs that will take their seats in the House of Commons once the general election comes to a close. While it may take a significant amount of time to decide which party or coalition or parties will eventually take the leadership in the UK, it will be equally interesting to see what percentage of voters went to the polls.
While the policies being discussed ahead of the elections could all have a serious impact on the future of the UK, there appears to be a feeling of disinterest among voters. This feeling doesn’t stem from a lack of interest in the future of the country, but rather a lack of emotions towards any of the parties campaigning.
The SNP has been the revelation of the election campaigns, not because of any revolutionary policies, but because Nicola Sturgeon has stood strong in the face of the UK’s leading parties, the Conservatives and Labour. While the SNP has called to set up a coalition with Labour in order to oust Cameron from Number 10, Sturgeon has not shied away from heavy confrontations with Ed Miliband.
This is exactly what Miliband and Cameron have not done, both have regularly amended their policies to suit to voter needs down the stretch. Both have adopted policies that one might associate with the opposition, both parties seem unsure about which path to take. Something that has led to a lack of trust among voters, and could be the reason many choose not to vote.
It is no surprise that much of the past two weeks has been spent encouraging people to go the polls. Labour leader Ed Miliband even resorted to promoting the need to vote through Russell Brand, hoping to appeal to the younger generation. The move effectively backfired, Brand himself is not registered to vote, and Miliband received heavy criticism for the move.
The questions remains, what percentage of people will actually take to the polls?
