[parwez]

Actually Nitram,
we can't vote for none-off the above in the UK. It was something that the former communist countries permited. I don't know if that is still the case. I suspect by now they have learnt the rules of the game and wouldn't make the same mistake again.

Not being able to vote against candidates is the biggest problem with democracy.

I have stood as an independent in both council and national elections in the UK. and came very close once.

We have managed to get 5 independent councillors in Birmingham and it has made a real difference. Before the local labours councillors wouldn't spend the money they were allocated, so that the underspend could be sent back to national government, they would reallocate money ear-market for education in deprived areas across the whole city, which rasied their prospects of promotion within their party.

In kidderminister, a single issue 'keep our hospital' was enough for the independents to take control of the council and get an MP in the house of commons.

In many seats, the numbers of voters who can be bothered is very small.

It reminds me of Michale more in the US, when they tried to get a fern (I think) elected into the senate and the fern got more votes than a senator, that was running unopposed.

Whilst the election commission, accepted the application form, it rejected it after the senator lost.

They make the rules and they will change the rules to keep themselves in power. All we can do is win a skirmish here or there and win a right that was our to begin with.

The act of participating, means they have to become more responsive, take the Green movement, they didn't get many MP's but these issues are not being discussed.