"If Voting Changed Anything, They'd Abolish It"

In 1987 I read a rather good book by Ken Livingstone - Red Ken as he was then - called "If Voting Changed Anything, They'd Abolish It". This account of the abolition of the Greater London Council by the Conservative Government of Margaret Thatcher - who appeared to harbour a particular dislike for Mr Livingstone (I wonder why ?) - was quite engrossing.

The expression "If Voting Changed Anything, They'd Abolish It" seems, like Mr Livingstone, to have received something of a comeback in recent years : I wonder why ?

Perhaps yesterday's outcome of BBC Radio 4's poll of unpopular legislation throws some light on this. The following extract is taken from today's Independent :

"Row as 'Today' programme's poll is won by fox-hunting alliance
By Ben Russell, Political Correspondent
Published: 02 January 2007

"It should have been a bit of festive fun with a slightly serious political edge. But the Radio 4 Today programme's annual Christmas survey instead led to a row after listeners voted to repeal the ban on fox-hunting.

The poll, which has a long history of producing questionable results, caused more controversy this year, with claims that the Countryside Alliance had orchestrated calls to abolish the 2004 Hunting Act.

The Alliance dismissed the claims as "sour grapes".

A total of 52.8 per cent of the telephone and internet votes went to repealing the hunting ban. It was well ahead of the 29.7 per cent of the voters who wanted to scrap the 1972 European Communities Act, which took Britain into what is now the European Union."

The fact is that many people regard fox-hunting, whether or not they participate in it, as an important part of our cultural heritage. It could be argued that "The Old Fox" Mr Livingstone - by then Purple Ken as the Labour Party had expelled him - was voted in as Mayor of London in 2000 with sentiments not totally dissimilar.

If such sentiments - including legitimate concerns about European Union - upset certain elements of the political classes, then the more fool they ! If voting changed anything, they may abolish it (or want to), but, it should be remembered, that everyday dog, fox and hound, will, ultimately have his or her day.