The 'poll' was preceded by unprecedented coverage by both publicity outlets and by word of mouth.
All FIVE of the stated candidates for the post concerned were given more exposures on the digital and broadcast media than was available to any similar numbers of contestants in any parliamentary seat or constituency. The fact that the 'poll' was a single issue one - as different from the three different votes that people had to cast on 6 May 2010 – the scope for a higher attention span was much better. So as an ex councillor confirmed to us in Whitechapel this afternoon, the majority of Labour Party members, including a good number of white trade unionists, refused to support the anti-democratic behaviour and arrogance of the NEC. This was a perception that was founded on the literally hundreds of separate "bulletins, slots and reports and chat shows" that reached so many in the community over a period of three months on the single matter. A key contributory factor must have been the fact that many voters who had been told to say "NO" to a mayor system at the 'referendum' on 6 May 2010 to the mayoral system were being approached by some NO campaigners to vote for a candidate! That sort of treble lie could not encourage high voter turnout. Plus the bile that was being spread daily for months aimed at any targeted individual. We notice that none of the propagandists showed any interest in the decline of democratic standards that a directly elected mayor system would entail. Ignorance can be infectious. When spread with the venomous appeal to some of the lowest common denominators in the psyche of sections of the population, Ignorance can be seriously threatening to inclusivity in the context of an agreed level of electoral democracy. Yesterday's [21 Oct 2010] low turnout was another confirmation that for true democracy to take hold, constant vigilance for truthfulness and universally tolerant attitude to the rights of others must be actively practised. The opposition this was spewing out of so many 'supporters, backers and approvers;' of certain contestant in the over-publicised and tainted 'poll'
BHANGEELAAR! The Campaign against an elected mayor in Tower Hamlets. 1824 Hrs Friday 22 October 2010
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