Democracy

Getting back to work in Greywetville has been a bit of a shock to the system this week but I have had one eye and one ear on the news. I love this contrast:

In Zimbabwe, where allegedly free elections have taken place in such a climate of fear, intimidation and inability to count that all the presidential candidates bar one have been eliminated or withdrawn, it has lead to today's likely re-election of one time hero of the west Robert Mugabe, the only name on the ballot paper.

In the UK's Haltemprice and Howden (where?) a free election is taking place where the major parties have decided not to run candidates against David Davis' campaign for the 'Civil liberties champion' ticket. So the candidates are (thanks BBC), get this:

Grace Christine Astley - Independent
David Laurence Bishop - Church of the Militant Elvis Party
Ronnie Carroll - Make Politicians History
Mad Cow-Girl - The Official Monster Raving Loony Party
David Craig - Independent
Herbert Winford Crossman - Independent
Tess Culnane - National Front Britain for the British
Thomas Faithful Darwood - Independent
David Michael Davis - Conservative
Tony Farnon - Independent
Eamonn "Fitzy" Fitzpatrick - Independent
Christopher Mark Foren - Independent
Gemma Dawn Garrett - Miss Great Britain Party
George Hargreaves - Christian Party
Hamish Howitt - Freedom 4 Choice
David Icke - No party listed
John Nicholson - Independent
Shan Oakes - Green Party
David Pinder - The New Party
Joanne Robinson - English Democrats: Putting England First
Jill Saward - Independent
Norman Scarth - Independent
Walter Edward Sweeney - Independent
Christopher John Talbot - Socialist Equality Party
John Randle Upex - Independent
Greg Wood - Independent

There are some more single issues there I reckon (Icke? Saward?) and the joy of seeing the National Front and the Monster Raving Loonies as the big guns. The Loonies are campaigning on a sensible ticket, despite their candidate's name, because the main candidate is, they say, 'a loony.' Brilliant.