IT is the election that would be sponsored by the letter B if it featured on children’s TV show Sesame Street – B for Boris and Brexit.
But can some other words beginning with the letter B have an influence this poll – bins, buses and building?
Things like that may sound unimportant given the almost constant barrage of European-related will we, won’t we?
However, the way you vote on Thursday, December 12 can affect the way your everyday services operate.
Oldham East and Saddleworth sees a seven way battle for your vote after Debbie Abrahams won the seat by just over 8,000 votes in 2017.
The serving MP will again be standing for Labour but there is a real fight, with the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, Brexit Party, the Green Party, the Proud of Oldham and Saddleworth Party fielding candidates and an independent.
Brexit and Boris will certainly help make people’s minds up ahead of putting an X on the ballot paper – televised debates definitely gave that impression.
But who could you vote for when the country makes its mind up?
Anyone registered to vote will receive a polling card which confirms their constituency and polling station, or postal or proxy voting details.
Polling stations will be open on December 12 from 7am until 10pm.
You can register if you are aged 18 or over and a UK citizen, or an Irish, EU or Commonwealth citizen with a permanent UK address.
The deadline to register to vote is 11.59pm on Tuesday, November 26.
The deadline for a new postal or postal proxy vote and any changes to existing postal votes is 5pm on Tuesday, November 26.
The deadline for proxy vote applications (except for emergency proxies) is 5pm on Wednesday, December 4.
Find out more online at: www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter
You can also contact the electoral services team at Oldham Council by calling 0161 770 4718 or write to: Elections Office, Oldham Council, West Street, Oldham, OL1 1UL.
CANDIDATES STANDING IN THE 2019 GENERAL ELECTION
(Oldham East and Saddleworth)
- Debbie Abrahams – Labour
- Sam Al-Hamdani – Liberal Democrat
- Paul Brierley – The Brexit Party
- Paul Errock – Proud of Oldham & Saddleworth
- Amoy Lindo – Independent
- Tom Lord – Conservative
- Wendy Olsen – Green
2017 Election results (Oldham East and Saddleworth)
- Debbie Abrahams (Labour) 25, 629 – Labour hold
- Kashif Ali (Conservative) 17,447
- Ian Bond (UKIP) 2,278
- Jonathan Smith (Liberal Democrat) 1,683
EU Referendum results (Oldham East and Saddleworth)
- Leave 59.92 per cent
- Remain 40.08 per cent
The climate and ecological crisis is another important issue to consider in this election. Parliament declared a climate emergency in May 2019 based on the IPCC report of 2018 and public pressure. To see a summary of the IPCC report go to:
https://www.ipcc.ch/2018/10/08/summary-for-policymakers-of-ipcc-special-report-on-global-warming-of-1-5c-approved-by-governments/
To see MPs’ voting records on climate proposals go to:
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/ng-interactive/2019/oct/11/guardian-climate-score-how-did-your-mp-do