Election heroes

May 17th, 2010

Anyone born in 1945 would have been starting life at a momentous time.

Had it not been for those brave men and women fighting in unimaginable conditions, this could have been a very different world to grow up in.

So as we celebrated the 65th anniversary of VE day in the Scottish Parliament this week I noted that those people born then would eligible now for their pensions.

The Second World War changed the world forever and for people on these shores, very much for the better.

Those soldiers fought and defeated fascism to preserve our democracy and give us the right to choose who leads our country and make the decisions that matters.

And 65 years ago, people used that hard-earned vote to make a change in the country, voting in the Attlee government, and with it new homes and the national health service.

Having spent the last few weeks on the campaign trail battling in another election, I was struck by just how many people from that generation still value their right to vote.

It is the older generation who stop to talk, who are quick to air the issues that affect their families and communities and let you know if you are doing a good job – or otherwise if that is the case

And they still remain the most likely to use that vote.

After a tumultuous few weeks, you may be glad or sad to see Gordon Brown leave, pleased or puzzled at the prospect of our new coalition government or deciding whether you like or loathe the new people on the political scene.

There are always winners and losers come polling day but we all owe our thanks to that generation whose victory safeguarded our democratic rights.

And that older generation still value their vote because they know what this country went though to get it – and what the consequences would have been if we hadn’t.