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Paul McCartney makes MPs expenses protest

Former Beatle refrained from voting in European Parliament elections

June 10, 2009 | 28 Comments
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Paul McCartney has revealed that he refrained from voting in the recent European Parliament elections as a protest against British MPs with regard to the expenses scandal.

The former Beatle said that he was "disillusioned" with UK politics following the revelation that many abused their taxpayer-funded expenses accounts.

"I didn't vote in the last election," he told the Independent. "All that expenses rubbish has made me disillusioned with British politics."

He added: "I didn't feel comfortable using my vote to get any of them in power. All of them seem to be up for ripping off expenses and making themselves as powerful as possible and I don't want a part of that."

Although he said he wasn't up for voting, Paul McCartney did say he was up for working with Brooklyn duo MGMT should they get in touch with him about collaborating.

Paul McCartney tickets:

Date / Time	Artist	Venue	Town/City	Buy
Dec 22, 2009 19:30	Paul McCartney	The O2 Arena	London	Buy Paul McCartney tickets from Seatwave

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Comments (28)

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WolfAmoungWolves

Jun 10, 2009

Well done there Macca. It's opinions like yours that lead to members of the BNP being elected. I hope you're very pleased with yourself you saggy-eyed cock.

Taylor704

Jun 10, 2009

Atleast he didn't vote for the BNP

timslater2

Jun 10, 2009

Pipe down Paul...

bamusbatisbarns

Jun 10, 2009

@WolfAmoungWolves He's not the reason at all, if you actually thought about it. People are going to vote for a party that promote these views in times like these. Seems wrong to just vote for someone else so as not to get the BNP in, how the hell is that using the vote that people have fought and died for the right for us not just to use, but not to, in the best possible way? So long as we all keep our heads about us, and know what's right, and we get three political parties that are working again for us, then the BNP will never get into major political influence. They got two seats, they'll get more, but if we're sensible, they won't do any harm. Let's not stoop to any level that we lambaste other parties for being at.You're the wanker mate.

placeboi

Jun 10, 2009

Every non-vote protest IS a vote for the BNP, since in the past we've been able to cancel out BNP votes with regular votes. So well done for giving the BNP a helping hand Paul, I hope that sits well on your conscience!! Well done for helping allow a racist party win 2 european seats because of a little strop over MP expenses. seriously where are your priorities?

Beatle_Matt

Jun 10, 2009

No offense to Macca but not voting out of protest? That's a bullshit excuse. You have to vote - even it's for the lesser of two evils. Not voting means your say doesn't count.

jamesyp

Jun 10, 2009

@bamusbatisbarnsActually, someone not voting at all does help the BNP. In the North West, the BNP share stayed pretty much the same, but most other parties votes fell due to increased apathy and lower turnout. This meant that overall, the BNP had a greater share of the vote, evn if they did not actually get any more voters. Thus, apathy lets in the BNP. Macca's views, are quite simply laziness on his part, to not think things through. Why didn't he vote Green, surely a party after his own heart?!

gregyo2K9

Jun 10, 2009

There were less votes for the BNP this time round, it was the lack of votes that allowed them to win them seats, not bothering to vote can never be classed as a protest, it just takes for granted the freedoms that we (still) have...

WolfAmoungWolves

Jun 10, 2009

bamusbatisbarns- I take your point to a certain extent. I agree that voting for a party who's policies we don't support isn't going to encourage them to change. But if all liberal minded people protested by not voting, while the right wing protested by voting BNP (or UKip or even Tory for that matter), we could be in a lot of trouble. The BNP have been given a stronger voice than ever by these election results, and that will inevitably lead others to their way of thinking. I would rather never have to hear another word from that fat holocaust denier Nick Griffin than allow him to be given a platform to spout the ignorant filth that comes out of his mouth.

TOMQ84

Jun 10, 2009

What right of any of you lot got to say who people can and cant vote for, If people want to vote BNP its their choice, just like voting labour of torie is their choice.Is it right that white people cant get a job because there are too many foreigners in the country?I voted BNP and i'm proud of it. what pisses me off is people like you losers doing your little marches trying to tell people what to do and who you must be evil to vote BNP. All the party is saying is the things that other parties are thinkin but don't have the balls to say. I thought this country was a demogracy?

RedBellyBoy

Jun 10, 2009

I'm really surprised that no-one seems to know that in the UK you can spoil your voting slip and it still counts as a vote. You don't HAVE to vote for any particular party, you can still register your vote and disillusion with our political system by spoiling your paper. If enough of these idiots who say they are not voting as a protest or don't believe in a particular party actually got off their lazy arses and went the polling station and spoilt their papers then change would have to happen because we'd have a bigger majority than the actual parties. Macca is a lazy rich twat who is trying to make a lame statement about something that he obviously knows nothing about. ALL non voters help right wing fools like the BNP gain power. Macca should be disgusted with himself

RedBellyBoy

Jun 10, 2009

I'm really surprised that no-one seems to know that in the UK you can spoil your voting slip and it still counts as a vote. You don't HAVE to vote for any particular party, you can still register your vote and disillusion with our political system by spoiling your paper. If enough of these idiots who say they are not voting as a protest or don't believe in a particular party actually got off their lazy arses and went the polling station and spoilt their papers then change would have to happen because we'd have a bigger majority than the actual parties. Macca is a lazy rich twat who is trying to make a lame statement about something that he obviously knows nothing about. ALL non voters help right wing fools like the BNP gain power. Macca should be disgusted with himself

Orangeboy

Jun 10, 2009

This whole expenses thing is shameful, but it is indicitive of a floored system more than sleazy MPs. The simple answer is pay them more, and scrutinize their expenses more closely. It seems to me abusing expenses was an unspoken thing that everybody knew about.Most of these MPÂ´s have sacrificed well paid jobs as Barristers to become MPs and so they should be paid accordingly. ItÂ´s a preety thankless task most of the time.I donÂ´t think McCartney, who is worth close to a billion pounds is any position to talk. It riles me that he thinks heÂ´s some sort of socialist- tight more like.

CedarRoom1998

Jun 10, 2009

Richard said "withdrawal in disgust is not the same as apathy"

whatawasteofspace

Jun 10, 2009

'All of them seem to be up for.....making themselves as powerful as possible and I don't want a part of that.' This is the man who wanted to reverse the order of the Lennon/McCartney songwriting tagline.....

whatawasteofspace

Jun 10, 2009

'I thought this country was a demogracy?' Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

flangemen

Jun 10, 2009

bamusbatisbarns is the only clever comment here. Who actually cares about your opinion on 'the' Paul McCartney. I bet your into vague crap music like Oasis or the Killers. As a musician myself i respect all levels of music, and i dont want to hear this new generation of opinionated fools. Get a life. Vote Lib Dem.

TOMQ84

Jun 11, 2009

Democracy. Happy now.People can vote for whoever they want, simple as that.

WolfAmoungWolves

Jun 11, 2009

TOMQ84- of course you voted BNP. You only come on this site to spout racist sexist opinions, or to talk about how great Oasis are. You're exactly the type of ignorant, mis-informed meat head whos petty fears that "white people cant get a job because there are too many foreigners in the country" the BNP exploit. Do you honestly believe that statement to be true? I expect you're also anti-gay and believe the holocaust to be exaggerated, right?

Lycius

Jun 11, 2009

I have to applaud TOMQ84's use of the word 'demogracy' here. A BNP voter who is clearly a desperately retarded little cunt. Who'd have thought it?

hitchy249

Jun 11, 2009

TOMQ84. I was under the impression that you were simply a misguided oasis fan, wandering alone on the border between culture and obscurity, but i see now you're a lot more sinister than that. Nazi germany built its support in similar economic conditions, building on a theme of security and economic stability. The main difference between the bnp and the Nazi party is that in the 20/30s Facism capitalised on its new way of thinking along the lines of Neitzches ideals, where as now it is built on fear and discrimination. You sicken me. "the things everyone else is thinking"? let me tell you not a lot of people are going around thinking "i hate immigrants, i'm genetically superior to them, i blame (insert list of people who disagree with bnp policy as per the ybnp website including "the liberal media", "students", and "bankers") for this countrys short cominngs. Do us all a favour, remove yourself from the gene pool you slimey horrible person.

hitchy249

Jun 11, 2009

Beatle-matt, you don't "have" to vote, you should really under a democracy, but aswell as having the freedom to vote, you also have the freedom NOT to vote.

JoLamb

Jun 11, 2009

you didn't vote? well now you don't get a say....knumbnuts

Miss Pigasus

Jun 11, 2009

Write a song about it.

1984orwell

Jun 11, 2009

It is an absolute myth that we like in a democracy the voting system is a farce. The house of lords is unelected, with a first past the post voting system votes are essentially useless you vote for the winner, even then we have no choice the three main parties ideologically are the same since Labour sold out, we have an unelected sponger as head of state and are dictated to by organisations like the EU, IMF, UN & world bank all of which are highly undemocratic. Voting is meaningless you can't change anything all it does is tell our 'leaders' that you approve of the status quo. The only way to combat the extreme right is by having a viable alternative on the left.

ed2005

Jun 11, 2009

the problem is that the right to vote has been really hard fought for, and to not vote (as opposed to spoiling your vote) is frankly unhelpful. It's the only chance people get to participate in a democracy. The BNP are not about democracy, their views are anything but democratic. With freedom comes responsibility. It's about time TOMQ84 was thrown off this board. If enough of us object about his (I'm assuming) comments, hopefully he should be banned.

1984orwell

Jun 12, 2009

ed2005 you may not agree with what TOMQ84 says (i don't either) but he has a right to freedom of speech if you take that away your no better than the fascists.

Miss Pigasus

Jun 15, 2009

How ironic that comment should come from someone named 1984orwell.Just saying, I'm sure your a nice person and all..ANYWAY, if he didnt like the BNP he should have voted for someone else, or better yet, brush up on politics and start your own party. The news gets a free story, you make a meaningful statement, everyone's happy.