Second Best

Second Best, that's what we get when we fiddle with the election system.

After the fifth count using the wishy-washy sandals and cardigan voting system(STV) at the Aboyne, Deeside and Donside By-Election and despite beating her opponent by over 170 votes in a "normal" first past the post vote Jo Pick came second to Rosemary Bruce.

So instead of getting the best candidate we have now elected a councillor who is on more peoples second most OK person list. This voting system is of course a Lib Dem preference and now we see why. Anything that can produce this sort of result is surely a travesty of true democracy.

Unfortunately for us, accepting second best, has become what we expect in this nation.

I do hope that Rosemary can juggle her family life, Office Manager job (As hubbies 30k Diary Secretary) and the work of a Councillor,, or will being a Councillor be second best to helping her hubbie.

Call me a sore Scottish Tory but this sort of result is a joke. Second Best democracy at work. Maybe Dr David Starkey had a point when he called us a

"Feeble little nation. The Scots and the Welsh are typical small nations with a romantic 19th century-style nationalism."

Full result here. Makes interesting reading. Note the lack of any Labour candidates, even the BNP put up a candidate.

Aboyne, Upper Deeside and Donside by-election result announced - Donside Today