Why I'll Be Voting YES Today.

Today, I am both furious, and in despair.

The sheer amount of LYING from high-profile politicians over the AV debate makes me feel ashamed of this country.

The way those lies are repeated by the "news" papers is sickening. News, it seems, has ceased being news - instead: an information dissemination service available to the highest bidder. And the NO campaign, it seems, has plenty of cash.

In the Mail today, David Cameron: "People fought and died for the one person, one vote principle".
NO. THEY. FUCKING. DIDN'T. YOU. LYING. PRICK.

I don't think the PM is a prick. But to use the 'people fought and died' line is prick-ish, and that frustrates me incredibly. It's just a dirty old trick that's supposed to scare people into thinking they're sullying the memory of their parents and grandparents by voting YES.

In fact, the whole NO campaign has been based largely around fear. "Soldiers and Babies will die if you vote YES to AV" declared one poster. Just disgraceful.

All of this frustration is mainly pointless - the debate could rage on - dirty tricks or no.

The reason I'll be voting YES today is that to do so is to think PROGRESSIVELY.

The batting of power between Labour and Conservative during my lifetime has been dull. MP after MP obsessed with helping the party, not the people. MP after MP able to rely on historical voting patterns to keep them in power. MP after MP trotting out endless cliches and half-truths just to play the political game. The sooner we get away from that, the better.

Because the fact is, none of us align with one party. I am not Labour, I am not Conservative, I am not Lib Dem, or Green. I am an individual, who's political ideas sit among a number of parties.

To be able to show my support in order of preference, and crucially, to have that actually reflected in the poll result seems far fairer than just wasting my vote every time I go to the ballot box.

Rant over.

Vote YES.

Just do it.

Alright?

Good.

So, this is saddle sore.

Some months ago, Magic 828’s Breakfast Show presenter, Glenn Pinder, invited me to take part in a bike ride between York and Leeds, to raise money for our charity, Cash for Kids.

Of course, being the consummate philanthrope (ahem), I agreed. To be frank, I had internally smug doubts over whether any such bike ride would go ahead. The words piss-up and brewery formed a phrase in my mind.

So it was with surprise, as much as the obvious fear and trepidation, that I found myself in icy Rufforth at 9am on a Sunday morning, with an Accureading of -7C. The “Big Units Bike Ride”, it seems, was on.

Said Big Units are two of Magic’s listeners, Big Col and Big G, who, to be fair, are big lads for their size. If they were about to do 24 miles, surely I had no excuse.

Lacking ownership, I’m loaned a bike that I’ve never ridden before. Indeed, I haven’t ridden any kind of bike for a number of years. I’m told it’s a hybrid, which means little to me, but I am concerned by those tyres – smoother than Duncan Goodhew in a massive condom. That’s not ideal, when you’re cycling on icy roads with less friction than, errr… - Bruce Willis in a massive condom.

We’re only 2 miles in, and: disaster. (Not disaster used in its proper sense, of course, but in the way Sky News might use it when a snowflake falls on Surrey). My pace-partner, Rob Dowell, suffers a surprisingly dramatic blow-out of his front tyre. Ever the altruist, I offer to drop out of the challenge so he can use my bike. He declines, instead employing the spare Grifter in the back of the support van.

We trundle on, breaking only for a Mars Bar outside Wetherby Young Offenders Institute. Like you do.

What followed flitted between pain (in the buttocks), near-frostbite (in the fingers), cramp (in the knee), bruising (on the shoulder after a fall), and abject terror (in the mind, as trucks hurtled past). But, three hours later, we arrived in Leeds: safe and approximating sound.

Despite the swelling and chaffing of areas-you-simply-don’t-want-to-hear-about, it was an overall enjoyable experience. And it was, of course, all for charity.

It you have a spare few quid – why not throw it the way of www.justgiving.com/bigunits - and help us make sure no child goes without a present in West Yorkshire this Christmas.

I’m off for a bath.

Another one.