When all the scientists on the International Panel for Climate Change agree that the planet is on course for a 4 degree warming - caused in the main by human activity, and this warming will be 'severe, pervasive and irreversible', you would think that the European election might just be based on what the political parties would do about it.
Instead the election is based on ill-founded comments (for that is all they are) on immigration. When we are told repeatedly that millions of Bulgarians are coming to the UK, and it doesn't happen, do we get an open and honest debate? Sadly no. Those who claim to want an "honest and open debate" about immigration don't actually want a debate at all. They want to lie : 26 million Europeans are after your job. They want to scare: we're facing a Romanian crime wave. For 'facts' on immigration read 'unsubstantiated, simplistic propaganda'
And all the while climate change creeps onwards. Fifty communities in Wales alone are earmarked for abandonment to the sea. Climate change, just like these European elections, is not just about Wales, though Wales could by now be playing a seriously active part in trying to prevent the worst effects. To do this we need a government which can make decisions, and that we haven't got.
The Scottish government is on course for half of electricity use to come from renewable sources by 2015. Scotland plans to generate 100% of the country's electricity by 2020. In England the sector produced only 8.2% of electricity, while in Wales accounted for a pathetic 8.7%. Wales has more than twice the renewable energy it can use. Wales could be creating thousands of jobs - quality jobs that people can build a life round - exporting half the energy it creates. Wales could be prosperous and proud that it has created a stable economic environment for its young people. Instead the Wales Government is stuck in the dark ages of nuclear, fossil fuels and fracking.
We are literally living in an age of corporatocrocy, and democracy is on it's last legs. Corporatocracy is an economic and political system controlled by corporate interests, and is a disaster for all ecological systems and human health. In a nutshell, only a few will make money and the rest work long hours on comparatively low pay. We are in a system that shows very little compassion towards any of the inhabitants of this planet.
Yet the alarm bells are ringing. How many wake up calls do we need if people are programmed to sleep through the sirens?
If we are to sum up the European elections we would have to say it is climate change action versus false 'facts' on immigration and greed based corporate interests. The key question will have to be: what will make the silent majority go out and vote?
I believe there is a moral compunction to vote for a party which isn't racist or homophobic, but if you don't want to vote, you don’t have to, just let everyone else decide how racist, homophobic, corrupt or sexist our elected representatives are going to be.