Hello Postal Voters. Did you know that in the days prior to Polling Day your envelope was liable to be opened by Bristol City Council officials for “sampling” in the presence of other interested people, party activists, volunteers, nosey parkers, so that the “trends” in voting can be revealed? No, neither did I. I’m baffled as to why it should be allowed. I’m also furious.

The truth came out via Twitter by Kerry McCarthy, the recent Member for Bristol East who is standing for re-election on Thursday May 6th. In the excitement she revealed specific numbers of votes cast for each of the parties in the constituency.

She wasn’t meant to tell of course. It’s against the law. She took speedy action to bolt the stable door but by then the horse was well away. I know Kerry and realise it was a rush of blood. Her misdemeanour does not enrage me half as much as the fact that any trend in the way votes are cast is allowed to be known by anyone else IN ADVANCE of the election.

Inadvertently, I think Kerry did us Postal Voters a favour. I believed that my envelope would not be opened until the polling stations closed on Election Day. Now the truth is known, I for one have taken steps to revert to the old fashioned method and in future will vote in person ON THE DAY, come what may.

My votes, national and local, for May 6th were cast, my envelope was signed, sealed and ready to go but I shan’t be posting it, thus disenfranchising myself for this election, the most open in years. Sadly, it will be the first election since I was 21 (once upon a time you had to be 21) where I have not cast my vote.