A father to be proud of - Neville Jacobs

My father called me this morning with the news that the local Conservative Party at Westgate-on-Sea had asked him to be a teller* at the local elections.

I'm certain Dad would have enjoyed his 2 hours of duty in the wind asking the masses of Westgate Ward what their poll number was. "1576" in a gruff voice is the usual answer. Followed by the usual silly question.

Q. Can I use my own pen to put the "X" on the ballot paper?

A. No, there's one available for you. The official inside (normally a council employee) will direct you.

No doubt the Conservatives will continue in office at Thanet District Council and under their stewardship, Margate and the surrounding district will spring up from a sad, desolate, run-down failed seaside resort into a vibrant, thriving place full of shops like Prada and DKNY. These, of course, will service the rich and famous who will zoom in from all points of the compass by speedboat or Aston Martin to stay in their luxurious 7-star hotels with sea-view.

Marbella, West Palm Beach, La Jolla, Dubai, Surfers Paradise, eat your hearts out, Margate's coming to get ya!

* An explanation of telling is here, courtesy of that well-known London Borough - Camden.

clipped from www.camden.gov.uk Who are the people sitting outside the polling station wearing political party colours? The people are known as Tellers. They work on behalf of the political parties recording who has voted. They may ask for your poll number, or your poll card (on which you poll number is printed). This allows the political parties to know who has voted, and to make sure that their known supporters go and vote. You do not have to give your poll number or poll card to the Tellers, and they have no right to stop you on the way into the Polling Station, or ask you how you voted. If you are unhappy with the actions of the Tellers, please advise the presiding officer who is in charge of running the polling station.