Johnson (elected by 19% of voters) and Cameron (23%) lecture unions about democracy

Boris Johnson was blustering away in the Telegraph this morning about the strikes due to occur this Wednesday. What is fascinating is what Johnson refers to “one statistic that is eloquent of the underlying reality in the dispute.”

Johnson writes:

Only about a third of union members even took part in the ballot. Of the 1.1 million members of Unison, just 29 per cent could be bothered to vote at all – and since only 78 per cent voted in favour, we have a strike triggered by less than a quarter of union membership.

Why such apparent apathy?

What an interesting question for Boris Johnson to ask.

You may remember, of course, that Johnson was elected Mayor of London in 2008. He gained 42.48 per cent of the first preferences in London, on a turnout of 45.33 per cent. So London has a mayor triggered by less than a fifth of the voting population – just 19 per cent.

Even if we allow him second preferences (he is, of course, elected through AV, something he believes is “just about tolerable” in London), he got 24 per cent of the electorate expressing any positive feelings about him at all. Less than a quarter.

The prime minister has also been outspoken about these strikes. Asked at prime minister’s questions whether strikes should be banned unless 50 per cent of union members voted for them, he said:

“Just one quarter of Unison members voted to strike, just 23 per cent of those balloted at Unite voted in favour.”

David Cameron is the head of the government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland by virtue of his being the head of the largest party in the commons. He achieved this feat thanks to his party getting 36.1 per cent of the votes cast, on a 65 per cent turnout. Which means that, like Unite, just 23 per cent of those balloted voted in favour of a Conservative government.

Tories in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.

See also:

• Message to Cameron: Talk to us, not TV news – Sally Hunt, November 25th 2011

• Raab’s attacks on workers’ rights are – surprise – based on no evidence – Sarah Veale, November 16th 2011

• What kind of “civil disobedience” tactics will the unions use? – September 15th 2011, Dan Whittle

• The coalition and the unions: the state of play on day one – Daniel Elton, June 30th 2011

• Gove’s call for parents to act as strikebreakers savaged by Mumsnet – Daniel Elton, June 27th 2011

Trevor

This is pretty disingenuous. MPs, once elected to the House, must choose a PM from amongst their number; there is no choice on the matter. Once voting is in, a PM must be chosen, and in Cameron’s case, it was the one with the strongest mandate – note that the option of ‘not having a PM’ does not have a mandate here.

Unions, however, have a choice once the votes are counted – to strike, or not to strike. They can choose not to strike – the option not to strike does have a *mandate*
http://twitter.com/lymond2/status/141259926029869058 Eileen Johnson

Johnson (elected by 19% of voters) and Cameron (23%) lecture unions about democracy: http://t.co/AwIegDYu by @alexhern
http://twitter.com/lymond2/status/141259926029869058 Eileen Johnson

Johnson (elected by 19% of voters) and Cameron (23%) lecture unions about democracy: http://t.co/AwIegDYu by @alexhern
http://twitter.com/nitzansharron/status/141263824262144000 Nitzan Sharron

Johnson (elected by 19% of voters) and Cameron (23%) lecture unions about democracy: http://t.co/AwIegDYu by @alexhern
http://twitter.com/nitzansharron/status/141263824262144000 Nitzan Sharron

Johnson (elected by 19% of voters) and Cameron (23%) lecture unions about democracy: http://t.co/AwIegDYu by @alexhern
http://twitter.com/staffsunison/status/141265956897959936 Staffordshire UNISON

Johnson (elected by 19% of voters) and Cameron (23%) lecture unions about democracy – http://t.co/dmCarJKN
http://twitter.com/staffsunison/status/141265956897959936 Staffordshire UNISON

Johnson (elected by 19% of voters) and Cameron (23%) lecture unions about democracy – http://t.co/dmCarJKN
Mr. Sensible

The government won’t get anywhere with such smears as this.
http://twitter.com/chrisplol/status/141279743134810113 Chris Paul

RT @matt_j_little David Cameron and Boris Johnson. Professional hypocrites. http://t.co/FnEKpDlz
http://twitter.com/chrisplol/status/141279743134810113 Chris Paul

RT @matt_j_little David Cameron and Boris Johnson. Professional hypocrites. http://t.co/FnEKpDlz
http://twitter.com/igcuigeuladh/status/141280875567517696 Mark Meredith

Johnson (elected by 19% of voters) and Cameron (23%) lecture unions about democracy: http://t.co/AwIegDYu by @alexhern
http://twitter.com/igcuigeuladh/status/141280875567517696 Mark Meredith

Johnson (elected by 19% of voters) and Cameron (23%) lecture unions about democracy: http://t.co/AwIegDYu by @alexhern
http://twitter.com/krisw6/status/141282535173931009 Kris Adrian

Johnson (elected by 19% of voters) and Cameron (23%) lecture unions about democracy: http://t.co/AwIegDYu by @alexhern
http://twitter.com/krisw6/status/141282535173931009 Kris Adrian

Johnson (elected by 19% of voters) and Cameron (23%) lecture unions about democracy: http://t.co/AwIegDYu by @alexhern
http://twitter.com/mitya2/status/141290180438003712 mitya

RT @leftfootfwd: Johnson (elected by 19% of voters) and Cameron (23%) lecture unions about democracy http://t.co/08JaNErZ
http://twitter.com/mitya2/status/141290180438003712 mitya

RT @leftfootfwd: Johnson (elected by 19% of voters) and Cameron (23%) lecture unions about democracy http://t.co/08JaNErZ
http://twitter.com/thekellifer/status/141291326774837248 Kelly Preece

Johnson (elected by 19% of voters) and Cameron (23%) lecture unions about democracy: http://t.co/AwIegDYu by @alexhern
http://twitter.com/thekellifer/status/141291326774837248 Kelly Preece

Johnson (elected by 19% of voters) and Cameron (23%) lecture unions about democracy: http://t.co/AwIegDYu by @alexhern
http://twitter.com/roadsyde/status/141312090521600000 Roadsyde

#Nov30 RT @TheRightArticle: Johnson (elected by 19% of voters) and Cameron (23%) lecture unions about democracy – http://t.co/FNiCYsiN
http://twitter.com/roadsyde/status/141312090521600000 Roadsyde

#Nov30 RT @TheRightArticle: Johnson (elected by 19% of voters) and Cameron (23%) lecture unions about democracy – http://t.co/FNiCYsiN
http://twitter.com/stevejhaworth/status/141326156271071232 Steve Haworth

Johnson (elected by 19% of voters) and Cameron (23%) lecture unions about democracy: http://t.co/AwIegDYu by @alexhern
http://twitter.com/stevejhaworth/status/141326156271071232 Steve Haworth

Johnson (elected by 19% of voters) and Cameron (23%) lecture unions about democracy: http://t.co/AwIegDYu by @alexhern
http://twitter.com/brixtonalex/status/141427662097874944 Alex Holland

RT @leftfootfwd: Johnson (elected by 19%) and Cameron (23%) lecture unions about democracy http://t.co/b71ztuyi
http://twitter.com/derekwelton/status/141428871819038721 Derek Welton

RT @leftfootfwd: Johnson (elected by 19%) and Cameron (23%) lecture unions about democracy http://t.co/b71ztuyi
http://twitter.com/marxistjorge/status/141444771909599232 Jorge Martin

#Nov30 RT @TheRightArticle: Johnson (elected by 19% of voters) and Cameron (23%) lecture unions about democracy – http://t.co/FNiCYsiN
http://twitter.com/mcmlxxvi_ad/status/141464971769937920 Jamie

Johnson (elected by 19% of voters) and Cameron (23%) lecture unions about democracy http://t.co/ro1Uyycd #TUC #n30
http://twitter.com/mrjoelclark/status/141465462860034048 Joel Clark

Johnson (elected by 19% of voters) and Cameron (23%) lecture unions about democracy http://t.co/ro1Uyycd #TUC #n30
http://twitter.com/deludeddonny/status/141466603668783104 DeludedDonny

Johnson (elected by 19% of voters) and Cameron (23%) lecture unions about democracy http://t.co/ro1Uyycd #TUC #n30
http://twitter.com/uweagainstcuts/status/141475864641683456 UWE against cuts

http://www.leftfootforward.org/2011/11/johnson-elected-by-19-of-voters-and-cameron-23-lecture-unions-about-democracy/
http://www.leftfootforward.org/2011/11/four-myths-about-todays-strike-busted/ Four myths about today’s strike: Busted. | Left Foot Forward

[...] claims of “apathy” from politicians such as Boris Johnson, the response from the thirty unions [...]
http://twitter.com/houseoftwits/status/141899364351213568 House Of Twits

RT @leftfootfwd #N30 #mythbusting: The Unions are more democratic than the London Mayoral election: http://t.co/FnEKpDlz #sackboris
http://twitter.com/threadbarepanda/status/141899643805110272 Panda

#N30 #mythbusting: The Unions are more democratic than the London Mayoral election: http://t.co/p9lFz4tJ #sackboris
http://twitter.com/wtbdavidg/status/141900761213833216 David Gillon

#N30 #mythbusting: The Unions are more democratic than the London Mayoral election: http://t.co/p9lFz4tJ #sackboris
http://twitter.com/anguavonuber/status/141901402208337920 E’Liza Gedrych

#N30 #mythbusting: The Unions are more democratic than the London Mayoral election: http://t.co/p9lFz4tJ #sackboris
http://twitter.com/jamesweston1991/status/141901557993177088 James Weston

RT @leftfootfwd: Johnson (elected by 19% of voters) and Cameron (23%) lecture unions about democracy http://t.co/OiPE8X84
http://twitter.com/fergusonkeith/status/141903935509241857 keith ferguson

“@leftfootfwd #N30 #mythbusting: The Unions are more democratic than the London Mayoral election: http://t.co/rzAm2y4v #sackboris”
http://twitter.com/rustyhalos/status/141905943272230914 Hannah Kerr

'Tories in glass houses shouldn't throw stones': http://t.co/yphmutBS #nov30 #strikes #toryhypocrisy
http://twitter.com/gillduane/status/141906820372496387 Gill Duane

#N30 #mythbusting: The Unions are more democratic than the London Mayoral election: http://t.co/p9lFz4tJ #sackboris
http://twitter.com/magic_mainecoon/status/141909371121704960 Dave Graham

'Tories in glass houses shouldn't throw stones': http://t.co/yphmutBS #nov30 #strikes #toryhypocrisy
http://twitter.com/seusssl/status/141910660501090305 seuss

#N30 #mythbusting: The Unions are more democratic than the London Mayoral election: http://t.co/p9lFz4tJ #sackboris
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61110901 Richard Shaw

Mayors are elected by the Supplementary Vote (SV) system, where voters can express up to 2 preferences only, and as such is inferior to AV in that it does not eliminate tactical voting or ensure that winners have 50%+ votes in final round.