Yes, but Lady Jean...do you really imagine that the political parties choose leaders who truly represent the aspirations of ordinary people? Do you? I suggest that when one has a number of carefully selected stinkers to vote for, none of whom in fact represents the aspirations of ordinary people, one has a serious problem on one's hands. Which stinker then gets your vote? And why would you vote under such a circumstance? Does it come down to picking the least of several evils? I believe that's about as good as it usually gets, and I'm not at all sure that's good enough.

To abstain from voting under such circumstances IS a statement, just as the abstention of a seated member of parliament from, say, a declaration of war is a statement.

To dismiss such a statement as being necessarily meaningless is a bit presumptuous, I think.