Zac Goldsmith: Lack of Voter Turnout Not Result Of Apathy

The Tory candidate campaigning to become London's next Mayor told students that he believed low voter turnout was the result of feeling "disenfranchised" not being apathetic, calling for increased direct democracy. 

YouGov poll: Goldsmith is the straight Mayoral Candidate today

Speaking to a group of students at JFS School, based in Kenton, Zac Goldsmith today explained that the thought the absence of large numbers of potential voters at recent general elections was "not because they feel apathetic" but rather "people feel disenfranchised."

The MP for Richmond Park, who was recently elected by Conservative Party members to fight Labour's Sadiq Khan in the race to succeed Boris Johnson as the head of City Hall, stated that direct democracy would provide people with a "sense of empowerment."

The mayoral candidate additionally declared "Parliament is flawed,"  pointing out the absurdity of the tradition of not shaking other MPs' hands in Parliament - because this would be a sign of "peace."  He instead suggested his proposition to allow the public to "initiate referendums locally and [consider] planning permission" would encourage people to influence the decisions that affect them.

And Zac defended his criticism of the government on the grounds of principled opposition. Asked why he continues to attack the government's attempts to expand Heathrow Airport via building a third runway, Goldsmith responded "I will have to hold my party to account at times." But he highlighted that his recent campaigning, which has included stewardship regarding the environment, shows he is in fact a "proper Conservative."

But he deemed the "smirk[s]" of Conservatives who dislike Jeremy Corbyn a problem because it disregards the importance of holding the government to account. The MP said that he still lamented the "loss of a strong opposition."

Asked why a poll last Friday showed the general public feel more connected to Khan, Goldsmith responded: "I don't think people vote for people on the basis of their background." He added that he was always honest because "I am what I am, I never try to act as anything different from that."

On anti-Semitism, the mayoral candidate said he supported David Cameron's policy of "zero-tolerance" and that he wanted to clamp down on "educational breeding grounds." He also pointed to social media as the new home of terror and hate talk, stating that his policy would include "extensive police monitoring."