I don't understand the blatant 'neighbour' voting!

No, I'm not talking about the Eurovision Song Contest.  I'll save that commentary for next May.

I'm talking about the shameful bias of South Tyneside council as they put up banners and electronic signs to instruct people to vote on some daft TV show called 'The X-Factor'.

Now, I don't watch this show mainly because its to do with 'popular' music - a topic with which I have no interest or appreciation.  I also don't watch it because its on ITV, a television channel which is so low-brow and patronising that I once spent at least half an hour trying and failing to 'tune' it out of my Virgin box.

I'm not a fan of these shows, but not being thick, I assume the point of them is that you watch up-and-coming talent, decide who you think is the best based solely on their performance and then, if you're very silly, you'll spend ridiculous amounts of cash on telephone calls voting for your favourite.

Apparently not.  The Mayor of South Tyneside tells us in the Shields Gazette, "I'm delighted to lend my name to Lola (?) and know the people of South Tyneside will get behind her and support her ... she is a fantastic ambassador for the borough.  She definitely has the X-Factor."

But, what if we think the group from North London is better than her?  What if the bloke from the Outer Hebrides wipes the floor with her 'on the night'?  Should we vote for Lola anyway just because she lives closer to our house?  These electronic signs should be used for traffic management and driver safety information, not in telling us to vote for our neighbour, even if she isn't the best, in a telly pop talent contest.

The aforementioned bloke from the Outer Hebrides wouldn't stand a chance if all councils held up banners proclaiming, in essence, "Vote for whoever lives closest to your house!".  That would leave him with around 14 people and a wee scottie dog named Morag from whom to pool votes.

Call me cynical, but I think Madame la Mayor of South Shields has her eye firmly on the pennies!  Vote Lola and the triple act of her, Joe McElderry and those 'girls from that group' which I can never remember the name of will be packing out Bent's Park with screaming adolescents and inebriated teenagers next summer. And this will be really good for South Shields, won't it?

Ka-ching!!!!