It does I feel play a considerable part statistically, but it doesn’t “decide” a result, it does do present some mathematical barriers. Bloc voting DOES exist, but not to the extent some people claim.

Regarding UK entries : It’s a case of wanting it both ways. We’d never be able to send a top act because they wouldn’t do it as it’s considered a joke/laugh at the foreigners (propogated by Wogan over the last couple of decades).. and then complain when the crap act we sent did badly! The fact is all these “new” countries be they Baltic, former USSR, former Yugoslavia, all seem to take it quite seriously and send some of their top stars who are also known within their region. Probably the main reason they vote for eachother a bit.

Times change. UK used to send acts who were “big” back in the 60s and early 70s and tended to do pretty well as a consequence. Even mid 70s through mid 90s we racked up lots of 2nd places with rubbish.. 15 2nd places in total I believe … we aren’t bothered any more other than whinging on the Sunday morning after the show.

2008 said it all. Andy Abraham sung ok with a dull song. Terry got miffed because he personally backed it on the UK show and gave his “golden vote” to get it into the sing-off when the UK public had already rejected it. To put things into total perspective, the song when released in the UK charts couldn’t get in the Top 75. How can Brits criticise the rest of Europe for not liking a song the UK public clearly didn’t in the first place??

The EBU have changed the voting system because of the damaging perception that there was bloc voting, not necessarily because there actually was bloc voting.

The only thing I will have to disagree with you with is the quality of the UK’s entry in 2008. Andy Abraham was not an X Factor loser or reject. Consider how enormous The X Factor competition is (putting aside the hype and the overuse of apocolyptic music,) and how much it means to the contestants who sing live every Saturday night. The show doubtlessly attracts and evetually produces true talent, regardless of success.

Andy Abraham was infact a close runner-up in that show and when I first found out he was competing in the UK’s selection I was behind him before I even heard the song, because I know he has a fantastic voice, a wonderful personality, and wanted to represent the UK in his best interest, and I knew we would be in safe hands with him. I cannot comprehend the minds of those people who believe Michelle Gayle who brought back her swimming costume from her trip to Honolulu and decided it’d be a laugh to lay an egg live on prime time British television would have actually got us a significantly better result than Andy did. I would have sent The Revelations if not Andy.

As for the song, well it was a bit dull and old fashioned, but I found it irresistably catchy nonetheless, and Andy clearly gave it 110% on the night and for that reason alone I am happy with our entry this year, even if I know we can still do better.

But putting that aside, I tip my hat to you because you are exactly right about the bloc voting theories. There are clearly some aspects of the voting that never seem to go away. (Cyprus’ 12 going to Greece) and don’t know how best to explain those but really this is an article with sense, insight and confidence, so thank you for assuring me I’m not alone in my thoughts in the UK.

The other European countries, by and large, have musical tastes that are closer to one another’s. This is particularly true for the Eastern bloc (possibly why the rigged voting theory came about in the first place), but the facts that most of the other European nations have multiple neighbours connected by land and have invaded each other a fair number of times mean they all tend to agree more on cultural things. Famous artists are effectively a mini-invasion, because other countries know and presumably like that tune prior to the competition.

Obviously, proximity of musical tastes does not prevent a sprinking of disastrous entries (I know the UK have had a few rubbish songs, but it doesn’t have a monopoly on them…) but it surely must help. If you like a song, you’re more likely to vote for it!

Maybe that’s why so many people in the UK don’t care about who wins Eurovision – because they’re not terribly keen on either the UK entry or the alternatives offered for voting.

However, here in the UK we keep entering singers who are just “starting out”. The UK needs to utilise famous singers we have here and who are also known internationally, then may be, we will begin to see a change. Nothing is going to improve for us if we keep turning the same old wheel.