So, how are you going to vote? What are the policies that matter to you? Are they all the bl**dy same? What’s the situation where you live?
I am a life long labour voter, from a labour family, labour area etc etc. I have a deeply ingrained belief that if I even consider putting a cross next to Tory I will burn in eternal flames. LOL!
Obviously the home ed thing has been very disappointing (along with some other labour ‘things’ - Iraq war, tuition fees etc for eg!) but I can’t vote for Tory based on these things because I *know* they will shaft those who are on low incomes, lone parents, etc and just look after the wealthy. This is obvious, this has happened historically, they haven’t said *anything* that convinces me otherwise. And I think they would also eventually shaft the home ed community too. Plus, on a pure personality thing - Cameron is just bleugh! He’s so smarmy!
The things that *really* matter to me - allowing mothers/fathers a real choice to stay at home with their children while they are young (or older, frankly) - including lone parents and a fairer tax system so that the poor don’t pay a higher % of their income in tax than the wealthy, including Council fecking tax are not in anybody’s manifesto unfortunately.
The other things that matter to me are best reflected in The Green Party so that is who I would vote for. Unfortunately they didn’t field a candidate here last time (I don’t *think*) as it is a very very safe tory seat. If this is the case then I will have to consider the manifestos of lib dem and labour more closely and then vote accordingly.
Interested to know about the situation everywhere else!
Nope. No Green Party candidate last election. UKIP (har har), lib dem, labour, tory. What sort of choice is that?
Just found this quote about The Green Party policies on family:
Replace tax-free allowances and most social security benefits with the “Citizen’s Income” available to all, giving financial security to women bringing up children at home, support EU-wide working practices that allow more time for women and men to devote to family life; open up full civil marriage to same sex partners
The more I read, the more I realise that The Green Party are a perfect fit for me!!! (no mention of home ed, and the info from them was pretty rubbish on this but with everything else they are really very good.)
I wasn’t at all sure, until I found out that someone I went to school with who is Home Edding and is a La Leche League leader is standing as our local Lib Dem candidate. So, Lim Dem for me this time round.
I do firmly believe in local politics - I don’t think you are voting for the government - you are voting for who you want your local MP to be, so I would vote for whoever I considered to be the best person for the job in our area, and the person most likely to fight for our local concerns in Parliament. It’s quite a freeing way to think about it, because it means you don’t get tied up in the ridiculous name-calling and heckling of Westminster, and it also means that when the best person locally is from a party you wouldn’t normally think of (Tory where I last lived!), that’s ok.
I think if everybody did that rather than voting nationally, all the parties would really have to think about fielding good local candidates, because there would be no “safe” seats, so they couldn’t stick their rubbish candidates in a safe seat knowing that they’ll get in anyway. Westminster would radically change as a result…..
same here,not sure,would be green party but no candidate!my dads boss is the local tory and gets a lot done locally,and in a way i guess thats what counts,when what does get done in government,whoevers there dosn’t seem to make that much difference,for quite a while anyway,so,still very un decidedx
I’ve looked at our 3 candidates (ridiculous!) and they are *all* non-local Westminster, party-people. :-( So, therefore I will have to vote for ‘a party’ rather than a local person because that is the choice we have been given.
I suppose I am quite cynical in that I don’t believe voting for anyone other than the Conservatives or Labour would actually make any difference. I do agree with most of the green party, but aslo feel that if by some fluke they got into power, that the country would go bankrupt. I’ll be voting conservative cause I feel they’re the only ones who’ll make a great deal of difference to cutting the defecit, and I hate the fact that Labour target taxes to people who earn more. Obviously people on lower incomes work hard, but people who earn more work hard too. It used to make me really angry that we worked really hard and very long hours to earn more, and yet ended up coming home with roughly the same money as someone who worked 9-5 just cause the government said so! Just set a base tax of 30% for everyone and have done with it!
Yep our choice of candidates sucks huh Becky! Honestly, I think the only option for me this year is to spoil my vote… I think just for my own piece of mind Im going to share some ‘expressive thoughts’ on my ballot paper this year! As you say, its a totally safe Tory seat anyway and there is no way in hell Im voting for him, if only for the fact that I know he will be in favour of over-turning the hunting ban!
The whole thing is just a disappointing joke- democracy?! HA!
Wow, well I can’t imagine ever voting for a party based on what I think is in it for *my* family. And I just can’t understand single issue voting (as friends will know who have made the mistake of telling me they are voting Tory soley on the basis of the Home-ed issue).
On Justice, the Green Party have a manifesto totally in line with my moral standing - however I’m not sure nationally they could really deal with the money. Nevertheless, we have a local Green candidate (last time we also had the option of the Christian People’s Alliance, whose manifesto is strikingly similar but goes less far) and I would consider my vote going that way this time. The argument used to hold sway with me that voting for small parties was a wasted vote, but not any more. Asides from anything else, proportional representation gives them more of a voice nowadays.
Like Aisling, I really wish everyone could be persuaded to vote with their conscience and their desire for local politicians who actually represent them. I can imagine if this year follows the trend for low turn out, we could end up with no real majority and a government that are forced to work together. However I suspect that the Tory and Lib Dem tactic of telling voters that they HAVE to vote for them “to get rid of Labour” will result in them doing pretty well. Unfortunately.
You’ll have to stand next time Becky Seriously though, I bet there are loads of people like you thinking that they don’t have a real choice. If you stood as an independant focusing on local issues you might stand a good chance.
I really hope we end up with a hung Parliament - I think a good dose of working together is exactly what this country needs! I’ve worked for two county councils and at times both have had hung councils, and it’s been fantastic - properly discussed policies achieved by really thinking about what the people want and need!
I can’t vote Labour, which is a bugger, but I don’t want to vote SDLP, their sister party. I would rather stick sporks in my eyes before I’d vote DUP or UUP. or Sinn Feinn for that matter. Which leaves me with Green, or Alliance. I shall be voting Green, I believe, though I’d rather vote Labour, but just can’t bring myself to vote SDLP.
You should see the tosser we are probably going to get here though, ever since Iris “cradle snatcher” Robinson stood down. All he cares about is the Parades issue. ie: that the Orange Order can march through certain areas of belfast. Hello? Like we care?
I wonder how many politicians start out believing they can make a difference only to get there and find out that they can’t. And according to some legal writer(I’m studying the British Constitution in law this year) we are not a democracy, we are an elective dictatorship.
Have always voted Lib Dem, but finding them getting as hollow as the other parties. Would like to vote Green but don’t think we have a candidate in this area. Am going to Hustings on Climate change with 3 major parties so will see what they have to say next week. Would never vote Tory or Labour just not enough of their ethos is how I would like to see our country. Overall I think I am with AngieW and would like to see a hung parliament with the spirit of co-operation coming to the fore, which fits with the Transition Movement which I am most fond of!
we’re a very conservative area, only party likely to take over from them would be lib dems, having said that though we are in a new constituency this time, so no track record. I’m as yet undecided. I’ve always been of a leftish bent, but have never felt comfortable voting labour (first was eligible to vote in 1997)
Seriously though, I bet there are loads of people like you thinking that they don’t have a real choice. If you stood as an independant focusing on local issues you might stand a good chance.
