2015 general election: “I will vote for……because……”

First topic message reminder :

I thought it might be useful if we had a thread on which members can, if they wish, say who they will be voting for on 7 May and add some details as to why. There are obvious overlaps between some of the parties; for example, Labour and the Liberal Democrats want to bring in a mansion tax and keep us in the EU, while both the Green Party and the SNP want to scrap Trident. If you’re still not sure which party comes closest to representing your views, you can take a short ‘test’ here:-

https://cuttingedge2.forumotion.co.uk/t1029-which-political-party-do-you-side-with

I’ll start the ball rolling. I apologise for re-posting this message, but I do so at the request of one of the original members of this forum:-

“Although Ed Miliband did appear on a picket line with Doncaster care workers, I wish that Labour would be more supportive of legitimate strike action, especially by firemen, NHS staff and teachers who have had their conditions of employment and pension arrangements changed arbitrarily. I think the party is still traumatised by the damage done to it – 18 years out of office - by what were largely myths about the so-called ‘winter of discontent’ of 1978-9.

No, Labour doesn’t do many of the things I’d like it to do, but why should it? I’m just one of the ten million plus people it needs to support it if it is to form the next government. A party which has to appeal to 35-40% of the population must be a compromise, a coalition within itself. It needs to resonate with its core vote, but also to those who thought in 2010 that the Lib Dems were left of centre, and to those who have been tempted more recently into thinking that UKIP might somehow represent the working class.

I will vote Labour because, although it won’t rule for the benefit solely of Ivan White, it will abolish the bedroom tax and bring in a mansion tax, it will repeal the Health and Social Care Act and it will end uncertainty over our membership of the EU. I will vote Labour because I dislike everything this Tory-dominated government of ideologues and liars has done, which has included abusing the human rights of the disabled. I will vote Labour because on 8 May either Ed Miliband will become PM or we will have another five years of ‘Dodgy Dave’ and his asset-stripping corporate cronies, and that’s a no-brainer.”

Sadly, my boat lives in Suffolk - Brandon Lewis may still pull it off in Great Yarmouth - still a bit close to call - but his rival Lara Norris is making a very good impression on voters

Let us hope that she pulls it off then eh boatlady, fingers crossed.

Just expanding the scope of this thread a bit

Tomorrow, I will be mostly:-
Starting the day at 7 a.m. by representing my party at a local polling station.
I will be following this up by eating breakfast after the style of our glorious leader, then off to do a bit of phone banking.
At lunchtime, I will be collecting my 89 year old mother who also plans to do her bit for Labour.
In between times, my car and I will be available to help anyone who needs a lift to the polling station.
I imagine I'll be a bit worn out by tea time

How about the rest of you?
Plans on the 7th?

Well boatlady the Labour party here wish me to go 17 miles away to get people out to vote labour,I cannot get there without transport which I have told them so many times.
I have told them that I will do anything locally,but they have not answered? what do I have to do sometimes to help the party, apart from casting my vote no matter what the weather,or whether I have had a fit or not I will make it to the polling station.

Sounds as though they're just a bit disorganised. Sorry it sounds as though you're not going to be able to take part in the action
Get your vote in and add us all to your prayers or whatever
Let's hope for a Labour win tomorrow.

That I will boatlady,I certainly want a labour win tomorrow.

I will be on my knees tonight asking the Alnighty to give Labour a hand boatlady I wonder if I should tell him just how nasty the Tories have been to the people of the UK but I think he will already know.

Well Redflag surely the Tories were invented by the Satanists, so it is a fight between good and evil.

I think we can work out who Charlotte Church won’t be voting for......  

From an article by Mikey Smith:-

Charlotte Church has slammed Cameron's "scandalous" Conservative Party in a scathing open letter on her website. The classical singing star says the damage that would be done by five more years of Tory rule would be "intolerable".

She said: "David Cameron has presided over the most capricious, shambolic government that there has been in my lifetime. They are scandalous, and they cannot be the right people for the job".

She went on to criticise the politics of the right for playing on people's fears in the run up to the election: "So much of the electioneering that those on the right have done has been based upon fear. Fear of immigration, fear of economic instability, fear of welfare claimants and the unemployed. The politics of fear is the politics of control. If we allow ourselves to be scared of the bogeyman we will find ourselves isolated internationally, without a welfare system, and with an even more pronounced poverty gap than we already have."

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/charlotte-church-slams-david-camerons-5649192

Why do we allow ourselves to be allowed to have the election based on fear Ivan? when to myself there is nothing to be feared of only a tory victory?

#I voted.

What do I do now?

Wait for the results to come in OW, and just hope and pray i'm afraid, that it is a Labour majority.

With the bad weather of heavy rain up and down the country, it usually ensures a lower turn out does it not? which unfortunately also ensures a Tory victory, as the past elections have shown, we can only hope that this one bucks the trend can we not.

It's a nice sunny afternoon here in West Sussex, and my dog enjoyed her walk to the polling station and alongside the nearby small river afterwards. Anyway, I'm not sure that the weather makes so much difference these days; I think that applied more when only affluent people (who were more likely to vote Tory) owned cars.

As this thread comes to the end of its shelf life in a few hours, it might be interesting to read a round-up of how some famous people are casting their votes:-

http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2015/05/how-will-you-vote

And a final thought from Polly Toynbee on voting (which ought to resonate with one of our members):-

“Non-voters deserve no mercy. Their vote is far too precious to bestow on any of the parties on offer. No one is good enough for them, as if they expect a personal bespoke party, regardless of the necessary compromises in assembling a majority, blind to how parties work as portmanteaus of ideals and interests willing to travel together. Did those over-fastidious ones ever roll up their sleeves in the past five years to start a new party or movement, or shift an existing one? Fewer than 1% belong to any party, even fewer campaign to change the monstrous voting system, waiting for a better politics to be delivered to their doorstep by others.”

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/may/07/every-vote-counts-election

Please note:-
You must not disclose HOW you voted on a public site such as this until the polls have closed at 10pm. To do so is illegal, contravening Article 66A of the Representation of the People Act 1983.

Sitting on the polling booth door this morning with (as it goes) a couple of UKIP reps, we were talking about politics and elections in general - agreed that many people seem to think politics is a bit like church - turn up for elections and then expect 'them' to sort out your life.

Whereas in fact politics is a factor in every aspect of life. After my little foray into political activism, whatever the outcome tomorrow, I think I will become a lot more active in terms of holding my elected representatives to account - letters to the MP, phone calls to local councillors, attending open council meetings etc.

Very much so boatlady, I put a x in all the boxes was that the right thing to do?

I went to the polling station today with my daughter and grandaughter so three generations of my family put our X in the box of our chosen candidate, I was up at 6.30am this morning so went for an afternoon nap so I can stay up all night & watch results.

Just enjoyed my first sip of wine (Chardonnay for a change) - I really think I have done all I can today.
Will melt off to bed in due course, and hope for the right result tomorrow

I am going to watch the first results coming in boatlady, so that I know which way it is going if any before I either get drunk or extremely tired, as my neighbour is here helping me out in the drinking stakes,

GY Labour activists are still out knocking on doors - those guys are awesome - but also a bit younger than me.

I may be soon saying 'night night' - was up at 4-30 and just a bit sleepy now

Well off to bed to get some rest boatlady, cos that was an early start,night.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news for you boatlady its a certainty that we will have another Tory gov't its 2.30am in the morning and if it gets any worse I will be going to bed to drown my sorrows.









This thread is now locked.
Ivan