General Chat

...do you vote tactically or for the party whose professed ideals most reflect what you believe?

tactfully unfortunately.......

the latter, as far as possible. :-) Joy

I don't, what's the point, a liar is always gonna get elected. AL

Never vote tactfully,I vote what I believe in unfortunatly what I actually believe in totally is not on offer at the moment, the labour party now does not reflect the views what I believe they should do.! Dave

Hi David, Want to vote Lib Dem but have to vote Labour tactically. Gwynne

The latter David. And it shouldn't be a case of IF but WHEN. It's your duty to vote. At least that's what my Dad told me when I became elligable to vote. And I daren't not defy my Dad! lol

I won't vote for Tony blair as his eyes are too close together.

I always vote Jeanette:) I remember my grandmother telling me when she was first allowed and how excited she was but her employer told her how she ought to vote lol. Personally I can't vote tactically - I know my vote will risk helping a party I loathe get in but if we don't vote where we believe nothing will ever change and I honestly think (perhaps a bit niavely) my vote counts.

I vote for what I believe in BUT This time labour will not get my vote. On Friday my brother approached Gordon Marsden, a labour MP in Blackpool, about the state of the mental health services in paediatrics. My niece has anorexia which began after a bout of severe mental and physical bullying at primary school. The ONE AND ONLY DOCTOR in the paediatric mental health department has gone on indefinite leave (probably sick) and Booth Hall Hospital now do not know when the appointment for treatment to begin will be. It should have been at the beginning of May. Now we are worried that my niece will not be seen in time, ie, before she dies. Gordon Marsden's response to my brother's request for help was write a letter to him outlining his case and he would deal with it but not to bother phoning the office as they were up to their necks in election work! Well they won't be busy after the 5th May if I can help it! What a callous, self serving, self centred, insensitive, ignorant pig! If he worked hard enough for the voters he would not need to work so hard during the election! Why did he not take my brother's details immediately? This isn't a question about pension intentions, or education plans. It is about administrators allowing medical staffing levels to endanger lives. It is a question of whether my niece will live to see her Uncle get married this summer. I had very high hopes from labour when they came to power. At first (as an NHS employee) I saw first hand some excellent things happen. Since then I have been disappointed more and more often. NOW THEY CAN SHOVE IT. I CAN ALWAYS INVITE GORDON MARSDEN AND TONY BLAIR TO HER FUNERAL. DO YOU THINK THEY WOULD COME? Abigail - very cross and upset

That is so insulting Abigail - can't imagine what your brother is going through.

This is really the first time I'm having trouble deciding how to vote!! I don't really rate any of the parties or their leaders and, where you once knew what 'Labour' and 'Conservative' stood for, now the edges are very blurred! I will probably vote for the candidate that I think will be the best local MP!

I am a great believer in no rights without responsibilities first. I like the cartoon advert that shows how spineless opinions are if they are not backed by action, ie, voting. I also believe that voting should be compulsory and a gaolable offence if you don't. Or, if a person declines to vote then they should decline to benefit from a system that they don't subscribe to - ie, no benefits, financial or otherwise. Voting is important and it does make a difference - to which set of liars gets in I suppose! I find the manifesto thing really annoying. They are actually under no obligation to stick to anything they promise because it is not a binding contract. They can always plead that the mess the other party left behind is incompatible with their ideals which, as soon as they have sorted out the situation, they will implement - after the next election in two weeks time. Abigail

sheila, i agree with you. I am reduced to voting for the one I can force myself to think MIGHT be best. There is not one of the three main parties thaat I can clearly see will be any better than the others. so probably in answer to the question i will vote tactically. But for the local election in the village i will vote for the man (in this case) who i think will do most for the village. hence voting in two elections for opposing parties. Ann Glos

i would vote for the truth but i cant find it anywhere.

The Labour Party where so long in the political wilderness they really had no choice but to modify their socialist policies to win votes. With so many years of such a reactionary Conservative Governments there was no choice if Labour was ever to gain power again, only trouble is Tony Blair and “New” labour beat the Tories at their own game by winning the popular vote, so socialism was sacrificed. Although I think it is a shame that first past the post system wastes a lot of votes the other voting systems known as proportional representation where you can vote for all candidates in order of preference sounds fairer but not always does it work, as there is not always an outright winner, which means a leftist party has to join with a right wing party to gain power then you end up with a hung Parliament with no Power of legislation, the whole thing becomes a waste of time. I would always use my vote it is very important to me not to waste what is a democratic right that not all people in this world have, there are many who would love to be free to vote for who they want. I think it’s a shame people say it doesn’t effect them who is in power of course it does, it effects everyone and it effects people’s future. Politics and truth I don’t think go hand in hand, do they? Pat x LMHO After all that I forgot to say I would vote tactically for any party (except a Nazi one) to keep a Tory out.

Why on earth are people still insisting on voting for a party that has lied and cheated the people over and over again. Talk about fat cats in industry, they have nothing on 5-homes and 2-jags Prescott or the get-rich at all costs Blairs. And Mandy is heading towards his first million. Its the salary and perks that they are desperate to hang on to. Thinkof the lies over the Iraq war, on immigration , violent crime and hospital waiting lists. Think on stealth taxes and the party that has been caught rigging the postal votes. How low can they sink ? yet some people still go on voting for them. Is the nation terminally sick in the head? Len

Hi Len, I vote Labour to keep the Tories out. I'd like to vote Lib Dem but it's a wasted vote here. I remember all of the years the Tories were in power and would do anything to prevent it happening again. However bad Labour are the Tories are, in my view, much worse. Gwynne

Gwynne ;-))) totally agree with your opinion on the Tories. I feel it is a shame there are not more people who would vote for the Lib Dems I would love to see them as the alternative to the Labour Party maybe one day. Len, there really is no choice the Country has to have a Government in power to run its affairs and it doesn't matter which Party we are talking about 'Power Corrupts' so we will always have the fat cats. :-( Every Country has them. Pat x

To think that the tories would be as they were last time under the (hand)bag woman, is about as sensible as thinking that labour are the same today as under Wilson