Why don't Lib Dem ever get in?

[Flamesparrow]

Everyone is pretty disillusioned with both tory and labour judging by the "tories" thread, so why is there never the option of giving lib dem their chance to cock it up?

[LaurieFairyCake]

Because people are reactionary and if they can be black and white about something they usually will.

It takes effort to read up on lib-dem policies whereas tory and labour policies are very high profile.

People often can't be bothered actually thinking about it so go with what they grew up with/how their area votes

[FlamingoBingo]

Also when a party cocks up, everyone is more obsessed with 'getting them out' than with getting the right party in. So everyone says 'can't vote lib dem or it'll split the vote and we won't get labour out'. The lib dems might have a chance if all those people voted for them

[throckenholt]

because too many people say "I would vote for them if I thought they would get in" and then think they won't get it, so they don't vote, so they don't get in.

It is only in those areas where they have built up a head of steam where people actually do think they might get in where they have a chance (if you see what I mean).

And also they are more geographically patchy than labour or conservative and don't have the resources to contest all constituencies so don't have the chance to get enough seats to become the major party.

Having said that - in some areas they are the local governing party, or at least the opposition - both to labour and conservative.

[Flamesparrow]

Lol I love the theory of only voting for them if you think they'll get in Tis like not taking a free lottery ticket because you know you won't win.

If it is free you may as well give it a shot.

I wasn't sure if they secretly eat babies or something and everyone else knows but me

[ThatVikRinA22]

well i think im gonna do it. i remember the tories too well so not voting for them, disillusioned with labour. not sure that leaves a whole load of alternatives,

well i suppose i could just not bother with a vote at all, but then i cant moan about who gets in can i.

[throckenholt]

see the politicians hate tactical voting - but in most areas there is not much alternative.

You can't vote for who you want to run the country because in your area it is a wasted vote because they won't get in at all. Because if you vote for who you want you split the vote and the ones you don't want get in. So you have to go for the least worst option - vote for who might stand a chance of unseating the party you don't want - and hope enough other areas do the same so the one you least want doesn't get in.

In my area I don't have to make that choice though - the one I don't want will get in regardless of which way I vote - so at least I have the luxury of voting for the party of my choice, and the frustration of knowing my votes makes absolutely bugger all difference. I still vote though - always have, probably always will - but probably will always live in an area that votes traditionally and is not likely to change. So my vote is effectively worthless !

democracy is a wonderful thing !

[Ewe]

I am the same throckenholt, live in a Surrey town, local MP is Chris Grayling (who incidentally is actually a very good local MP, just have many issues with the party and policies) and we've never had anything but a tory MP here.

There is very little point in me voting but I will anyway!

[throckenholt]

we actually had a lib dem local council for a while - think they did ok - certainly not any worse than the previous conservatives who had run it since the year dot. But I can't see us ever having a non-conservative mp. So many people just vote the way they always have and that is the way their father (or husband) voted .....

[Chil1234]

The voting system doesn't help. Many constituencies have voted the same way for generations.... the safe seats. And that's almost regardless of how bad the party's doing. Put up a parrot in a red rosette for election in certain Labour strongholds and they'd vote for it anyway.

Which leaves a relatively small number of marginal seats that the Lib Dems can potentially win from the encumbent parties. I haven't done the maths but I think that if the Lib Dems won every single marginal they'd still struggle to have enough seats to form a government.

Which is why you'll hear the term 'hung parliament' quite a lot over the next few months and why Nick Clegg is potentially going to get very popular!!

[JeffVadar]

I live in Cornwall which is almost exclusively Lib Dem. However, a couple of years ago they changed the system of district councils into a unitary authority even though no-one wanted it. (They had a poll and the result was 80% against).
As a result of this there was quite a big swing towards UKIP and the smaller partes in the local and Euro elections last year.

I am quite interested to see if the voters here will have forgiven them by May.

[JollyPirate]

Because they are not seen as serious contenders they are able to be truthful ...... which makes them less popular....which makes them seem non serious contenders...ad infinitum.

[scaryteacher]

How is the unitary thing going Vader? I had to get hold of them to get my service vote registered and they were less than useless in Truro, but very helpful when I called what used to be Caradon.

Unitary works for Plymouth, but that was a city, not an entire county. I don't see how they can provide or even really know what's needed in Saltash or the Tamar Valley from Truro.

[Disenchanted3]

Our area was won by lib dems.

[LibraryLil]

I vote LibDem but am a voice in the wilderness; the tories always get in where I live.

[Spacehoppa]

I think that in order to vote in a Lib Dem MP I first would need to move to another constituency. I am in a constutuency where tactical votes are most likely to count. There is a BNP presence in the area, so enough said I may have to vote tactically.

Thanks to first past the post I now have a pretty poltical dilemma.

Bloody annoying (apoloises for swearing)

[Strawbezza]

The LibDems will get in one day (probably after having held the balance of power in a hung parliament). Their progress is slow but steady.

[Ziggurat]

As long as we have the First Past the Post voting system instead of proportional representation, it will always be a two-horse race.

[carryonconception]

Not posted on this bit of board before (but have elsewhere). I can think of three problems with the Lib Dems.

1. They have some horribly right wing members - everyone thinks they are fluffy middle of the road nice people but get talking to them and you realise that many of them are incredibly conservative. And the ones who are on the left seem to have no problem getting into bed with these horrid right wingers.
   
   
2. They have very few serious policies and because they won't get in, the ones they do have are not workable.
   
   
3. In my area at least they are really underhand. eg they ask you to sign a petition on a new zebra crossing and then when you have they say hello we're lib dems and thank you for your support and write to the local paper saying we have x amount of support. Er, no, I just wanted another zebra crossing.

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

So... you won't be voting Lib Dem then carryon?

[carryonconception]

hee hee, guess not!

[furrycat]

Well they haven't got a chance this time with Clegg as leader...if Vince Cable took over people might start taking them more seriously

[dreamingofsun]

i would never vote for them because of their strategy on local income tax. we earn the most in our close, but are by far the poorest because of all our outgoings - the others are all retired and are rolling in it - why should i subsidise them?