In our ward how would you vote?

[drspouse]

Just curious!
Me: mainly Labour supporter but not a member. Generally: Anyone but Tory (or further right obviously).
Our ward: has a lovely non-Labour non-Tory councillor who I've voted for before. She's been an excellent councillor who's helped us as a family.
But the county is very tight and the ward could swing it to Labour. Or away from Tory.

Tory can't win in our seat (nor anyone else - especially not UKIP who couldn't even spell the name of the city in their flyer!)

So in my position, nice councillor? Or welfare (in my view) of the county?

[cdtaylornats]

Anyone but SNP or Green

[squishysquirmy]

I would vote differently in council elections to how I would vote in a GE. Council elections are entirely about local issues for me rather than the bigger picture. If the councillor cares about local issues, is willing to fight for them and has proven herself to be an excellent counsellor in the past, I would vote for her even if I didn't support her party in the GE.

Then next month go back to the polling station and vote for whoever you think would be best for both the country and your constituency (balancing the two priorities however you see fit). Maybe vote tactically in the GE if you have to (and want to).
Where we live you vote for two councillors, not one, which removes much of the tactical element I think.

[chemenger]

For council I'm with cd, anyone but SNP and Green. Normally I would say think about local issues but any vote for SNP or their satellite party the Greens is noted in Nicola's little black book as a request for a second referendum. Just like in the general election any vote for the Tories will be read as a request for Strong and Stable hard Brexit with Teresa and Boris.

[drspouse]

I agree council is about local issues - in this case, the local issue is, who do we have in charge of our County.

I wasn't aware of the Green/SNP cosiness in Scotland, very interesting to hear about that (I'm in England).

We are in a marginal seat with a really great Labour MP. So no difficult decisions there at all! We're just all hoping that our MP's sterling work filters through to the next door constituency (currently Tory waste of space, previously much loved Labour MP who had to stand down due to illness in 2015)

[AnnaFiveTowns]

It's tricky but I'd go for welfare of the whole country, personally. It's all very well having a nice councillor but surely it's more important to have an NHS.

[drspouse]

Anna I'm not talking about the GE voting. I'm only talking about my ward for the County elections. That's not going to affect the welfare of the NHS nationally.

[cdtaylornats]

drspouse - Scotland has the only green party in the world that supports a reduction in Air Passenger Duty and an oil based economy.

[cdtaylornats]

surely it's more important to have an NHS

That's why you should vote Tory - the Labour party will bankrupt the country and destroy the NHS - it might take them a few years but they'll do it.

[squishysquirmy]

The way the Tory party are carrying on they will bankrupt the country a lot quicker....

[Nyx]

Agree with squishy, the Tories are much worse for the UK economically than Labour were. And am amazed at cd's brass necked post re the NHS. Tory vultures picking at it already, having deliberately run it down through under funding. Trying to say the Tories will protect the NHS? I doubt it.

[drspouse]

cough
Still talking about the county councillor!

Not the GE!

[Nyx]

Sorry drspouse. To answer your question, in your position I'd probably go for nice councillor - particularly as she's helped your family in the past (therefore showing she does her job!)

[AnnaFiveTowns]

Sorry, misunderstood the question. In that case, go with the nice councillor.

[witwootoodleoo]

Nice councillor for a local election definitely as it makes much more difference to people's quality of life who the individuals are locally