Tell me why you are voting conservative this time

[Lilovoter]

Some of my reasons are:

• I want a smaller state
• I want a society that encourages aspiration
• Gordon Brown is odious and he and his team lack credibility and real backbone. They are frighteningly good at spin though!!!
• I want Labout out of government and a fresh start for Britain. I do not want a Liberal/Labour coalition.

[grumpypants]

I'm not! for the first time (it's the setting up schools by parents and the dc smarminess i can't vote for)

[ninah]

lobotomy

[Alouiseg]

We need a change, Gb hasn't proved himself to be a competent chancellor or leader. The twat sold the gold.....

Some have reservations about DC, whoever gets in has a tough, thankless task ahead. I'm fully prepared for cuts for the greater good of the country and the economy.

[Lilovoter]

What is the dc smarmiminess?

On schools aren't they just trying to make it all less centralised and opening up possibilities for more local management and encourage competition?

[Lilovoter]

Sorry got confused! DC and the mumsnet slang for children as in dc's got it now as in him

[Alouiseg]

Lots of people have reservations about an ex Etonion........

Personally I would rather have an ex Etonion than a pair of Scots feathering Scotlands nest with Englands profits.

[grumpypants]

smarminess - being smarmy! I just think its ill thought out to allow free schools with no NC and then to emphasise the importance of following the NC in non - free schools. I would rather they concentrated on providing good opportunities throughout the country rather than pockets of greatness and other areas with no real options. Academies are already slightly different, sponsored by businesses, so i don't see a need to have another type of school.

[Lilovoter]

DC a bit like GB aint the best at coming over on the telly
He is very bright though, wherever you go to school it is very very difficult to leave Oxford with a first class degree if you are not extremely clever
He is very bright

Thank goodness he is not an actor like TB was, bit nervous bit gauche on telly this does not matter what matters is real policies and intellect to back them up

[Lilovoter]

I do not care where DC went to school or anyone else for that matter. It is not not not relevant. labour are playing a very dangerous game if they are suggesting it is a factor against DC.

Eton is not relevant, however, if DC gets in hopefully there will be more opportunities for more people to have access to the best of education.

Rather than hypocrisy from Labour. Understandably TB sent his children to the London Oratory which is one of the best state schools in London, look at Diane Aboot she sent her son to a leading independant school. Everyone needs access to the best education for their child. Labour want to drag us all down to the lowest common denominator

[Alouiseg]

I totally agree that Labour want to drag us all to the lowest common denominator. It's what they always do, they think by penalising the top 20 % of earners they will implicitly help the lowest 20%.......think again cowboys it doesn't work!

Fyi if you look at the betting websites we will be a Conservative country on May 6th, never mind the narrow margins we hear about, William Hill et al have never been wrong in an election.

[Fayrazzled]

I honestly don't know who to vote for. In my constituency it is between Labour and Conservative- any other vote is wasted. Ideologically I'm a Labour voter, and it's how I've always voted in the past, but I don't think New Labour is the same thing at all. But I'm nervous about a Conservative government. Although I don't think DC's school is relevant, and his 1st in PPE undoubtedly means he is a clever bloke, I am concerned that DC and his colleagues don't understand what life is really like for the majority of British people. Their privileged upbringings put them in a rareified position and I just can't believe that they understand the pressures and concerns of most families.

[claig]

good point about the betting Alouiseg. I never trust the polls, often wonder if the figures are massaged as in so much else. What odds are William Hill giving for the parties?

[Lilovoter]

I think they do understand what normal families are like. Look at their policies on women they are suggesting that they will introduce policies that mean that both parents can properly share maternity leave and take their parental leave at the same time.

labour have brought in crazy policy that the man can only take it if the woman does not and both parents cannot take leave at the same time

Background is not relevant, it might have been one hundred years ago, but these days there is so much more information. Of course they understand what life is like or they do as much as any of the political classes do.

Vote conservative. Britain needs a change, I cannot face another four years of same old same old, more bureacracy more damage, more state, less freedom.

[Alouiseg]

Typically I can't log in for some reason (betfair) but if you google "oddschecker" you can pretty much choose any combination of seats/gains etc. very interesting for some marginals.

[loungelizard]

Why do you think they will do any better??? What makes you think they are better able to manage the economy or education??

I am seriously worried about David Cameron and George Osborne being 'in charge'. Our only hope, if the Torys win, is that they are just nominally in charge and there will be some people who really know what they are doing pulling the strings.

[Lilovoter]

Why are you worried, they are both intelligent and good leaders. Brown is a bully, a liar (the damien mcbride fiasco), he is spin, spin, spin, get him out - out - out.

He wants power so much he made up with Mandelson, sworn enemy, which was a very canny move as since then he has turned his fortunes around.

he is loather in his own party. Look at james parnell, whatever your politiical persuasiion he is a very clever young man and clearly he could not stomach GB

[MadameGazelle]

lilovoter - do you work for the conservative party by any chance

[Alouiseg]

I don't "know" I left my crystal ball in my other handbag.

I just think Labour have committed some heinous financial cock ups, as they always do and it's time for a change. They micro manage and forget the bigger picture, they always have done and always will do and most have never worked in a proper job either.

[claig]

wow good info from oddschecker, it looks like the odds are about 1/7 for Tories to win, and 11/2 for Labour. That looks like a walk over

[Lilovoter]

No I do not work for them. I have voted labour in the past and bitterly regret it. I am fed up with labour and all the nonsense they have delivered. i am not even a member of the conservative party fwiw !

I want change. I want that GB man out. Even his own party cannot get him out - despite four attempts?. We the electorate have to get him out otherwise we will be stuck with him until he drops dead in no 10.

If they get in they will do their so called electoral reform and we will never never get them out.

Gordon out, Gordon out, I might teach my children to chant this for when they go back to school

I had forgotten how much I love politics, I was really into it all as a teenager but life and work has overtaken me. But this election is very exciting and there is the chance of change. Lets get them out.

[loungelizard]

I am old enough to remember the Thatcher years (and before ).

DC and GO are mere babes in arms to me.

I am sure you think David Cameron is very clever to have got a 1st from Oxford, I am not quite as convinced.

Neither am I very convinced that his wife is considered 'normal' or possibly even a bit 'rough' as, gosh, she was a day girl at Malborough....

Oh dear.

Please don't assume we are all idiots because we haven't seen the light and need to vote Tory.

BTW My family are higher tax payers, middle class and tick all boxes for archetypal Tory voters etc etc

[Lilovoter]

Not assuming that.

But why don't you like their policies? What is so appealing about the competition?

[Alouiseg]

loungelizard you could possibly be classified as a masochist. Have you really not been stung enough?

[starmucks]

As a charitable act to Gordon. He looks ill.