Who to vote for in the Scottish elections?

[RaidersoftheLostAardvark]

My main priority is voting for a candidate who will stand up for my sex based rights. I am left of centre & usually vote Labour, but do not feel confident supporting them currently. But are Scottish Tories any better? I don't know! I did email my MSP about the Hate Crime bill and had a polite response but no indication of his views on women's rights. I will email again to directly ask for his views, and will be looking at how he votes on the hate crimes bill. Any knowledgeable Scots out there who can comment on the local landscape? Suspect I will be voting Tory for the first time! I do not want to spoil a ballot paper - might as well not bother voting.

[Motherofgirl]

I was considering voting Labour, but the bastards have just released this - supposedly setting out who is protected by the Equality Act 2010, and very deliberately simply LEAVING OUT discrimination on the grounds of sex. That cynical bastard Keir Starmer should be disbarred by the Law Council.
labour.org.uk/latest/what-is-the-equality-act-of-2010-and-why-does-it-matter/

[vivariumvivariumsvivaria]

'i have no idea.

I'll vote for whoever supports my rights to single sex spaces - even if they are raving loonies

[TheShadowyFeminist]

The only party so far that are actually supporting women's rights are the ISP. I did see one candidate for Scotia Future (I might have the name wrong, it's scotia something) vocal about supporting women but I'm not sure if that's just him, or if it's a policy. They're only looking for list votes though. I'm absolutely not voting SNP or Labour Or Greens or LibDems & could never vote Tory. So no constituent vote ISP list vote is my current option.

[rogdmum]

Depends on the Tory. I’ve written to quite a few. Some have been good, others OK, and some just as abysmal as the SNP. I think they are more likely to be supportive and not quite as bad as the other parties, but it’s not guaranteed.

[BlackForestCake]

I have voted both Labour and SNP in the past, now I don’t want to vote for either.

I will vote ISP on the list in the hope that they get a decent vote and/or manage to pick up a seat.

I will hold my nose and vote SNP in the constituency vote on the grounds that if they somehow don’t win all the constituency seats in my region they might pick up a list seat.

That would make no difference in terms of parliamentary arithmetic, but a) the list candidate is more likely to be a wokey nutter than the FPTP one, and b) if they take a list seat it might make it harder for the ISP to gain one.

This is dependent on the local FPTP candidate keeping his mouth shut and not coming out with any guff about women having penises between now and election day. If he does, I will spoil my ballot.

[theskyispink]

Usually I vote SNP/Green.

Greens are definitely out and I don't think I can vote for the SNP after what's become of them. I will probably spoil my ballot and vote ISP on the list.

[ArabellaScott]

Well, I would vote Libdem, but they've all gone off the deep end.

Or Green, but - see above.

Or Labour, but - see above.

SNP - have done in the past, never again.

Tory. Hm. Dunno.

I'm very much hoping ISP or Forwomen Scotland or an independent fields a candidate for the list vote. First vote ... fuck knows.

If I half spoil a ballot, will the list vote still be counted, does anyone know?

I feel it's terrible to spoil a ballot, but this is where we are.

[Blurberoo]

Same, I was an SNP member but left over self ID. I couldn’t even bring myself to vote for them now, they are an utter shitshow. My only hope is that the current leadership clique get ousted in time for a new group to take over for the May elections. I can’t vote Tory (they just hate women in a different way), the Labour Party are useless, the Greens are, unfortunately, no longer focussing on environmental issues and are completely captured by queer ideology, the LibDems are almost as mad which leaves.... 🤷🏼‍♀️ I think I’ll need to spoil the constituency ballot and vote ISP for the list.

[Blurberoo]

You get 2 ballot papers so you can spoil the first. You are not obliged to vote for anyone on either of them (just number in order of preference- so can leave it blank).

[BlackForestCake]

If I half spoil a ballot, will the list vote still be counted, does anyone know?

It's a separate ballot paper, so yes.

[Wbeezer]

I think I'm going to do that too (spoil one ballot) , never thought I'd be in this situation. I have no idea of any of the Greens current environmental policies, they never seem to mention them!

[TheShadowyFeminist]

Constituent vote - I'm going to spoil that with pleasure (long standing TWAW disciple) and ISP on list.

If I got someone (independent or supporting women) on constituent vote, I'd vote for them.

But after today I'm in a fuck 'em all sort of mood.

My field of fucks is barron. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[Babdoc]

I don’t understand this reluctance of some PPs to vote Tory.
They are the only party with any prospect of stopping the SNP tearing Britain apart and turning Scotland into a bankrupt republic of wokedom, where women will have no rights at all - not even to use the word “women” to exclusively describe our sex class.
Do you want rapists in women’s prisons, all women’s sports medals won by men, all toilets and changing rooms unisex? If you do, go ahead and vote SNP. But I will be voting Tory.

[ArabellaScott]

Because I don't agree with any of their policies, Babdoc, and they're making a terrible hash of Westminster politics.

I would have a bit of sympathy a more sort of old fashioned conservative govt, one that was about small state, lower tax, etc. But increasingly it seems to be far more about disaster capitalism than any form of trad toryism. Taxes get hiked for the hoi polloi, Multinationals pay no tax, and Boris hands out lucrative contracts to his pals.

I mean, it's not that much different to New Labour-y stuff, but I don't know that I could vote for it.

[ArabellaScott]

@Blurberoo

You get 2 ballot papers so you can spoil the first. You are not obliged to vote for anyone on either of them (just number in order of preference- so can leave it blank).

Great, thank you!

[user1471519931]

@babdoc the Tories want to privatise water... they want to enforce the bedroom tax in Scotland, they want to introduce charges on prescriptions, they want to do away with the baby box, they've taken us out of the EU, they fucked up our relations with the EU and negotiated a ridiculous trade deal, shafted the fishing industry...I certainly won't be rewarding them for that.

Also, no offence to him personally but Douglas Ross is way out of his depth as leader, he just does not have the calibre. Still if it's a yes man your after, by all means.

[Stinkywizzleteets]

I’ve been wondering the same OP

I had been thinking snp/green for independence - sadly their ignoring of women and women’s rights has really put me off. I need to decide whether my desire for Indy is greater right now. I’d rather spoil my vote than vote Tory or Labour (although was a traditional lab voter for many years) ISP strike me as absolutely bonkers and a wasted vote. They’ll get nowhere where I live. Libdems are too forgettable for a vote too.

It’s so hard. If my current snp MSP showed any sign of not having drank the koolaid she’d get my vote because her support workers are fantastic & have been very helpful over lockdown. I never thought I’d ever consider voting snp previously and they almost had me. Almost.

[greatpurplepolkadots]

I don't know what to do.

My MP is SNP but huge, vocal GC advocate.

So do I vote for them to show support? Really don't want to give SNP a vote though (I'm anti Indy even without all the other stuff).

Fingers crossed the GC members leave SNP or, as a PP suggested, Fair Play for Women stand up someone.

If not I will probably vote Tory =( I don't want to spoil my ballot, that basically hands it to the SNP.

[theskyispink]

@greatpurplepolkadots If your MSP is a vocal GC supporter, I think it'd be fair to vote for them since there seems to be so few of them around.

[IridecentPearl]

I resigned my SNP membership last week so I have no idea what I will do.

[LunarCatAndDaffodils]

@Babdoc

I don’t understand this reluctance of some PPs to vote Tory.
They are the only party with any prospect of stopping the SNP tearing Britain apart and turning Scotland into a bankrupt republic of wokedom, where women will have no rights at all - not even to use the word “women” to exclusively describe our sex class.
Do you want rapists in women’s prisons, all women’s sports medals won by men, all toilets and changing rooms unisex? If you do, go ahead and vote SNP. But I will be voting Tory.

If you think the Tories give a jot for the welfare of women you are sadly deluded.

[Babdoc]

In answer to a few of the anti Tory points raised by PPs. We have had not one but two women prime ministers, while Labour have had....none.
A pro business party like ours increases opportunities for women. Under the SNP, Scotland has the lowest percentage of new business start ups in the UK. Yet this is precisely the sector where women do well.
A PP mentioned prescription charges. Do they realise that over 80% of people in England are exempt from them? They are means tested, not universal.
The baby box mentioned by another PP - a waste of taxpayer’ money, given indiscriminately to wealthy mothers who don’t need it, and containing rubbish such as a mawkish poem.
Leaving the EU was a democratic decision by the majority of the UK population, and a third of SNP supporters voted for it too. Fishing represents only a tiny insignificant fraction of the UK economy, and we have negotiated for control of our waters to be returned after a transition period.
Why the objection to privatising water? Privatising telecomms, and taking it away from the GPO who ran it badly as a Cinderella sideline to the postal service, improved it dramatically.
Finally, the Tories are the ONLY party who will defend you from the destruction of single sex spaces proposed by the SNP. While preventing the break up of the UK. Win win.

[ArabellaScott]

I can't see the Tories as pro business, sorry. Not looking at how they keep slashing benefits and incentives and hiking taxes.

And privatisation has largely been disastrous and harmful. I'm not a big fan of how badly run public services have been in the past - the answer, I would say, is to have a thorough shake up and efficiency drive, not selling off our nuclear industry to China. The trouble with the 'open market' is that it's not, in fact, open at all.

I agree about the prescription charges, it's a daft and unnecessary expense. I'd far rather have the English model.

I honestly wish I did align more with Tory policies, Babdoc, it would make life a hell of a lot easier to be happy with the ruling party!

[Jumpintothefire]

The CPGB are fielding candidates in a few areas of Scotland . Lanarkshire definitely . They have been consistently gender critical .

[RaidersoftheLostAardvark]

Interesting and depressing to see others in the same position! I will update if my MSP answers a direct question about his stance - think I'll wait till closer to election time before asking, there is a lot of drama happening in the Scottish Gov just now re. Salmond & Nicola, plus the Hate Crimes bill - might influence the landscape before May.