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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To feel completely disillusioned with the Labour Party?

261 replies

user6776 · 04/12/2023 10:19

I've voted Labour since I've been able to vote. Come from a working class family of Labour voters also and I'd never vote Tory, but I'm feeling so disillusioned by Labour at the minute.

Wasn't really a fan of Starmer to begin with, but even less so after his comments about Margaret Thatcher. I really don't want to vote for them at the next GE.

AIBU to just not vote at all?

OP posts:
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Original poster
user6776 · 04/12/2023 10:30

@MissyB1 I've considered voting Lib Dem also as an alternative, but not sure how well the candidate would do in my constituency

OP posts:
CasperGutman · 04/12/2023 10:30

You need to vote for whatever party is least bad. Please. Parties aim at meeting the needs of those who vote. Presumably their thinking is that you don't win elections by appealing to non-voters!

Currently we've had a series of successively more right-wing Tory and coalition governments, and that's shifted the "Overton window" way to the right of what you want.

The current Labour leadership is pitching itself just to the left of the Tories, as that's where they think they need to be positioned to capture as much of the vote as possible in our stupid First Past the Post two-party system.

If we vote in a few successive Labour governments, we'll hopefully find a choice between a more recognisably socialist Labour party and a Conservative party that's trying to pitch itself as a sort of Blairite democratic liberal grouping.

Of course, a more representative electoral system could also be something to try, but I'm not holding my breath!

CallieQ · 04/12/2023 10:30

user6776 · 04/12/2023 10:24

@WannabeMathematician But then I feel if I vote for somebody else it's just a wasted vote 🤷🏻‍♀️ because let's be honest it's the Conservatives or Labour, there isn't a decent alternative.

You could vote Green

MissyB1 · 04/12/2023 10:28

Please vote. I totally understand your disillusion but we have to get this criminal shitty Government out.

For the first time in my life I will not vote Labour I will vote Liberal Democrat, and anyway in our town the Lib Dem guy is the only guy who can knock the Tory twat out of his seat.

WannabeMathematician · 04/12/2023 10:28

The main parties fight over people who vote, though. So by not voting at all your are saying they don’t need to care about you at all.

If a small party get a sizable minority of the votes the larger parties will try to steal policies from the to appeal to you in future and maintain their control. It does help, albeit indirectly.

Original poster
user6776 · 04/12/2023 10:27

How is voting Green not a wasted vote though?

OP posts:
ThisIsMe202 · 04/12/2023 10:26

Green is not a “wasted” vote.
Not voting (or a spoiled ballot paper for that matter) is a wasted vote.

Sirzy · 04/12/2023 10:25

user6776 · 04/12/2023 10:24

@WannabeMathematician But then I feel if I vote for somebody else it's just a wasted vote 🤷🏻‍♀️ because let's be honest it's the Conservatives or Labour, there isn't a decent alternative.

But not voting means the vote basically goes to the party you least want in power. Not voting won’t change a thing.

Sirzy · 04/12/2023 10:25

Yanbu to feel disillusioned. Yabu to not vote.

Original poster
user6776 · 04/12/2023 10:24

@WannabeMathematician But then I feel if I vote for somebody else it's just a wasted vote 🤷🏻‍♀️ because let's be honest it's the Conservatives or Labour, there isn't a decent alternative.

OP posts:
WannabeMathematician · 04/12/2023 10:23

Please do vote. No vote no voice. if you don’t vote, why would any politician care what you think?

vote green, vote for a local party, spoil your ballot if you don’t want to vote labour.

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