Spoiled ballots?

First of all, there’s every point in voting on Thursday. We may be leaving the EU, but observers will be watching to see how the country votes and the immediate future of politics in this country will be affected accordingly.

If we vote for the Brexit or UKIP parties, the UK will be assumed to want hard right politics and politicians. We’ll see more of them in the media; other political parties will move to the right because that’s where they think the votes are to be had.
Those MEPs will also be claiming their salaries, expenses and pensions, of course, which gives them more money to back their parties and promote their beliefs.

If those parties lose their MEPs, the UK will be seen as not supporting the views of those parties.

Spoiling your ballot, as I’ve said elsewhere on this board, is a complete waste of time. No-one who matters will know why you’ve spoilt it; they’ll care even less.

These people who encourage us not to vote, or to spoil our ballots - they actually want to stop you voting against their favoured candidate.
Doing either of these things is simply an extra vote towards a candidate or Party you probably despise.

I feel the same- torn. This vote will not alter Brexit so I think I will spoil my ballot in the way you suggest.

I’m spoiling but I have made A Vow in the name of Emily Wilding Davison not to vote until someone knows what a bloody woman is.

But I understand that loads of people care more about Brexit than me. I’m sure Emily would understand in that case

Thanks for that flintyminty. I was either going to hold my nose and vote LibDem or vote Change UK. That link steers me to Change UK which I can live with.

If I'm not going to vote LibDem I might respond to Vince Cable's leaflet and tell him why his party doesn't attract my vote these days.

This website gives information on tactical voting if you're a remain voter
www.remainvoter.com/

As others have said Bernard - By voting Lib Dem or Green rather than my normal Labour. But I can't decide which of the two is less misogynist / destructive in terms of women's rights / children's safety.

I'm not going to spoil my ballot paper. This election is a chance to send a message to the UK's political parties that there are still a lot of us who want to stay in the EU. So I'm going to hold my nose and vote LibDem.

I almost certainly wouldn't do that in a general election. I live in a constituency with a huge Labour majority and I can't see that changing any time soon. I will vote on principle in the GE and that means nobody who represents a party that struggles with basic biology will get my vote. If there's no suitable candidate then I might spoil my paper.

However, the Euro elections have a different voting system so my vote makes more of a difference.

VOte for one of the other parties if you want to express dissatisfaction at Brexit handling .

If you are remain you can find out which is the best party to vote for in your area.

Personally I am voting green because Tory and labour are rubbish, the vote is about Brexit alone in reality, and our local greens do accept that there are limits to the transwomen are women line that need to be addressed up front , whereas the local Lib Dem’s want to tackle problems if/when they arise. So the greens would support private gender neutral facilities whereas the Lib Dem’s woule only consider that after assaults. SO green is my best anti Brexit option

If you spoil your paper they won’t take much notice but Will assume it support some their narrative in some way

Brexit is so awful I want to send a clear message to the Labour party and Tories that they are both equally culpable for the shitstorm of Brexit

How will you do this with your vote? Genuine question, because I want to do it too!

I'm in two minds. I was thinking of a protest vote but then what if Brexit is cancelled, or just drags on and on we might actually need MEPs there to represent us?

I am conflicted. On one hand I want to tell political parties just what I think of their utter failure to stand up for women's rights and the safety of children and scrawling that on a ballot paper seems momentarily satisfying. On the other hand, Brexit is so awful I want to send a clear message to the Labour party and Tories that they are both equally culpable for the shitstorm of Brexit - and I fear that any spoilt papers will be ignored.
Of course, if it makes the TRAterati froth for a few minutes then that diverts them a bit from their usual misogynistic attacks on women I suppose?

I saw some TRAs getting very cross on twitter about an adult human female spoilt ballot......