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Original poster

Scottish constituency. Who to vote for

86 replies

AShaveAndAHarecutHalfPrice · 07/12/2019 07:53

Anyone else in this position?

My constituency is currently held by the SNP, but the majority has dropping from approx 14000 to 2000.

I do not rate this MP - he has been largely invisible as a member (didn’t turn up at hustings).

However, I do like a LOT of the policies Nicola Sturgeon has delivered at Holyrood, and it seems -independence apart - a good fit for someone wanting moderate left wing policies.

I am not pro independence, but am prepared to put that aside for now in favour of their social policies and decent work as an opposition party in Westminster and fight indyref2 at another time.

I’m a natural labour voter - voting for the party which most represents help for people much worse off than me seems the just thing to do.

Yet their infighting is worrisome and the lack of leadership on Brexit is infuriating. I’ve got no clear idea of what Labour will deliver and who will be calling the shots.

I’m a remainer.

I find Johnson hideously untrustworthy and do not want a Tory government.

I thing the best I can fight for is a hung parliament, though.

So - who do I vote for?

OP posts:
Verily1 · 07/12/2019 09:28

It’s a Westminster election so vote for Westminster (reserved) issues eg foreign policy (Trident) not devolved issues like health education or justice.

JenniferM1989 · 07/12/2019 09:36

We have a conservative MP in our area at the moment who, through leaflets coming through the door, I have learnt is no longer standing in this GA and he has been replaced with another candidate for the tories. I don't want a tory MP in our area anymore (or ever) and it seems they are hell bent on winning and that's all that matters because they've quite clearly thrown anyone they don't think will get votes under the bus and replaced them with more likeable characters that will get them votes and to hell with their abilities and policies for the area basically. They're just a face to win the seat and get the tories in power again.

I don't know who I will vote for. I'd always been a lib dem voter but their views are quite off at the moment and I'm not onboard with all their policies to be honest. SNP are a good shout but I don't want independence. Although I could vote SNP in the GA but vote against independence, that's an option if you favour the SNP's non independence policies.

Another option is to vote for an independent MP standing in your constituency. It won't make any impact on the final outcome (who gets power) but it means your area is overlooked by someone that has their own views and isn't told what to do by the higher ups. They tend to need to work for the area harder as they don't have a party to stand with and get voted in by who they belong to. They make their name through hard work and earning trust (as much as they can being an MP!)

Blackbear19 · 07/12/2019 09:54

Voting SNP now doesn't mean one has to support Scottish independence at any future referendum

It doesn't but don't forget the actual cost of holding referendums. And the disruption that a referendum causes, people / businesses put so much on hold because they don't know what the future holds. Think of the companies looking to invest "where do I build my depot Lanarkshire or Lancashire?" Mhhh one doesn't know where it's going politically, Are my goods going to have to go though customs at Carlisle?

Interested in this thread?

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Politics
SuperLoudPoppingAction · 07/12/2019 09:58

Voting labour might lead to a referendum on brexit though.

snowybaubles · 07/12/2019 10:03

Voting labour might lead to a referendum on brexit though.

At this stage I can't see that as a bad thing. Labour will secure a deal and then give us the option to vote again. The Torres have silly made a cunt of it, 3 years later - it's time to start afresh.

SuperLoudPoppingAction · 07/12/2019 10:07

I don't necessarily disagree with it.
Was just in response to the previous post about snp using money for a referendum on independence.

jellycatspyjamas · 07/12/2019 10:15

I think SNPs policies have been an utter mess in many areas, particularly education and child care/protection I couldn't vote for them regardless of the question of independence.

It’s difficult when there’s so much blatant incompetence and self serving nonsense across all the parties.

snowybaubles · 07/12/2019 10:29

Don't get me wrong, our school is bloody fantastic, when I read thread son here about the crap people go through in English schools I thank my cult starts I live in Scotland. It's hugely over capacity though and it was only built 10 years ago. The library is now a classroom and the head teacher has given up her office space to accommodate the library books. The music room is now shared with the IT room so they could fashion another classroom. What happens next?

catzrulz · 07/12/2019 10:36

Watch Scot Squad on catch up, the episode where Cameron Meikelson interviews the Scottish Party leaders 🤣🤣
It probably won't help you decide but it's half an hour away from BJ, Corbyn et al.

edgewater · 07/12/2019 10:49

I’ll be tactically voting I think. Probably conservative which I never thought I would do. This comes down to not wanting a second independence referendum.

I’ll dither though, right up until entering the village hall to vote. I keep changing my mind.

snowybaubles · 07/12/2019 11:00

I wouldn't even give them a tactical vote. The way they have treated people is horrendous. What a shower of absolute shits.

celtiethree · 07/12/2019 11:12

I’m in a marginal seat so will be voting snp to hopefully oust the current Tory. I view snp as a voice in Westminster for Scotland, even if I don’t agree with all their policies. I’ll probably vote differently for a Holyrood election.

BrokenWing · 07/12/2019 11:15

I am voting SNP, to me there is really no other choice for Scotland. Of course they aren't perfect, I am on the fence with a 2nd referendum, but they are the closest we have got for us.

Tactically voting conservative isn't a vote against a referendum it is a vote for keeping in conservative policy and Boris. Don't play amateur politics with our future.

SunsetBoulevard3 · 07/12/2019 11:16

It seems the only option if you don't want SNP is to vote Lib Dem. I don't agree with a whole raft of Lib Den policies, but I don't want SNP. They are ruining the country and I don't want Independence.

museumum · 07/12/2019 11:22

Who to vote for depends who is in second place to the SNP in your area. If it’s conservative I’d vote snp in an instant. If you’ve got Labour challenging snp and your drawn to labour vote them.

Without knowing who it is that’s only 2000 votes behind snp in your seat we can’t advise.

Grafittiqueen · 07/12/2019 11:30

Any vote for the SNP is a vote for independence. They've made that crystal clear. I can never vote for them because of this as I think it would be devastating for Scotland. Scexit would be Brexit on steroids.

Struggling to decide who would be the least worst of the other options though...

PineappleDanish · 07/12/2019 11:37

Any vote for the SNP is a vote for independence. They've made that crystal clear

Absolutely this. Ms Sturgeon has made it very clear she intends to push for IndyRef2 at some point in 2020. Every single vote cast for her is grist to her mill, irrespective of how you'd actually vote on the issue.

You can just hear her... "Clear mandate for IndyRef2", "majority of voters in Scotland support the SNP", "dictated to be Westminster".... she's loving the fact that Labour are so weak.

If you want another Indyref with all the hatred and division and the prospect of a shit show 100 times worse than Brexit then crack on. But don't even consider voting SNP if you don't.

UnholyStramash · 07/12/2019 14:15

Most parties suggest we vote tactically in this election, and the main point of that is to keep the Tories out of government. It’s quite a unique situation- I hope the U.K. will never go through such chaos in my lifetime anyway. In my constituency it’s quite simply a battle between Tory and SNP. We got a Tory MP in 2017 but the SNP looks likely to get the seat back. So I want to support that by voting SNP.

For me that’s less hard than for some of you as I do support Independence. I have some reservations about the SNP but I can vote for them without holding my nose. I also hate the Tories and want them to lose. I regard them as being very bad for the U.K. overall. SNP will never hold power in WM - there are too few seats in Scotland. What they could do though is hold the BALANCE of power in the event that neither Labour nor Conservative achieves a clear majority. So it’s a really important election. Please don’t waste your vote.

Lastly, there are various tactical voting websites where you can type in yr constituency and get guidance on the best use of your vote. The gist though is to look at your constituency result in 2015 and 2017, see who was in 1st and 2nd places and vote for the party more likely to win the seat and not be a Tory. Obviously if you want a Tory government in WM you’d vote Tory but I’m working on the premise you’re asking MN because you don’t!

I’d try to put aside the thought of Indy ref 2 as I don’t think that’ll go away anyway whatever happens next week. The demand will continue, rightly or wrongly. The Tories have shafted all 4 countries with Brexit. What is worth considering is who of the smaller parties is most effective at WM. IMO the LibDems are flipping about - I don’t rate JS as a leader. The SNP has done well as one of the opposition parties- they’ve worked fairly effectively as a team and they’ve worked well with other political groupings. Some might say I’m biased. I don’t really care, I’ve tried to step back and see the whole picture. I appreciate too I don’t have the dilemma some of you have as I don’t mind the SNP, hate the Tories and haven’t warmed to the LDs.

rookiemere · 07/12/2019 16:48

Unholy I have to admit that much as I don't agree with the SNP, Nicola Sturgeon is an amazing politician.
Ruth Davidson was a worthy opponent so it's rather telling than she can't stomach BJs policies either and off she's gone.

Hereismyreply · 07/12/2019 19:03

For those of you wanting to vote tactically anti-Tory, this site is useful as it shows what the various tactical voting sites are recommending for the each constituency.
tactical.vote/compare

For those of you who don't want a Boris Johnson Brexit, but don't want indyref2 either, if there is any chance of the Tories winning in your constituency, I would urge you to prioritise voting for the candidate most likely to beat the Tory, even if that means holding your nose and voting SNP. I live in a region of England that has historically returned a lot of Labour MPs. I have followed quite closely the politics in my area and know of several traditionally Labour seats that may well go Tory because traditional Labour voters who voted Leave don't like Corbyn and/or want to "get Brexit done". I think there is every chance of Johnson getting not just a majority, but quite a substantial majority. The bookies agree with me that a Tory majority is the most likely outcome. So if you don't like Johnson, please don't hand him an even bigger majority than the one he is already set to get by winning English marginals!

GrouchoMrx · 07/12/2019 19:09

Instability will be the order of the day for the next decade or so in the UK.

Anyone thinking that avoiding indyref2 is going to bring stability to Scotland is utterly and completely delusional.

dementedma · 07/12/2019 19:19

Refuse to vote SNP because of independence, failing education system, Police Scotland balls up, poor infrastructure (duelling of the A9 anyone?), the new bridge which, while glorious to look at, has cost a fortune and done nothing to relieve congestion between Fife and Edinburgh.
Independence will cost Scottish tax payers a fortune, and still no answers on the small matters of currency, Defence, customs etc.
I don’t know who the hell to vote for up here

Grafittiqueen · 07/12/2019 19:22

Instability will be the order of the day for the next decade or so in the UK.

Anyone thinking that avoiding indyref2 is going to bring stability to Scotland is utterly and completely delusional.

I agree Groucho, but anyone who thinks scexit will enable Scotland to avoid that instability is also completely and utterly delusional.

Layering Scexit instability on top of the Brexit instability is utter lunacy.

AmIthechristmasfairy · 07/12/2019 19:56

I can't vote SNP because the sitting MP is a lying dickhead. He only scraped in last time.

For very personal reasons I hope he loses. Plus I don't want another divisive independent vote

The only one close to beating him is the Tory. So I'm voting for him.

GrouchoMrx · 07/12/2019 20:49

Grafittiqueen

You clearly have little understanding of the situation.

The only hope for any future stability in Scotland now is Independence. Otherwise, Scotland will be at the mercy of a very unstable rUK for the coming decades. It is highly likely rUK will follow a direction completely at odds with the interests and well being of the people of Scotland.