To ask who you plan to vote for and why?

[Eebahgum]

Ok, apologies in advance if this becomes a big bun fight but I'm genuinely interested. I have lost faith in all major political parties, read their manifestos and decided they're all as mad as a box of frogs. Don't want to not vote because I believe everyone who can should as recognition for living in a democracy. But who the hell should I vote for?

Left Unity

I'll be spoiling my vote with "none of the above fuckwits and especially not UKIP"

But making the majority worse off, stinging a cost of living crisis, privatising the NHS (which we all own through taxes and NI contributions), increase in foodbanks, expanding zero hours contracts, reducing the right to take industrial action, reducing the no of SureStart centres, etc etc.

I don't see how we can afford to fund representatives who claim all the allowances and expenses but can't do us the courtesy of attending meetings or voting on issues that affect us. It seems hideously wasteful especially during a recession when health, housing and social care and other serious, life affecting cuts are being made.

there are probably quite a few things we need to fix or do differently concerning the European Union and the commission but how can we if the people paid to voice our concerns can't be fucking bothered?

Raised the tax threshold so lots of lower paid workers dont pay tax

• and cut taxes most for the wealthiest, by cutting the top tax rate

They have handed control to local governments giving them more say on where their money goes

• can you give an actual example of this? They talk about localism, but in education they've taken power away from local authorities! with increasing numbers if schools managed directly by the DoE, with no local accountability at all.

Capped bankers bonuses

• This was an EU initiative, which the Conservatives and UKIP voted against

Drawn out a four year plan to get us out of debt

• which has actually done the opposite, with the national debt actually growing in the last four years.

Slow handclap.

It's Green for me too. I'm in Yorkshire and Humber where the BNP have been elected in the past. However Greens aren't far behind them. You could argue that I should vote for Labour or Lib Dems, but I think it's worth showing some support for the Greens.

Why you'd vote UKIP rather than Greens as a protest vote against the big three parties is beyond me.

Slow handclap gaining momentum !!

Why you'd vote UKIP rather than Greens as a protest vote against the big three parties is beyond me

am interested in this too, especially on a site mostly populated by women

at least the greens have policies, they have things to say about health and social care and education and the aging population - I couldn't find anything in the UKIP leaflet about any of those things, it was all very anti-Europe and isolationist

I'm voting conservative as I'm anti Europe, believe that government spending is too high, welfare in particular and government intervention should be limited.

However, it's fair to say I'm in a minority

In fact, Osborne is actively trying to get the bankers bonus cap abolished, so listing this as one of the Conservatives' finest achievements in government is hilarious.

www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/sep/25/osborne-bankers-bonuses-eu-cap

I'm in Northern Ireland but not from here originally and find voting very depressing due to the focus on "sides", flegs, parades etc. So as per usual, will be voing Alliance. Their MEP candidate Anna Lo is our MLA and she's very impressive.

I'm a big lefty so I'll probably give my number 2 to the SDLP and am contemplating giving NI21 number 3, although I need to do more reading. They won't be in the reckoning after my higher preferences, but I do think they may be promising.

According to this my vote is worth next to nothing :(
m.voterpower.org.uk/

But the conservatives aren't anti-Europe, are they? Hence UKIPs momentum.

There's a noisy minority of Tories/little Englanders that are anti-everything esp Europe - it's dogged Tories for years.

Yep. And I desperately don't want the referendum as, despite what Cameron says, much if his party will be pushing for us to come out. Which would be insane. So for that reason alone I really hope the Tories don't get in next year.

We've had very little information come through our door, sadly - only from UKIP which certainly won't be getting my vote. We've had a leaflet from the Conservatives re the local council election, but nothing else from any party I didn't know you could 'match' your vote on line, so I'm glad this thread has started... might go and do that now.

By inclination I am a labour voter and will vote labour in the general election and probably at the European elections. At local and Scottish parliament level I've voted SNP or green as the labour party in Scotland are lazy complacent, stuffed with non entities and have taken our votes for granted.

Very interesting. Didn't realise there was a none of the above box. Is there any difference between that and not voting. Green is a possibility. They were certainly the closest to normal, common sense ideas. But I have to confess I thought they were miles behind and this would be a wasted vote too.

I'm someone who isn't aligned to a specific party and doesn't think any 100% match my views - but I do have parties that I definitely oppose and would never vote for (Tories, UKIP, BNP). In various previous elections, I've voted for Labour, the LibDems and the Green Party.

I've just done a couple of the online surveys on who to vote for and they're saying the Green Party are the best match for my views.

I'm actually planning to vote for the Labour candidate (who is pretty much a dead cert to win) in the local elections. The candidate is a current councillor and, from what I've seen, seems to be pretty clued in about local issues and has a sensible approach to tackling them.

In the European Elections, I think I will vote for the Green Party. I'm concerned that the BNP and UKIP are standing and, if it was a first-past-the-post system, I would vote for one of the main parties as that would be the best way to keep them out. However, with the proportional representation system they use for this, I don't think that will be a factor, will it? Basically, as long as I vote and vote for a party other than UKIP and the BNP, it will have just as much effect in reducing their share of the vote, won't it??? (I'm not 100% sure on this so if anyone knows more, please enlighten me!)

There isn't a none of the above box, you just write that on your paper and its classed as "spoilt" so acknowledged people turned up, but no party warranted their vote.

I will be voting Labour. Unfortunately I live in a Tory stronghold (on every platform) with very little hope of that changing, so I am fucked whatever my vote. I can have my own little protest though! I would love for my area to wake up, but it's very very monied (unfortunately I am not!) and so suits them to have the Tories in.

Conservative. I believe in their values and policies. That and I am actually descended from a founding member and have never voted any other way. I have chosen not to vote in the past when I couldn't bring myself to vote for a particular conservative candidate.

I shall be voting UKIP (even though I'm not a twat, a cunt or a fuckwit!)

revolutionarytoad if you're an EU citizen you can vote in the European and local elections. Probably also if you're a Commonwealth citizen, but there's a bit more small print on that one.

And I desperately don't want the referendum as, despite what Cameron says, much if his party will be pushing for us to come out

Wow that's breath taking.

You want the whole population of the country to be denied the right to vote, to vote about such a massive issue that penetrates our lives; thats whipped up the country into such a froth that it seems to dominate all politics?

Wow.

If you were Prime Minister MrsBlackthorn would you allow us to vote you out after 4 years or start a coup and begin a dicatorship ?