Vote SNP, get Tory

[bythestairs]

Nicola Sturgeon has shown herself to be a charismatic politican who, understandably, is drawing a lot of support. But is she really going to get a chance to influence the next government?

The Conservatives are already declaring themselves the winners, if they get the most seats which the current polls are just giving them. The relationship between Cameron and Clegg is seamless. And, perhaps strongest of all, the SNP have the same media backers as the Conservatives. Why would that be?

Is it better to have Nicola Sturgeon as a heckler a long way from Westminster or to change the current government and have a strong representation of the SNP at Scottish level?

For what it's worth I hate tactical voting too but my choices are -

vote based on my actual beliefs = totally wasted vote in my constituency;
not vote = unacceptable; or
vote for the least worse option = what I'm going to do.

I don't like it but it's the pragmatic choice.

Foreign person here (but a voter nonetheless).

I think this is a problem with representative democracy; there should be no talk of "strategic voting".

I would never vote tactically and take a dim view of anyone who suggests that I do. I would rather not vote and I would never ever not vote.

The only people who can allow a Tory government is Labour.
The SNP have already said they will vote down a Tory coalition government in a no confidence vote.
If Labour do the same, they then have the opportunity to form a minority government with the support of the alliance parties.

If Labour refuse to vote against the Tories in a vote of no confidence, then a Tory coalition will be in charge, and it will be as a result of Labour's choices.

I don't want a Tory or a labour government...but I'll be stuck with one of them.

Why would I not vote for the MP I want to have?

Vote in whatever way gets the Tories the larges number of seats if you want what is best for Scotland and indeed England.

lotus that isn't the topic under discussion and trying to derail the thread with cheap sloganeering isn't helpful.

But if there is absolutely no point in voting for your preferred candidate then using your vote tactically to vote for the "least worst" candidate seems sensible to me.

Not necessarily. Even in a completely safe seat, it is still worth voting for the person you believe in. It could help a small party save their deposit. Or if more people vote for a particular party then in the next election, the party may choose to push more in that seat. Or if the main parties see that a vote for x is doing quite well then they may skew their policies that way a bit.

Vote SNP, get Tory?

I have just had a letter from my current MP highlighting the opposite "problem" - Vote Tory or you will get SNP. It is from our current Tory MP (only 1 in Scotland) and seems desperate, asking for tactical votes for Tory from those who usually support Labour, Lib Dem etc in a bid to "stop the SNP". It is full of scaremongering about another indy ref and separation of the UK (our area was one of the strongest NO votes) if we let the SNP get an MP for our constituency. So it seems even some Tory's don't believe in vote SNP get Tory.

I find tactical voting strange, I could never vote for someone or party I didn't believe in or like just to try to keep someone I liked even less out.

This too ^^

A vote for SNP is just that, a vote for SNP.

Seems to me that if you want your voice to be heard, it's better to vote for a party which stands a chance of being in government (ie in cabinet/ministerial positions) rather than shouting from the sidelines.

The Lib Dems are only going to work with the largest party. There is an excellent chance that enough people will vote SNP to make the Tories the largest party.

Then you will see a Tory/Lib Dem coalition again supported by the DUP and UKIP.

So it's very possible a vote for SNP will bring in a Tory government.

I have major concerns that the tactical voting of SNP will be a re run of all those who voted Lib Dems last time.

well yes, vote SNP, you will get a SNP MP in your consituency, but most probably, a Conservative/LibDem coallision in government. Labour look like they aren't going to be the biggest party, and they've ruled out a formal coallision with the SNP. (Even if they hope the SNP vote with them)

The only way the LibDems are going to talk to Labour about a coallision with them rather than a coallision with Conservatives is if the Labour Party has more seats than the Conservatives. Most of the seats Labour could probably win that they aren't currently predicted to get are in Scotland. If some of those predicted to be SNP go red instead, Labour have a fighting chance to form a government.

But they probably won't, we'll get a sea of Orange at the top of the UK map tomorrow night and Cameron won't need to pack up.

It's very odd to watch from up here in Scotland. On the one hand, the SNP supporters going on about 'Red Tories' and getting shot of Labour, but at the same time, presumably, wanting a Labour government in Westminster.

It makes you wonder if they have another agenda or something...

I agree with iseenatree.

Scaremongering.
Don't fall for it, people!

well yes, vote SNP, you will get a SNP MP in your consituency, but most probably, a Conservative/LibDem coallision in government. Labour look like they aren't going to be the biggest party, and they've ruled out a formal coallision with the SNP. (Even if they hope the SNP vote with them)

ITS NOT THE BIGGEST PARTY WHO LEADS! Its the party who can command a majority/form a stable government in the house of commons. Conservatives + Lib Dems is unlikely to be greater than all the anti-Tory parties (assuming that Labour is an anti-Tory party, which it may well not be)

Tories 290ish, Lib Dems 28ish, DUP 8ish could easily happen, every time you say something a Nat disagrees with it's scaremongering. Some things never change.

Scotland, if you want rid of the Tories, do it yourself, don't rely on someone else to do it for you.

Tories are unlikely to get that many seats, neither are the lib dems.

It is unlikely that team Tory will have 326+ seats (unless Labour join them which is possible)

itsallgoingtobefine the problem in your argument is with the words 'stable government'. The LibDems seem to be suggesting that they would be happy to slide into bed with the Tories in coalition again, but the SNP have already said that they will only support Labour on a vote-by-vote basis. Which of those two looks most stable? It seems to me that if you want a Labour government, you need to...well...vote Labour.

Scotland has got rid of the tories.
There are more pandas in Scotland than tory ministers!

Westminster needs to wake up and listen to Scottish voices now!

By stable government I meant a majority realistically. If there is another ConDem coalition and they try to lead, there us a good chance they will always be outvoted by Lab/SNP/Pc/Green etc even if informally on a vite by vite basis. And a party/coalition who can't win a vote can't really lead.

YNK, and why will they have to listen to Scottish voices when the SNP won't be sitting there at the cabinet table, won't be sitting in ministerial offices, won't be part of a governing coalition? The people in those positions are the ones making the policies, not the people shouting on the sidelines, surely?