To not know who to vote for in the General Election?

[Blueskyonthehorizon]

Help me decide MN. I have seen the various political threads going on at the moment, and I need some input. Genuine dilemma not goady thread and please no bunfight.

Brief situation:
I am a professional on an average income with a family to support. No spare money for flash holidays, private health or schooling. Working class background and social housing but no benefits (though have had in the past). I consider my political views to be moderate and socialist but I have no allegiance to any party. I am pro remain and anti austerity.

Here's the real problem: I live in the Home Counties in an area that is historically very Tory indeed, although Ukip have increasing support locally. I don't think my vote will count at all whatever party I vote for (unless ukip). I don't like politics that is "I'm alright Jack, sod you", scapegoating any particular group for the country's problems, or which prioritises the interests of the few over the many. I want good education and career opportunities for people but a safety net if they fall on hard times, or get ill or old. This should be doable in what is a quite affluent country. I want to look forward at what the parties are offering now, not backward at the mistakes they have made in the past.

It seems that this GE is a foregone conclusion. Should I even bother voting or what are the credible options?

Read the manifestos when they're published?

Sorry, had a busy day at work today and didn't get time to check on the thread. I'm going to go home, put my feet up with a cuppa and reply to everyone I can. I also might look up a few stats to answer your questions.

Fwiw I have voted for all the major parties at various different times in the past depending on the circumstances.

OK I checked a polling report. The seat is called an "ultra safe Tory seat". 2015 election result was 56% Tory, 18% Lab, 8% LD, 5% green, 13% Ukip. LD went down from 26% in 2010. Ukip grew from 3%.

I'd take a chance on the lib dems - if they polled 26% in 2010 there is a slim chance that they might rebound as the anti Brexit party.

robinofsherwood

^I think if my vote wouldnt make a difference to the outcome I'd vote lib dem to record the fact that Im still not happy with brexit.

If ukip had a realistic chance of winning the seat and the only alternative was Tory I'd do a lot of research and potentially vote Tory because a UKIP/Tory coalition would give right wing tories the excuse to do whatever they want.^

Interesting. I like the idea of a protest vote, but even better that a vote really counts. Can people get past the Clegg actions to invest in Farron? IDK.

Having now seen the stats, I don't think ukip are as close to the Tories as I thought. It will take them years to be proper rivals in this seat.

nolotterywinyet I think the majority of my area are staunch brexiters. I am a real europhile.

Oops italic fail in quoting robinofsherwood hopefully you can all see what I meant.

snowpony everyone knows the manifestos are bollocks. It's aspirational PR nonsense.

As much as we all think about who we want as the next PM, and which party should be in power, ultimately with our constituency system we are all voting for our local MPs and competing with our neighbours' preferences.

It sounds like they are from the vote record, but if there is a palatable opposition it's the lib dems - the labour vote will likely collapse. I do like Farron, the NHS tax is a good idea if that's in their manifesto.

Have you seen this quiz? You answer questions based on your views on lots of topics and it tells you which party's policies best reflect your views, in order of high to low.

uk.isidewith.com/political-quiz?from=BaJWJe94T

I got SNP which isn't terribly helpful as not Scottish, but Labour a close second.

Thanks violetcharlotte I'll give it a go. I did something similar at the last election.
Surprisingly some of my preference policies turned out to be a percentage towards ukip to my shame, but I think it was down to nhs funding and nationalising rail and power back then. Now the new ukip leader wants to privatize the nhs I expect hope it would come out differently. Weirdly they had some social policies then too but since they were never going to get elected they were likely sky pies. The greens have some good leftish ideas too, but a shame they are not in contention anywhere. I have never taken them seriously. Does anyone?

Does anyone else feel they have been dragged into a horrible situation against their will? Like brexit and the upcoming election. I wanted neither and I have no choice.

That was interesting. I got Lib Dems. I was going to vote for them, although I was considering Labour despite my disapointment with them. I'm in a tory/lab marginal. The lib dem vote dropped 13% in 2015 so they might have a chance of a revival.

Check further back than 2010. 2015 was a disaster for the Lib Dems but it's fairly obvious why. Look further back to see whether your constituency has a clear pattern of who is in 2nd place. My constituency is similar. Tory stronghold and Lib Dems have always come second, except in 2015 when Labour came second. However recent local council elections have shown Lib Dems winning seats off Conservatives and Labour annihilated. I'll be voting Lib Dems on this basis.

Yeah they were 3rd in 2010 but not too far behind. Voted remain but just very marginally

Did the quiz

It didn't help.

Normandy I checked back to the poll reports. Libdem historically third until 2010 when they soared ahead of labour only to crash and burn in 2015.

I got SNP
Plaid Cymru
Green
LibDems
Labour

Conservative
Ukip
British National at the end.

I live in England in a super safe Tory seat, I was going to vote LibDems because of Brexit.

I was thinking today, how do blind people vote?

And I mean how, not who for. :)

MN is massively left wing.

Remember that when you ask MNetters who you should vote for.

ankleswingers MN is not a hive. I see lots of different opinions here all the time. I happen to consider myself a bit lefty but I have asked for all opinions. I want some ideas to see what I can do with my vote in an ultra safe Tory seat. Perhaps left wingers are actually the best people to ask, now I think about it! Non lefties may (and I think have up thread) just said I should vote Tory.

fakenamefornow I think there are special arrangements people with disabilities can request in advance. Certainly postal vote and appointing a proxy (which anyone can out for) Not sure about braille. But there should be.

OP you sound almost exactly aligned with me. I am classically a Labour voter with a tendency to float when necessary and will almost certainly be voting Lib Dem this time. This is for two reasons, firstly because they are the only credible alternative to the Tory wanker we've had for years and secondly because I am very anti-brexit.

I'm in a Tory stronghold sadly, but wouldn't vote for them if my life depended on it. They are definitely not the party for you if your concerns are as you have stated.