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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not have a fucking clue which party to vote for?

132 replies

bruffian · 27/05/2017 23:24

For the first time ever I am considering spoiling my paper.

Live in a pretty safe Tory seat with Lib dem possibilities. I've voted lib dem for the last few elections.

But I don't like Farron and really don't agree with legalising cannabis. I'd like a soft Brexit but also don't want to keep yearning after Remain (I voted remain)

I hate the idea of grammar schools, fox hunting and social care cuts, so that's the tories out, although I'm brainwashed enough to think that TM is experienced enough to negotiate successfully with the EU.

THE Labour manifesto seems all lovely and cuddly but I don't believe for a second they can afford half of it. Plus I don't mind JC but hate the majority of his front bench. I run my own company and am unsure whether Labour will be any help to me at all.

I don't like any of the leaders very much.

Argh.

OP posts:
Moanyoldcow · 28/05/2017 15:09

Why do people thing Theresa May is a good negotiator? I don't see evidence of it and she refuses to take unseen questions from fucking journalists! And Boris Johnson? Yeah, that'll go well. I'd rather have JC and Kier Starmer any day.

Labour didn't ruin society - the bankers and sub-prime mortgage crisis did. Tories have borrowed more than ANY previous Labour government.

Labour for me - I'm in a safe Labour seat though. If I wasn't I'd be voting for whoever will help eliminate the Tories.

SensitiveSoinSo · 28/05/2017 15:15

Nhs is my major worry. Im terrified of losing it. Eirh 2 bouts of cancer behind me and a daughter with s serious tenal condition that will be life long - private health insurance would either be declined or at an expense beyond our means.

I want a party in thats committed to saving snd investing in our NHS.
Imo with no health, education, employment etc is kind of pointless.
Im so confused who to vote for. I honestly feel there isnt anyone deserving my vote right now.

MrsKenningtonBag · 28/05/2017 15:17

election2017.ifs.org.uk/article/manifesto-analysis-briefing-23-may

Have a listen to this it might help.

Realistically the Lib Dems aren't going to get in, and so they won't be legalising cannabis any time soon.

The most likely outcome is that the Tories get in, I'd vote for who best represents your views on the whole as even if they don't take the seat it will count nationally and it sends a signal at least. UKIP only got one seat but they got a lot of support nationally and influenced things.

Might be a case of who best represents what you think and dosent cross any of your personal red lines.

MrsKenningtonBag · 28/05/2017 15:25

I can't find the slide on the website but this is interesting.

To not have a fucking clue which party to vote for?
PhilTheSahd · 28/05/2017 15:35

I'm thinking if I still can't decide by the time I'm in the voting booth thing, I'll just vote for an independent candidate - maybe it'll help them keep their deposit.

silkybear · 28/05/2017 15:35

Anything to get tories out unless you can afford private schools and healthcare

Squeegle · 28/05/2017 15:36

I poste this on another thread. It is interesting as it shows that labour really did make a positive difference to the NHS when lost in power. They did a lot for society, think about all the sure start children's initiatives; they're all being chipped away now. www.kingsfund.org.uk/sites/files/kf/field/field_publication_file/independent-audit-nhs-under-labour-1997–2005-sunday-times-march-2005.pdf

Squeegle · 28/05/2017 15:36

When last in power I mean

waggawagga · 28/05/2017 17:09

Sqeegle But what about the PFI scandal. It costs the NHS billions over the years and for years to come
Yes it was started by major, but blown out of all proportion under labour.

Tax the rich / companies, who can afford to hire accountants to pay less anyway. They will remove their business from the UK to a tax haven and then we have more debt/ deficit and no way to get it back.
This is why taxing the rich makes less money over all. It's proven

CressidaTheHeathen · 28/05/2017 17:13

YABU to spoil your ballot.

This is the first election that I'm taking a short term view though and therefore will vote conservative. I was a labour supporter but frankly, if I voted labour it would a) probably make no difference and b) jeopardise the country's short term future if they won.

I'll probably revert to being a labour supporter in years to come, but no guarantees of that. I'm in a weird situation where I prefer socialist policies but know full well as a family we'd be better off under a conservative government!

228agreenend · 28/05/2017 17:15

Annoyingly, I have different local and national virepws. I don't particularly like our local MP (who will probably be re-elected), but I don't like the national policy of the main alternative candidate, who,I quite like.

Does that make sense? Ie. I'd like two votes, one for the main party in power, and one to represent me locally.

Squeegle · 28/05/2017 17:25

You should vote for your local candidate. That's all we can do. If we all got the local candidate with the most integrity then the bulk of them would be able to represent us properly and decently at national level.

Original poster
bruffian · 28/05/2017 17:26

Huh? Of course I am voting for my local candidate. But by doing that I express my support for their party.

OP posts:
Squeegle · 28/05/2017 17:30

wagga, yes agree the PFI scandal is a national disgrace. Created by the tories and followed up by Blair and co. Corbyn at least has agreed it was an absolute disaster. My point really was that many have said that did labour really help the NHS perform better- and at the time they really did. We all had much better service and we had a much more satisfied workforce

Squeegle · 28/05/2017 17:34

And it's not just "tax the rich". It's create a society where all can thrive - and we all agree that people who have a lot of money can afford to put a little more back into the pit than those who haven't two pennies to rub together . Frankly we should be taxing some companies much more strictly - cf Amazon, Starbucks etc. At the moment all our hard earned cash goes out of the country in the form of their profits , they pay their workforce a pittance, and don't pay any back as taxes to support the country they are making the profit out of. Now that really is not right. All those zero hours contract people won't be paying for private health insurance I'm sure

Original poster
bruffian · 28/05/2017 17:35

We were all less fat in the 70s and there were far less people so not so much of a strain on the NHS!

OP posts:
AnnaNimmity · 28/05/2017 17:35

you need to vote LibDem to keep the tories out. Then you need to start campaiging and persuade everyone (the 18-25 year olds especially) to vote to keep the Tories out.

Then you can worry about how the labour party can afford it and about legalising cannibis. But you can protect the NHS, the poor and the disabled. hth.

LittleMisslikestobebythesea · 28/05/2017 17:36

All I know at the moment is I'm not voting Tory, I have a postal vote and haven't sent it yet as I'm really stuck, it really feels like picking the best of a bad bunch!

Original poster
bruffian · 28/05/2017 17:39

I am going to vote lib dem. Feel quite happy about it actually particularly as I 100% agree with 1p on income tax for ALL

OP posts:
Original poster
bruffian · 28/05/2017 17:40

Do people really think the tories won't win??

OP posts:
Squeegle · 28/05/2017 17:40

Anyway, it's a pretty foregine conclusion that the tories will win. Our job is to make sure there is a decent opposition to challenge. In my constituency that means voting tactically for a candidate with integrity and energy. And so I will vote lib dem. If I had a strong enough candidate I would vote labour or green. I could never vote for the tories, and I'm really surprised that there are so many who don't seem to worry about the long term effect of its outdated empirecentric/ politics of privilege views. Does anyone really think we will be in a strong position to "tell" the EU our terms for leaving??

Jupitar · 28/05/2017 17:42

We were all less fat in the 70s and there were far less people so not so much of a strain on the NHS

Speak for yourself Grin I think people look after themselves much better now than they did in the 70's, my mum and her friends never did all the fitness classes and healthy eating that my friends do, and nearly everyone smoked then

PigletWasPoohsFriend · 28/05/2017 17:43

YABU to spoil your ballot.

Everybody's vote us to do with as they wish.

For the first time ever I will be most likely spoiling mine.

The local Labour incumbent has an ego the size of a house. The candidate that came out best in hustings is from the Tories that I will never vote for.

Then you can worry about how the labour party can afford it

Bit late when they are in power.

Squeegle · 28/05/2017 17:43

I don't know why anyone's talking about the 70s, the labour party was in power 1997-2005!

honeyroar · 28/05/2017 17:44

Your OP sums up totally how I feel. I dislike and distrust all three main parties (I actually like JC but his party are a nest of vipers who keep sniping at him and wouldn't support him anyway).