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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To vote with my head instead of my heart?

457 replies

ImNotDaveGorman · 19/04/2021 12:23

I need advice from random people as I don’t like to talk politics in real life.

I’m in scotland and we have an election next month. The 2 main parties in my area are SNP and conservative. TBH I really dislike them both, but absolutely detest SNP. For reasons I’m not going to get in to I really don’t want scotland to be independent (also, that is not what I want this tread to be about!). I found it so difficult during the last referendum-people were horrific to each other and I want that vote to stand.

So, every time there has been an election I have voted for the party I do like, but every time the results come out the percentages are tiny for any party that is not SNP or conservative! So, basically, I feel like my vote is being wasted.

So....
YABU-vote with your heart for the party you want

YANBU-vote conservative, the lesser of 2 evils (in my eyes) and hopefully we won’t have to go through a second referendum

Again-this is not a thread to change my mind on my reasons for being against Scottish independence, so I won’t be having that argument.

OP posts:
PrelovedWithValue · 19/04/2021 18:05

Not a chance in hell would I ever vote Tory. Not with head, my heart, my big toe or any other body part.

But you do you, op. If you feel that it's your best option, that's your choice to make.

HGC2 · 19/04/2021 18:07

I’m voting strategically this year which I hate doing, it feels like this election is becoming a mini referendum in itself

pourqouimoi · 19/04/2021 18:12

I thought the atmosphere around the last referendum was amazing. Never seen people se engaged before. Loads of English/otherwise non Scottish born friends living in Scotland and who have made their lives here who voted for independence and campaigned for it. Comparison with atmosphere around Brexit totally isn't my experience at all.

Graffitiqueen · 19/04/2021 18:16

I'm holding my nose and voting tactically to keep the SNP out as avoiding another referendum, the HCB and self id are too if my priorities.

awaynboilyurheid · 19/04/2021 18:17

I am in same position, really do not want a second referendum , I hated the last one it was so divisive.. The the SNP have had plenty of time to put their policies in place and they haven’t, and it’s like they will keep on till they get the vote they want.
However I have never ever voted Tory, my friend lives in another part of Scotland and she is voting conservative for first time also to keep SNP out and remain in the UK it’s a challenging choice but agree op exceptional times call for exceptional measures. Labour just aren’t a viable opposition to stop Indy ref.

Graffitiqueen · 19/04/2021 18:21

@pourqouimoi

I thought the atmosphere around the last referendum was amazing. Never seen people se engaged before. Loads of English/otherwise non Scottish born friends living in Scotland and who have made their lives here who voted for independence and campaigned for it. Comparison with atmosphere around Brexit totally isn't my experience at all.
The last referendum was so awful it made me ill. I was off work for a month. Positive my fucking arse!!
awaynboilyurheid · 19/04/2021 18:21

@Meloncoco

Green is just a back up vote for the SNP. They vote with them and support them on everything.
This
pourqouimoi · 19/04/2021 18:23

@Graffitiqueen that was your experience and perception, this was mine.

pourqouimoi · 19/04/2021 18:25

Also, I'm not fan of the SNP but it's hardly a dictatorship...people vote for them in droves.

reprehensibleme · 19/04/2021 18:30

pourqouimoi, it's interesting that individuals who were pro Independence felt that the atmosphere surrounding the last referendum was amazing. All my friends/family who were against independence, it was more a case of keeping your head down and waiting for it to be over. There was very much a sense of not putting your head above the parapet. In our area every single 'no' billboard that was put up was removed every day. EVERY DAY. Didn't happen with the 'Yes' boards - in fact there are still several of these up in fields and on road sides (looking a bit sad seven years after the fact, but they're still there).

The SNP were very clever in positioning themselves as being on the 'right' side of the debate/referendum, being in the sunny uplands, the side of hope, being the side of flag and banner waving and party atmosphere. It was about a week before the referendum that I dared to speak about the topic to a group of professional women I meet up with regularly (at least I did, pre covid) and was so relieved to find that the pro independence stance which the SNP put forward as the right and true stance wasn't universally accepted by liberal, intelligent, professional types. It's just no-one dared to discuss it, worried about being accused of 'wrongthink'.

pourqouimoi · 19/04/2021 18:33

I met plenty of people who were opposed to independence, or on the fence. But I didn't experience the atmosphere as antagonistic at all. Neither I nor most of the people I know who were pro independence have anything to do with the SNP.

pourqouimoi · 19/04/2021 18:33

Not met, know/knew, had plenty of discussions etc.

Womencanlift · 19/04/2021 18:46

Completely agree that the atmosphere in the run up to the last referendum was very antagonistic and if you dared to say you were ‘No’ then the spiteful, “educate yourself”, “go back to England” (even though you were born and bred in Scotland) comments were a daily occurrence in the press, social media and general life

There is no way I could contribute to a SNP election win just to vote No in independence. No way the country could survive the division for a second time

tabulahrasa · 19/04/2021 18:46

“it's interesting that individuals who were pro Independence felt that the atmosphere surrounding the last referendum was amazing.“

I’m pro-independence and I thought the atmosphere around the referendum was awful...

But that’s because of things like orange walks being turned into no campaign marches and people outside polling stations shouting no surrender.

Anyway... I never have and can’t see myself ever voting for a party I don’t agree with (broadly at least) just because I don’t like another party.

I vote for something, otherwise what’s the point.

osbertthesyrianhamster · 19/04/2021 18:49

Why the fuck would anyone vote Tory in Scotland? There are other parties, you know? Spoil the ballot before condemning us to those fucking Tories.

MorrisZapp · 19/04/2021 18:49

@AlmostInsane

The last time voters showed their ‘displeasure’ we got Brexit and countless ppl on news reports going ‘oh well I didn’t expect it to actually happen !’
We'll get Tory MSPs, and I do know it'll happen. There's no serious threat to the SNP though.
TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 19/04/2021 18:50

Personally I vote with the little stubby pencil on a string (is that to prevent theft?)

Grin
ZenNudist · 19/04/2021 18:50

Couldn't vote Tory. All they do. Not in my name.

MorrisZapp · 19/04/2021 18:51

@osbertthesyrianhamster

Why the fuck would anyone vote Tory in Scotland? There are other parties, you know? Spoil the ballot before condemning us to those fucking Tories.
If you read the thread, you'll see that the other parties you reference are deeply problematic for many voters.

Currently the Conservatives are the only non indy party who know what a woman is.

pourqouimoi · 19/04/2021 18:52

The Tories are hardly the party of women's rights...

osbertthesyrianhamster · 19/04/2021 18:55

LOL, yeah, the Cons really stand for women's rights, especially poor women's rights, single mothers' rights, employment rights, disabled peoples' rights, anyone but rich peoples' rights.

I'd spoil the ballot before voting for that shower of shite. They're voting record with regards to 99% of things is disgusting.

CoolCatTaco · 19/04/2021 19:02

Should be easy enough for you, if you're prepared to vote Tory then you don't actually have a heart. Or a conscience...

flippertygibbit · 19/04/2021 19:04

Did my postal vote today. Voted conservative. Best thing I could do to keep SNP out. I used to be an ardent SNP / Indy voter.........................

2bazookas · 19/04/2021 19:06

We have already voted by post, with the aim to oppose a second indyref in the next term.

reprehensibleme · 19/04/2021 19:09

See, all the anti Tory rhetoric will just get some people's backs up. If you vote tory you don't have a heart or a conscience etc etc etc. My lovely, kind DH is seriously considering voting Tory because he is fed up with what the SNP are doing to education (works in the sector), thinks the HCB is pretty worrying, doesn't like the fact that the SNP have no real opposition, just wants someone to hold their feet to the fire. Is fed up with the apparent fingers in ears lalalala approach to how we're going to pay for their policies and promises. There has been plenty of sleazy behaviour within the SNP over the last few months.

Plus, of course, now is not the time to be having another independence referendum.