Anyone else wobbling about voting Labour?

[MaryMaryVeryContrary]

I desperately want to GTTO but the last few years have taught me that ‘any change’ isn’t always good and things can get worse, even if you think they can’t.

I’ve watched all the debates now and Starmer is so… wet. I don’t like him. The first thing he did when women’s rights were mentioned his first thought was men who ‘identify as women’ and how ‘marginalised’ they are. When asked about immigration he squirmed and squirmed before muttering about his role as DPP (who cares? We want to know what you plan to do NOW). When asked about his support for Corbyn he said ‘but I didn’t think we would actually win..’

There’s something about him which is making me very uncomfortable and I just have a bad feeling now about what would happen if he was leader.

Anyone else? If you’re not voting Tory or Labour, who are you voting for and why? I assumed I would vote Labour this time but my gut is suddenly screaming at me not to!

This!

I feel the same way. I think Starmer would sell his granny to become PM, and I think he appeases whoever is biting his ears at any point in time. Any party which can't respect my sex isn't going to get my vote. The patriarchy is still live and kicking-and, as usual-women are seen as collateral damage.

Remember Starmer is just as this point thinking he has it in bag and is trying to appeal to middle ground and just not to screw up and say anything wrong. When elected I can bet you he will be less 'wet' and will lean closer to the left.

Whilst this is technically correct, you are also voting for PM as the party with the most MPs forms a government. So if you don't want the Tories back in, and don't want the Reform party in, vote Labour.

I’d genuinely love to vote labour or Lib Dem or other! but I don’t know who our local candidates are! The only flyers/ canvassing we’ve had are from our local (quite frankly ridiculous, but has been re elected for as long as I can remember Tory mp-if you know you know! 😂) so as much as it pains me, I don’t think I’ll vote this time round! I’ve a porch full of flyers for the Tory’s but nothing from any other party!

TBH I don’t agree much with voting either ‘main’ party. There comes a point where if neither of the main parties seem to being effective we need to make a point by demonstrating there needs to be a change. I dont think Starmer is credible at all, but the Conservatives have made a hash of things. Time to vote for a bit of change.

Well it’s a good enough reason for me ! We need a strong opposition.

This

Maybe use some of that bouncy exclamation mark energy to check on your local authority website who the candidates are. The names are all published.

This. It's not an either or. Vote for the party you agree with, whether that's one of the main two or not.

Not exactly a high bar been set, mind you.

I think the tricky issue in the debates for Kier Starmer and other Labour candidates is that they will be soon be in power and so cannot make empty promises the same way the likes of the Lib Dems, Greens or Reform can. Which means they often end up sounding uninspiring and a bit boring when actually they’re just being, well, realistic.

They could promise the moon on a stick and massive tax cuts but they will then be held to account in a way the smaller parties who won’t win power won’t be.

So the Greens etc can be bolder and say more idealistic (ie unachievable) things, and sound better and more inspiring in the debates than Labour candidates.

Although of course this tactic can backfire - I’m thinking of the Lib Dem’s in 2010 thinking they’d never be in power so could say what people want to hear on tuition fees rather then what is feasible policy wise….

Totally with you OP but I want to GTTO no matter what and voting Labour is the only way to do that.

I've always voted Labour and was/am a huge Corbyn supporter. I fully believe we missed a once in a lifetime opportunity with him and I still get upset about this, as I do about Brexit.

The problem these days is that 99.9% of all of them are self serving out of touch closet Tories. There is no real alternative. BUT we must get the current shower of [ insert your own wording...] out.

It will take decades to recover from the damage they've managed to do in 14 yrs

If you're a Tory then vote Tory .

I quite like my bouncy exclamation marks!!!!!! 😂 and quite frankly I can’t be arsed, if they want my vote they can bloody well work for it

In fairness, this advice applies to marriage too......

I'm voting labour, but I'm not happy or enthusiastic about it.

Starmer might seem boring, measured or even uncertain because he isn't willing to lie outright like Sunak and the rest of the current government. their labour scaremongering is always proven to be untrue - think £2k tax hike - and they always come out with strong views - like stop the boats - without any policies or solutions. If you waver you can't complain about things getting 100% worse under what's left of the tories.

Three word slogans are just politicking.

Starmer is a dangerous man in the making.

I'll vote any way I can to get the Tories out. The country's in a dreadful state. I can't bear to think of the current odious bunch getting in again. What worries me is how on earth whoever comes next will unpick this sorry mess. In my constituency Lib Dems stand the best chance of beating the Tories, but I'm hoping for a Labour government with more compassion and understanding. Anyone but Tory.

I have received only one flyer from the Labour Party which said to get rid of the Tories vote Refotm. I know that my new constituency (boundary changes) is likely to be Tory or Lib Dem but feel that any party suggesting you vote for a different party is just giving up.

With you 100%. How dare he put men’s feelings before women’s safety, privacy and dignity. Very much want to GTTO but I can’t vote Labour. I’ll be spoiling my vote with “Respect my Sex if you want my X” written in red across the bottom of my ballot paper.

Fair enough, sorry. I meant access to an NHS dentist, something that is not available here.anymore. While the SNP have made great showboat promises like free prescriptions, this seems to have led to the dwindling and vanishing of other areas of care, including dentistry and social care.

I think you should read the manifestos, especially the bits of personal interest to you and your family, then decide. I'm voting Lib Dem, not tactical, not for any particular person, but because of their policies. Simple as that.

Our local Tory candidate's only point on their flyer is 'get rid of the SNP'. I agree that it's not an inspiring message.

Perhaps many Scots feel similarly about the SNP as many down south do about the Conservatives.