Voting labour for the first time. Anyone else?

[Lupina12]

Labour are far from perfect, but I like Keir Starmer and I think they are the best party to turn things around from the awful mess the incumbents have got us into.

He’s not glossy or witty or funny, but he seems decent - (he clearly has a wonderful wife and that only reflects well on him!)

Anyway, just curious - anyone else voting Labour for the first time? I’m 40 by the way and in the south east.

Hell will need to freeze over before I ever put an X next to Labour!

I’ve already voted for Labour. The Tories have ruined this country and Labour are the only viable option. I wouldn’t mind a Labour/Green coalition though.
My big fear is the rise of the ultra right (fanned by the media and the Tories). Anyway, hopefully things will get better.

I work in the courts! So it is interesting you should mention it.

The backlog is now gone (it was absolutely huge after the pandemic) we sat 24 hours a day for six months to try and reduce the back log, and we succeeded around four weeks ago. We are back to listing trials within weeks not months. Domestic violence and rape cases have always been prioritised in the last few years. We have domestic violence courts, set up usually on Mondays in most places.

Prison places have not 'run out' although some estates are stretched. No one is being released without the neccessary board decisions. All will be on license and tagged and will return as they have always done, should they commit an offence.

New prisons are being built now. As we speak.

Labour are certainly notoriously weak on crime, this is certainly not going to help anyone. We need to be expanding our police forces across the country, as we have been doing, and should continue to do so. I am very concerned about male rapists being allowed back into female prisons should Labour win, this is very dangerous for vulnerable women.

You will be sorely disappointed.

If you are autistic or have an autistic family member I would have thought you might have wanted an improvement in waiting lists for autism assessment, improved services and support for autistic people, and an overhaul of the Gove curriculum that has destroyed the mental well-being of so many autistic children and young people. I work trying to pick up the pieces every day.

At best, Keir Starmer is a manager - definitely not a leader. Nice enough bloke, but can't say what a woman is and is unwilling to stick his neck out on the decimation of Gaza. Which is strange because most Labour supporters that I know are extremely vocal on Gaza. But not so much on women's rights.

I CANNOT vote for those snouts-in-the-trough tories, and I won't vote for Labour as I don't feel I can trust their leadership. So what I'm going to do is vote LibDem and hope that they become a credible opposition party to Labour.

Very true.

I guess I’ve just been impressed by the Starmer’s relationship, in contrast to the Bojo debacle (and many other slimy cheating politicians). Also they haven’t trawled her in front of the cameras needlessly in their campaign. There is a respect there. They seem above all that.

But yes, for clarity and avoidance of doubt, don’t vote for someone just because of who they’re married to …..but if you like who they are married to, that’s a legitimate positive :)

It’s personal for me this time round.

A Labour ‘massive landslide victory’ - of that I am yet to be convinced - will mean women’s rights, (particularly safe spaces) will be eroded to nothing. For that reason alone I cannot vote for them.
Richie Sunak made me cry. I cried for my Grandpa standing waist deep for 2 days waiting to be rescued from Dunkirk. I cried for my grandpas’ brother who was killed on DD. He was 18. Sunak’s decision to leave early that day is unforgivable. And shameful for a British PM.
Lib Dems - just no. Leader is a nice man but I think we need a grown up in charge of our country, not a circus clown.
Independent candidate couldn’t be bothered to turn up for a local hustings with all the other parties.
So Reform it is.

I’m not playing silly buggars voting to keep someone out. I’m voting for something new. A party who given the opposition, let’s face it - can’t do any worse. They have some pretty radical ideas but given the state this country is in we need radical ideas. Let’s give it a go. My local candidate is a good man. And no he isn’t racist and neither am I. Happy to give him my vote.

Lupina12
I guess that when assessing someone’s character, the fact they they are in a long term relationship with a smart person, and haven’t had a ton of affairs, reflects well on them

Keir Starmer has been in at least 3 long term relationships with women (2 others being around 10 years and 6 years). In Tom Baldwin's biography, it's strongly implied that Starmer cheated on one of his long term girlfriends which is why they split up.

100% agree with everything you just said, me too!

I'm voting Labour today. And for those who don't because of the women's rights issue and just want you to consider the fact that Tory's also do not give a shiny shit about women's rights. It's just they hate Trans people more. I have met many backbench tories in my life and I can say, hand on heart they are some of the most arrogant self interested bigoted men (mostly men). I had a conversation with one about teenage pregnancies back when it was an issue and the vile stuff he was coming out with (that they are just slags etc).
Yes, of course women's rights are important. But to say that the tories care about women is utter BS. Their austerity measures impact WOMEN the most. It is WOMEN that turn to food banks to feed their families. It is WOMEN that have to give up their careers because of crippling childcare costs. It is WOMEN who are least likely to get on the property ladder.

Yes, yes, Labour isn't perfect. But if you actually give a shit about real women's day to day lives then GET THE TORIES OUT.

Looking at this thread, not many people seem to agree with you op.

Wouldn't vote Labour if you paid me.

The way they speak about women's rights is disgusting, slimy and evasive.

We are on the precipice of the rights we have fought for, being taken away in favour of men once again.

I would like to remind everyone that marital rape was legal until the 90's and women couldn't get business loans without their husband until the 80's.

We couldn't have a fucking bank account until 1975.

It wasn't that long ago that we were truly second class citizens (and we are not far off that now).

Brave, brave women fought to give us all the option to vote and we each have a responsibility to protect the rights of women in the next generations.

Across the western world, women's rights are being stripped away in numerous areas. It is literally happening before our eyes.

Whether you are accepting of trans ideology or not, anyone with eyeballs can see that these biological men are being favoured over women.

Women are being called misogynistic words, they are being spat at, bullied and fired from their jobs, all because they want to ensure that women's spaces are for women.

The damage that can be done on places like rape crisis centre's is playing out in real time... take a look at Scotland.

Honestly, I feel like so many women are either asleep at the wheel or are terrified to speak out.

And the very fact that women are being harassed and disciplined in jobs should tell everyone exactly what is coming.

Play along, or we will punish you.

Stay sweet and silent and accept whatever we want to do with your rights and spaces.... or else.

All the upset Tories on here is very entertaining. I expect carnage tonight when the exit poll hits.

I have my champagne and popcorn ready 😂

And this is why I won't vote Labour

I have considered it but I am still very hesitant. I will probably not make the decision until I have the pen in my hand. At the last minute I doubt I will be able to vote for them.

Do you want to talk about at least the current day.

Austerity ended six years ago.
Women have been buying property for over half a century
Everyone can use a foodbank, not just a 'woman'
We now have 30 hours a week of free childcare which is more than we have ever had before.

So please can we stick to the facts.

We need to be recognised as women, to have any rights at all legally or otherwise, so I am not sure how we can even begin to make things 'better' if we are invisible and stripped of our rights...surely that is the very basis of any improvement, and Labour have refused, repeatedly, to engage in the importance of the rights of 51% of the population. Only one party now recognises us sadly, and that is the conservatives.

Because you read and believe the daily mail? You should probably get that looked at

Remember politicians wives don't have to stay with them e.g. Gove, Alan Johnson.

You champagne socialist! 😊

Lupina12
he clearly has a wonderful wife

That's probably because she attended a private school - Labour want fewer women to attend private schools.

Cringing for all the posters who think that the Tories are “pro women”. Who suffered most under the Tories’ ideologically- driven ‘austerity’ measures? Who benefited most from benefits like child tax credits brought in under Blair? As for inheritance tax, it won’t affect you unless you’re very well off.

Yes, exactly this

This

We now have 30 hours a week of free childcare which is more than we have ever had before.

It's not free though, it's been badly funded by the current government to the extent that nurseries are closing down because they can no longer afford to run.

Anyway I am voting tactically for Lib Dem to hopefully oust our Tory MP.