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Brexit
Original poster

I've abstained, have you?

137 replies

TooMuchMNTime · 23/06/2016 11:33

I went through my dithers here
I've opted to abstain

obviously I will just accept the result without comment!

Just curious to know if others have abstained?

OP posts:
claig · 23/06/2016 14:49

'I'm now wondering if any one else has voted out with the knowledge it will knock out their job.'

Farage and Dan Hannan have but they have money behind them.

Only vote if you are happy with your decision. Fortunately, in our free country you are not forced to vote contrary to the wishes of some Labour politicians who advocate the Australian system of having to vote.

ThisCakeFilledIsle · 23/06/2016 14:54

But I don't think we will have another chance to vote out..

JustAOneOffToday · 23/06/2016 14:55

OP am I right in thinking you feel Brexit is right but you don't want to lose you job, which you're going to lose regardless of any referendum?

FastWindow · 23/06/2016 14:57

I dont know anyone who has said they won't bother to vote, in answer to the op.

I know quite a few with bonkers reasons for their choice, but that's their right and privilege. At least they've made their view known.

Original poster
TooMuchMNTime · 23/06/2016 14:58

Just, no not quite.

if we stay in there's an excellent chance my job will change from contract to permanent.

if we Brexit it's gone.

I hate to vote for myself, but I should probably add that at 40 years of age, it's the best job I've had by a mile. I realise that doesn't mean much in a world of constant change and it only takes one head honcho to turn a good company culture into a shite one though.

There is no chance of me voting Remain, it simply is not happening.

OP posts:
HanYOLO · 23/06/2016 15:07

I can remember standing in the polling booth at the last GE thinking I wish there were a "None of the Above" option.

Go deface that ballot OP. Or go and see how you feel when the time to decide is then and there. But be active in your abstention if you must abstain.

BertrandRussell · 23/06/2016 15:07

There's lots of people on another thread saying they don't care enough to vote.........

RosesareSublime · 23/06/2016 15:13

It we loose the referendum, it will be debatable how much your UK vote is going to be worth.

ThisCakeFilledIsle · 23/06/2016 15:15

My polling place was steadily busy. Good weather too. I think turnout will be high.

Original poster
TooMuchMNTime · 23/06/2016 15:18

right
my final word on this thread

  1. it's weird to vote yourself out of a job - unless you're rich, which I'm not

  2. There are no good things about the EU and I wouldn't want to join now

  3. Nothing will change either way - no one's going to do anything about population control, politicians will continue to think that prosperity can only happen with the country covered in concrete and everyone reproducing like rabbits.

and now I have to go to the dentist, which may leave me in more pain than I already am, ha ha, so I bid you all farewell and I will see you on the other side!

OP posts:
CauliflowerBalti · 23/06/2016 15:20

I almost spoiled my ballot but in the end voted Remain, even though I really really really didn't want to as I am very Euro-sceptical. I felt I had no choice, given the tone of the Leave campaign and the hatred it has stirred up.

People were furious with me regarding my decision to abstain/spoil, but my conscience was crystal clear. The referendum is a farce and was called needlessly to serve Tory party agenda. I genuinely felt stuck between a rock and a hard place. I'd researched it to death. Bollocks about people dying so I could vote was just that - bollocks. They died for the right to vote. My voting record is otherwise impeccable.

But in the end, the idea of waking up tomorrow with the morons on social media crowing gleefully about getting their country back and kicking out the parasites from the EU made me feel sick. More sick than business as usual, staying in. So, even though I think the EU is a very bad thing - I voted Remain.

claig · 23/06/2016 15:23

TooMuchMNTime, you did the right thing in not voting for Remain. You can sleep easy. Good luck at the dentist.

'I almost spoiled my ballot but in the end voted Remain'

Aren't those two indistinguishable?

GissASquizz · 23/06/2016 15:29

I haven't voted yet. Tbh I feel utterly removed from it all. All I've seen is scaremongering and mud slinging. Neither side has made a persuasive argument imo. Still mulling over what to do.

Vango · 23/06/2016 15:40

In this Referendum EVERY vote counts. It's not like living in a safe seat during a general or local election. Please vote.

Winterbiscuit · 23/06/2016 15:43

The advice is to vote remain if you are not sure

Whose advice? There's no status quo either way. Remain isn't a "safe option". The EU could look very different in 5, 25, 50 years time, but there's no guarantee of another referendum if we don't like it.

If we leave, we can focus on making our country the best we can, and every few years, have the chance to elect a different government. Obviously it will be all of us who can do this, no matter which side of the referendum debate you've been on.

Vango · 23/06/2016 15:45

^'I almost spoiled my ballot but in the end voted Remain'

Aren't those two indistinguishable?^

The thread's been fairly respectful thus far, despite opposing views and one goady post. Can't we keep it that way?

claig · 23/06/2016 15:47

It was a joke. Don't take it seriously.

Orchidflower1 · 23/06/2016 15:49

I haven't voted as dh and I were going to vote for opposing sides. So we both decided we wouldn't vote. Seemed like a sensible thing in a weird way although dm says we should have " used our vote"

RedYellow046 · 23/06/2016 15:57

Wow to the people saying "women died for your vote!" "voting should be compulsory" "you owe it to them to vote", get the flip out of here. They died for the RIGHT to vote, not to force people everywhere in to taking part in something that they don't want to, geez.

I'm not abstaining, although I am considering not marking either box. I don't want any of the nonsense like last election of "well this percentage of people didn't vote, and if they had, Labour would have won!" - yeah, okay. So I don't want to be unregistered but I'm currently undecided about which way to go. Also, I support your non-voting, as is your right.

Thornrose · 23/06/2016 16:09

So many people around the world are denied the right to have their say. I really don't get why you wouldn't use your privilege. Especially if it's just because you "can't be arsed, nothing's going to change anyway blah di blah"

Sirzy · 23/06/2016 16:12

In a vote with only two options surely by abstaining you are putting your vote to the option your least sure of really?

I think this is one where if in doubt it's best to go with your gut and vote for that.

JamieVardysParty · 23/06/2016 16:14

I am genuinely devastated that I am unable to vote, especially when I am currently living in a country where the majority were not allowed to vote until fairly recently.

There is currently no postal service operating here, so wasn't able to apply for a postal vote and was told I had to physically sign a proxy vote.

It's really upset me that I cannot - and that numerous UK citizens around the world have been unable to for various reasons. If you are able to vote, please do.

ThisCakeFilledIsle · 23/06/2016 16:45

Cauliflower Baltimore , change the people you connect with on social media!

ThisCakeFilledIsle · 23/06/2016 16:46

Balti.

Why does this blinkin' machine think it knows what I want to write better than I do?

Vango · 23/06/2016 17:05

My comments on this thread would be the same to any man or woman who might decide not to go to a polling station. It's only my opinion, but we have a right to vote and a responsibility to exercise that right. Even if only to protest.

And it's not pointless counting. You have a right to have your vote counted. Even if you spoil your paper.