Local elections in May - what are your plans?

[Lottapianos]

I'm in despair at how utterly dismal things are. I'm in a safe Tory seat but absolutely no way I am voting Tory. Labour are such an utter disgrace on women's rights, all prepared to pretend that they don't know what a woman is, and seem to just be hoping that we will shut up and go away. Other parties are no better on this issue.

I honestly don't know what to do. It's the closest I've ever come to not voting, something I never ever thought I would contemplate. How are you feeling about it all, and how are you planning to vote?

[MayBeee]

Tory area. We wanted to vote Lib Dems . Sadly a candidate wasn't on the voting paper ( postal votes ) I voted independent , dh Green.

[Boood]

It’s easy for me because the incumbent has been in local politics for decades, works his arse off for the community and is also one of less than a handful in opposition on the city council. So I’m happy to vote for him- sometimes gender issues aren’t the most important thing. I’d struggle if it wasn’t so clear-cut though.

[DomesticatedZombie]

@KimikosNightmare

Tory. Even when I actually was a Labour supporter I voted Tory in local elections.

How come?

[DomesticatedZombie]

I will be writing to all the candidates - eep, time is running short - and asking them about three different issues that are important to me, one of which is women's sex based rights.

As for voting ... we have a bit of a lack of candidates where I am, so it'll be a bit of a lottery.

[BurnDownTheDiscoHangTheDJ]

Voting tactically to get rid of useless Tory candidates who currently control the borough. Whilst wearing a “fuck Boris and his wanker mates!” tee shirt probably.

[BurnDownTheDiscoHangTheDJ]

@NameChangeForThisBear

I’m a member of the Conservative party but will either spoil my ballot because this government is the worst I’ve lived through, or I might even vote Lab because 1) I’ve chewed off the ears of all my local candidates (am in a marginal ward so there has been a LOT of canvassing since Jan!) and our local Lab candidates are fully on board with single sex provision and why it’s essential for full female participation in society, and 2) I genuinely believe it’s in the best interests of the Conservative party to suffer losses at the elections because then we can get rid of Johnson, get someone sensible in, and bring integrity back to our party. We won’t get that opportunity if the party does well at the locals, because he will then cling on. We need rid of him, we need sense and decency, someone who says “hold on a minute, let’s have a think about this” instead of simply waving through some dreadful policy, and we need someone who will appoint a Cabinet of people who want to do a good job rather than just be yes-men and yes-women.

I've debated resigning my party membership but I want to be able to help select a decent leader when he goes. He’s mismanaging so many things, I can’t believe he hasn’t been forced out yet. The cost of living crisis combined with this stupid back-to-the-office push is going to hit families - and mainly women - with children hardest. And disabled people on low incomes. The Rwanda deportation proposals are unworkable and unconscionable when there are so many other potential options that are both cheaper and don’t involve sending people to countries where human rights violations take place. And he just bloody well lies and lies and lies, and his ministers lie for him too. I’m waiting for the VoNC that must, must be on the horizon - and will definitely be, if we suffer sizeable losses in the locals. So I really do believe the best thing I can do for the future of the country and party is to take whatever actions I can to help get rid of Johnson.

And that might mean voting Labour in a fortnight’s time, something I haven’t done since the 2001 general election. Luckily I have decent local Lab candidates, if I had some TWAW types then I would be 100% decided on spoiling my ballot!

Thanks for this answer @NameChangeForThisBear. I’m not a Tory and unlikely to start now, but this answer gives me faith that there are Conservatives out there with morals and who actually give a shit about our country and the damage being done to the very soul of us as a people by this Cabinet of cunts.

[BurnDownTheDiscoHangTheDJ]

@NameChangeForThisBear and I meant to add thank you.

[weebarra]

I'm in Scotland and will vote for the Green candidate. He's DSs bf's DGD and is a good guy who does a lot locally. I've had the 'what is a woman?' discussion with him, before I knew he was standing and he is GC.

[jlpartnerrs]

I'm voting Workers Party. They know what a woman is and they are left wing. Job done

[LetitiaLeghorn]

My plan is to vote in person.

[TooBigForMyBoots]

People Before Profit and Alliance.

[urbanbuddha]

I'm going to vote Labour marking my ballot paper with the Venus symbol instead of 'X'.

[Theunamedcat]

As the mother of a disabled child I will not vote tory as a woman I will not vote Labour who can I vote for in my area? Bloody no-one

[RainingYetAgain]

I really don't know.
I'm contemplating not voting . I am in my late 60s and hav e never abstained before but who the 4x do I vote for?
Cannot bring myself to vote Tory, Lib and Labour had a coalition which was a disaster and they think a TWAW, as do the Greens.

[Soultrader]

I'm voting labour because i believe they're the best candidate for my local area.

[Blimeyherewegoagain]

I’ll be voting for independent candidates followed by anyone who isn’t SNP/Green. STV here.

[Lovelyricepudding]

I am voting for the local council not MP so am considering local issues not Boris. So I am voting Tory. For me it matters that my daughters can use the local pool: with self ID there is no way I would let them use the communal changing room there. I don't want pay discrimination hidden by men being counted amongst women, or my mother forced to have a male carer because he identifies as a woman. I want to be able to campaign for services that counteract the impact if the cost if living crises on women - with labour we would not be able to say woman, would have no statistics to show how we have been impacted and no way to campaign because the language needed would be gone.

My local labour candidate is an arrogant prig so there is no way I could vote for him.

[Rightsraptor]

I've already done my postal vote - SDP.

[Gardeningfool]

The county I'm in has traditionally been Conservative, with a strong lib dem showing, but in recent years more green councillors have got in, from more alternative areas, such as mine, and currently, if all the opposition councillors band together they outnumber the Conservatives and can do some things to affect change on various committees etc. The Conservatives have also not had a good track record in running the County. So, I'm almost certainly going to vote green, despite their dismal record on feminism - they're the best of a bad lot here.

[reesewithoutaspoon]

spoiling my ballot with a large XX My vote doesn't count. Labour get over 70% of the votes in my area. But I will register the fact I was prepared to vote but chose none of the above.

[Glenthebattleostrich]

My local conservative councillor is brilliant so I'll be voting for her. The labour candidate refused to answer the question what is a woman because it's the wrong question apparently.

[Girliefriendlikespuppies]

I voted Lib Dem and Green Party, am waiting for a Tory counsellor to knock on my door so I can give them an earful!

[TooBigForMyBoots]

Don't spoil your ballot, vote for an Independent candidate, it's a protest and the candidate will get their deposit back.

[Hotcuppatea]

I live in a safe Labour borough. There's no way it's turning blue. The only way to make my feelings known is to spoil my ballot with a big Woman=Adult, human, female.

[Hotcuppatea]

@TooBigForMyBoots

Don't spoil your ballot, vote for an Independent candidate, it's a protest and the candidate will get their deposit back.

The local independents round my way are all Momentum. There's no way I'm voting for them.