If you're an undecided voter, what are the issues that are stopping you from deciding?

[tomatoesatbreakfast]

As an 'undecided voter', I was watching the Sky News interviews last night and felt myself warming more toward KS. When he started talking honestly about the possible impact on his kids...he suddenly seemed really human, a dad who wanted to pursue this opportunity but wanted to protect his children from the worst of it. However, I'm still undecided.

My politics are usually centre/middle and over the years I've voted Tory and Labour...basically whichever party I felt most aligned with my values.

All I know for sure is that I don't want more of the same and while I am definitely warming to Labour (as well as my local candidate who seems nice) I'm not keen on some others within the party.

I worry that by voting in the seemingly nice people, that it's a door opened to something I can't get on board with. You could equally say the same of the Tories though!!

So I'm wondering if there's any other 'undecided voters' out there (from any side of politics) and what are the issues/policies that are preventing you from being able to make a decision?

I am on the fence.
I want to see a change in government - it's time. However, our latest MP is Conservative, and very effective. They are a local, I can see the work they do is conscientious and seemingly effective, they're generally a sound prospect and as likeable as you could hope any politician to be. The Opposing candidate is a 'parachute' candidate who clearly has yet to grasp that their campaigning needs to be tied to local issues rather than just repetition of Keir Starmer manifesto/policy points.
A Labour vote here feels like the proverbial cutting off your nose to spite your face. Which is the bigger picture - local or national?

I'm also undecided. I've always voted for whose policies I agreed with the most. My circumstances are so different now to when we last had a GE. It's true I agree with the conservatives more than labour but I'm still not sure

I think they are all lying twats and I don't believe in any of them. My heart is socialist but I do not like the Labour party. I'll just get closer to the time and see which party is marginally more tolerable than the others. My local options are all dreadful, so I have to look at the bigger picture, which, quite frankly, is very depressing.

Thanks for this thread OP - I am endlessly fascinated by voter thinking and behaviour. I have never voted Tory and consider it extremely unlikely I ever would, so it's fascinating to me to hear about people changing between Tory and Labour, as they have never appeared even vaguely similar to me.

Our electoral system also seems to play a part - being undecided won't matter if you live in a "safe" seat.

As a teacher I vote Labour.

As the owner of daughter I do not vote Labour.

@Usernamewassavedsuccessfully well that too 😂

Yes as a mum of three daughters I am not leaning towards labour

I want a massive shake up as I can see the shitshow heading for us economically. I want less posturing and more action.

I want massive investment in schools. I want a European style health system.

I want fewer bespoke criminal laws and more enforcement of the basic ones on the books. I want the police to police the streets, not social media. Hell, I want police that actually show up.

I want a focus on self sufficiency as a country and a drive to protect our ability to hear, feed and clothe ourselves. I want our armed forces to be able to handle the new world.

I want excellent libraries and clean parks/public spaces.

I don’t want politicians to be ‘human’. I want them to be logical, grounded thinkers who aren’t pushed off track by the slightest breeze of dissent or criticism.

I have a lot of wants and I doubt they will be offered.

I’m going have to read all the manifestos, see what they away, then assess whether the authors have any likelihood of keeping promises (ha!)

Yeah I guess if you are financially stable with no money worries why not vote Tory.
I know loads of folk who moan incessantly about public services, the decline of their home town, the effects of Brexit etc but for some reason Labour are worse.
Find it quite depressing that even though all the tories policies have by and large failed they’ll still be given another chance.
Reform voters where I live tend to be the left behind, worst off tbh. Things cannot get any worse. Theirs is a protest vote pure and simple but as usual no one listens. I think there’ll be a huge shock coming re Reform UK. Brexit was the first, now this. I reckon at some point if things don’t improve there’ll be civil unrest.

"owner of a daughter" ????

I have no clue. I am a floater and have voted Conservative, Labour, Lib Dems and Greens - and have leaned towards the party I think is best overall.

I have to say…. I do not know…………..am not on board with so much they are all putting forward.

I'm not financially stable with no money worries, we are trying to save for a deposit and I'm on minimum wage, my husband not on much more

I can understand people not being enthusiastic about Labour or indeed any of the parties in particular (let's be honest not political giants) but I do find it hard why people are still willing to give the Tories another 5 yrs in power or trust a word that they say,

I don't watch what leaders/parties say, i watch what they do, and the Tories have shown themselves to be devoid of any moral compass whatsoever. Also nothing they say can be trusted, as they broke just about every single promise in their last manifesto and have wrecked the UK in every sense.

Even Nigel Farage as had enough of their lies, that is why he is tackling them head on.

Don't get me wrong if i wake up to Labour in power on 5 July, i will not be singing from the rooftops, but the thought of Rishi Sunak delivering a victory speech in the pouring rain, surrounded by smirking JRM and Tory cabinet in background, is enough to send he fear of God into me.

If they get back in after everything they have done, then might as well not have any elections as basically just given them a licence to do what they want, when they want.

Exactly this. I'm a teacher too.

As an 'undecided voter', I was watching the Sky News interviews last night and felt myself warming more toward KS. When he started talking honestly about the possible impact on his kids...he suddenly seemed really human, a dad who wanted to pursue this opportunity but wanted to protect his children from the worst of it.

Worrying about and wanting to protect your children is a very basic instinct which almost all humans have built in. KS would have to be a monster not to feel like that about his children. Using his children as a way to make the public like him more seems a bit off tbh. It doesn't warm me to him at all.

The Tories have trashed the country.

Labour, LibDems and Greens are willing to give away women's rights to males. The man canvassing for Labour was unable to give a sensible definition of a woman when I asked for one. He blustered and spluttered for a bit until I shut the door in his face

Not at all sure what I will do on 4 July. I don't believe a word of any of their manifestos.

Thanks for this thread OP - I am endlessly fascinated by voter thinking and behaviour. I have never voted Tory and consider it extremely unlikely I ever would, so it's fascinating to me to hear about people changing between Tory and Labour, as they have never appeared even vaguely similar to me.

You sound as though you're a 'tribal' voter then. Of course there have been similarities between Labour and the Conservatives. The right end of Labour and the left end of the Tories are pretty much centre. It's surely not very uncommon to vote for different parties in different elections, unless you have some unchanging, archetypal image of what Labour are like and what the Tories are like.

I’ve watched a couple live debates, and it hasn’t really helped.

Our boundary has changed so have new candidates. Only had one leaflet through, Conservative. If you read it as a job description, politics aside, she’s well versed to be a good candidate (new candidate), as she has good, relevant experience.

Exactly how I feel

I want to vote for Labour but they haven't really explained how they will reform benefits ( we all know something has to be done) or how they will address the issues with social care. As someone who will be pension age in 12 years time I am also worried about how their policies will affect pensions.
I am desperate to get rid of the Tories bit there doesn't seem to be a credible alternative.

Worrying about and wanting to protect your children is a very basic instinct which almost all humans have built in. KS would have to be a monster not to feel like that about his children.

Absolutely. So if that hadn't been his answer to the personal question, he's likely to have been accused of lying.

I am undecided.

For most of the last 14 years I've just wanted the Tories out. I still do, but I think that's a foregone conclusion. I don't think there's any way they can win.

The problem is I don't want anyone else in.

I'm appalled by both Labour and the Lib Dems' attitude towards women's rights and child safeguarding. And I don't think Labour are likely to deliver on any of their more ambitious policies because there's no fucking money.

As things stand, the only party offering anything I actually want AND think has any prospect of actually being delivered is the Tories. (The dialling back on all the trans madness.)

But do I want to vote for them?

Not really, no.

I'm voting in a newly created constituency. The old one was only ever Tory, although the Lib Dems came close a couple of times.

The Lib Dems are now the ones I despise most of all (despite having voted for them in most previous elections). The only thing I can say with any certainty is that I won't be voting for them.

Do I hate the Lib Dems enough to vote Tory to stop them getting in? Wow. I mean... the chance of me doing that is not zero. And I never thought I'd even consider voting Tory.

There is an independent candidate and I have emailed him, I'll wait and see whether he replies and whether I like the cut of his jib.

Otherwise I might just spoil.

I want to vote Labour but at the moment there's something stopping me that I can't quite put my finger on.

There's no best option, it's more like the least worst.

I want to vote labour, I’m sick of the conservatives and feel ready for a change. However, we have a DD at private school and VAT on school fees will really hit us hard (coupled with cost of living).

So I want Labour in, but the additional cost for us makes it hard to vote that way.

I want to vote Labour but KS doesn't fill me with confidence. He's quick to criticise the tories but doesn't offer up anything different.

Don't think that is quite true as for a start at least he comes across more sincere and i think genuinely wants to try and improve things. Also there are differences in their policies, albeit not as many as some would hope. All i know is it would be madness to keep doing the same thing and expect a different result.

The Tories have had 14 yrs, four election wins and umpteen leaders and everyone has lied, deceived, failed & basically brought UK to its knees. Their behaviour partying during Covid, while other upheld the rules and were prevented from seeing sick & dying loved ones, can never be forgotten or forgiven in my view.

If they get re-elected we are basically just giving them a free pass to wreck the Country, while they & their rich mates fill their pockets, they will think they are untouchable.