I still don't know who to vote for! Help me pick

[fiddleleaffig]

It's election day!!!! And I am still utterly confused on who to vote for.

1. Reform - absolutely no way. Removing us from the European converntion of human rights whilst also changing the definition of a hate crime to make it harder to report - not a chance in hell could I vote for them. So they are ruled out.

1. Conservatives - they have destroyed the country and I am really pleased we are going to have Labour government tomorrow and they will be out of power. All their manifesto is is lies, and austerity and funding cuts have been utterly unforgivable. I vowed never to vote for them again. However, we are a Tory safe seat (or at least have been for the last 100years - predicted to go red for the first time ever!!) and have had the same MP since 1997. He has done good to the constituency. Yes there are problems with the high street, but our town is well cared for and looked after with lots of investment going into it. We've recently had our large local park completely redeveloped and when the local cinema was going to close as the national chain pulled out, the council stepped in and took it over. Would Labour do all that?

1. Labour - I am excited to have a labour government, as someone who once was a single parent on benefits, I was so grateful to the support I received under the last labour government. Although I have since graduated and now in a professional career, I still believe in the importance of helping the people at the bottom. However, I hate that they are refusing to scrap the 2 child limit and the benefits cap so they will not get my vote today. I cannot support their manifesto of sitting on the fence.

1. Liberal Democrats- I like their policies and I have been swaying towards voting for them. The only thing putting me off is that I don't like the candidate. He seems to have no connection to my constituency at all, and non of his campaign has been what he is going to do for our local town. Seems young and more interested in being a career politician than being in service to the local community.

1. Greens - I like many of the policies, they align with a lot of my beliefs with the exception of GRC and making them easier to obtain. Our local candidate is well known around town, does a lot for the community, but a lot seems to be focused on environmental issues, and whilst that is important, sometimes you do need a balance to support development, infrastructure, local businesses etc. I worry she will not embrace a new entertainment complex, for example, because we should leave the land for the bees iykwim.

So, out of that list, who would you pick?

The question then is - are you angry enough with Labour that it's worth making a protest vote?

I think the bus analogy is flawed. It's like the pie analogy. It makes a good soundbite and is sometimes true, but not always.

As my cliff analogy pointed out, there's a difference between "getting you a lot closer than you were" and "doing most things right but one thing so catastrophically it undermines everything else".

I think assuming people are simply "angry" with Labour and want to punish them is the wrong read. Personally, voting for Labour with their current stance on women would be like voting for a racist or homophobic party because I thought the rest of their policies were good. I am aghast that Labour are prepared to dismiss a marginalised group's claim to its own name and desire for a political voice because it's inconvenient for them to acknowledge the issues.

If you live in a marginal constituency then vote for whomever is most likely to oust the Tories. If that is what you want...

Yep!

'They know who women are'

That didn't stop them decimating the NHS so that women with aggressive breast cancer can't get treatment.

FYI most people are not landlords and are unlikely to vote to make things more cost effective for them(!)

I have far more respect for people who vote Tory admitting that it's because it benefits you financially. Instead of trying to pretend it's all about their incredibly enlightened ideas about women (yeah right)

I had completely changed my mind by the time I'd walked to the polling station today. I ended up voting lib dem. It's so hard this time, like choosing the least rotten tomato.