How will you vote on May 5th?

[victoriapeckham]

Just wondered. A little bit political...
a) how did you vote last time (if at all?)
b) how will you vote this time (if at all)?
c) what to you is the deciding issue of this election?
d) if you had to make love (not war) with one politician (past, present, senior or backbench?) who would it be?

Because i have absolutely no idea who to vote for and dont understand the pro's and con's of each party. That and each time it comes to voting i've been in the middle of moving house and have about a day to get to know the "candidates" as will happen this time. I just dont want to. No offense intended Ionesmum, just my opinion

ionesmum - women fought for the right to vote, not the obligation. That's how I look at it anyway and if someone doesn't know enough about politics to have any idea who to vote for then I think it's perfectly reasonable to 'opt out'.

Most people opt out through apathy - although often disguise it with an excuse IMO.

Snafu - why don't I ever have dreams like that

Labour
Labour
Money
Yuck

Ah, you're just not trying hard enough, bozza!

So if you don't know, or have no faith in the system, cast a protest vote.

It's not just women in this country in the last century, it's people now, being imprisoned, tortured and executed. Take what happened in Zimbabwe recently. Or Burma, the Congo etc etc.

Don't want to offend anyone, everyone is entitled to do as they please, but the right to vote is so precious, even if we do have very weak politicians atm.

here here.

I think turn out last election was 56%!! I just can't understand that.

Bozza, I wasn't serious about them being crappy - they're very good for the money they have. But as you know they are fiercely and entertainingly (except when it gets nasty) anti the other local team so feelings are a bit polarised round here.

Yes, lets drag everyone to the ballot box by their hair or incur a hefty fine for those who don't bother.

FGS.

This is a real bugbear of mine. Spoil your paper if you must but do something. It's easy to find out what each party stands for. Whether you choose to support any of them is another matter, but it's not a reason not to make your voice heard.

It doesn't have to be any more complicated than filling out the census form - in fact a whole less complicated. And we all do that without complaining.

Plenty of people seem to manage to vote for Pop Idol or Big Brother...

I really don't know why it's not considered reasonable to avoid voting if you feel you don't know enough to make an educated choice. Otherwise, why don't we just let all the kids vote with a big sticky hand print anywhere on the page!?

a)Lib dem but only because I wanted to exercise my right to vote and knew that I was condoning whoever got in if I didn't.
b) Can't possibly vote for new Lib dem candidate here (defected from Labour). Can't possibly vote for sitting Labour candidate here (total hypocrite, liar and cheat). Would find it very difficult to vote for Tory candidate here (looks like a 12 year old and I haven't forgotten the last Tory govt). Can't possibly even entertain the idea of any fringes eg. green, ukip, etc etc.
What I really want to do is vote for whoever unseats our current labour MP here (did I say he's a liar, cheat, hypocrite?)
c) Anything to do with Iraqi war including David Kelly issue, Lord Goldsmith issue etc, I find Labour abhorrent; health and education issues I find Labour don't care.
d) Seb Coe always looks nice and clean

WTF! a protest vote, what is that! I cant really protest about something that is my fault. Its not anyones fault apart from my own that "i dont get it" I have never taken an interest in politics through choice. I understand that everything that has gone on in Zimbabwe recently has been awful but i dont know enough about it to make a decision as to if it was Tony Blairs fault or not. I feel that if i vote for someone it would just be wrong as i could give them the "deciding vote" for no reason. Maybe next year i will try and learn about it and make an Informed decision but right now i would rather give my 8week old DD all my time.This is getting a bit serious now i'm off to find the Supernanny thread!!

It's a bit more complicated than Pop Idol - the consequences are a bit more impactful that than aren't they?

But those same people who say they don't know enough about politics to actually vote always seem to know enough to have opinions about how the country is run.

Sorry husky, didn't mean to scare you away!

Re Pop Idol, I just meant that plenty of people manage to get off their arses to vote. I don't think too many non-voters agonise over the consequences of them voting for the wrong person and therfore buggering up the country.

Oh, sorry huskygirl, I wasn't directing my comments at you personally. Not voting is just one of my little 'things'

And congrats on your dd, huskygirl.

Thanks Ionesmum, dont worry Snafu i'm not that easily offended! IMO I dont know enough to vote this time but dont really have a clue how the country is run either! Dont really have a brain since childbirth!

1. Labour (because I wanted to make sure they had a second term, not because I was totally supportive of their policies which are more left).

2. Lib Dem (should have followed my heart the last time).

3. Economy - national and international

4. Gordon Brown

Huskygirl - this site gives the lowdown on the three main parties on national issues in a handy side-by-side comparative way. Read your local candidate's flyers as they come through to see what they think on local issues and follow your heart (and if you don't have one vote Tory !)

I will vote lib dem. I approve of many of their policies especially on education and the environment. Although I think that the one about charging rich folk 50%+ of their income is rather shortsighted.

I think that more people should be more involved in local politics. If you feel strongly about something in your area (schools, hospitals, housing etc) lobby your mp/local councillors. My mother and my brother are both local councillors and they say that the only members of the public who seem to approach them are OAPs and property developers. How can you change things for the better unless you get involved?

Politics is being taken over by self serving slimeballs because ordinary people are not doing their bit.

LOL JanH - wasn't really offended. After all I'm not much of a supporter - haven't been to a match since well before DD was born.

at Cam's comment on Seb Coe - "nice and clean".

thanks hatmum

I will not be voting Lib Dem because of the local income tax issue. My husband and I both work and therefore we have a reasonable level of income but we have two children that we pay childcare for plus save for their futures, have higher shopping costs and need to run two cars for work and kids. How then is our disposable income lower than a pensioner with no need to save, no kids and yet we pay more tax. Under lib dem rules we would need to pay more tax again than a pensioner couple living in the same house. How is that fair? Just because you have more earned income does not mean to say you have more disposable income. Council tax is based on the size of house you decide to buy. That is fair. Sorry for not being PC but is is reality