All the single mummies/daddies....Voting time!

[meltedchocolate]

Ok very simply.. who are you voting for in election? (or think you probably will vote for)

Please answer and then any reasons. This is NOT meant to be a debate so please don't turn it into one!! More of a poll Thanks. I am curious about who the single parents will go towards. That makes me sound like a journalist, haha, but I aint

I have issues with tax credits as a long term plan even for low earners.

I think they should have been a fantastic short term way of boosting lower income families. But they should have been a part of a longer term plan to tackle the cost of living being based on two good incomes, the culture of debt and borrowing, and ways of making working easier and more profitable for everyone.

Instead it seems that Labour quite like so many people relying on them as the provider of something and they don't seem to have any plans to ever change things so more people are fully instead of partially self sufficient.

I have to vote Lib Dem to keep the Tory candidate from gaining a seat, very marginal here and it can go either way.

I hope I'm not patronising with this but I have been a single parent under a Tory government and they will cut all your help. Please be warned. I only have a couple more years with a child in education but I want this labour government to continue. It's a 'vote for society' and all the other single parents and poorer co-parents who are much further down the line than I am.

Lib Dem.

I live in a constituency that has MPs from all three main parties in recent history, so it's really up for grabs here; no tactical voting required and a real chance to vote for who you want.

I will vote Lib Dems because having taken a look at all the manifestos, they are most in line with my own views in all areas.

In particular, I support their aim to introduce 20 hours free childcare for those with children under school age, and unlike the current system, the 20 hours can be taken in blocks that suit the parents. If this was in place now, it would transform my life!

I am writing to all the parties to ask them for more detail about their childcare policies. I am considering a career change, which would mean working some antisocial hours. I am lucky that I have a childminder I could use for this, but I would infinitely prefer to use a nanny so that care could take place in my own home. There are no OFSTED approved nannies in my county. I could find a nanny and apply to have him/her OFSTED approved, but this would cost about £150 in fees, take 12 weeks to process (during which time costs cannot be reclaimed), and of course I'd have the paperwork nightmare of ensuring national insurance contributions were paid, etc. Bearing in mind that an increasing number of people now work shift patterns, rather than the traditional 9-5 hours, this is a growing problem. I bet if OFSTED approved nannies were available in the same way as nurseries, there would be a HUGE increase in the number of single parents choosing to go back to work.

Exactly tax credits are fine for those who are low earners. Middle earners should just have their tax code adjusted so they are paying less tax rather than take it off them, make them apply with a long convoluted form then give them some back. Think of how much administration it would save! High earners don't need tax credits at all.

I also dislike the way Labour have really expanded the nanny state. I resent how there is red tape for virtually everything nowadays. The one that springs to mind was OFSTED telling two women that they couldn't look after each other's children in a reciprocal arrangement unless they registered as childminders. Or that police spend more time filling in forms than catching crooks. That doctor's & nurses spend so much time meeting targets rather than treating those who they think should be treated.

Can you Labour voters truly hand on your heart say that the UK has got better in the last 13 years? And that come May 9th you will wake up and think "GREAT! Gordon's our prime minister again for another 5 years! Yippee!"

Yes I can (can't answer why fully right now but will try later)
I'm not voting for Gordon, I'm voting for labour...

I'm thinking I would like to vote lib dem but have not had the time to properly review the policies yet, I have done in the past but often find when it comes down to it I end up voting tactically.

I won't be saying Yippee if labour get in again but I will be breathing a sigh of relief.

Labour
Because turkeys don't vote for christmas

The rhetoric the tories are employing about single parents and marriage, make it quite clear that they are going to start attacking us and our families when they are in government.

What rhetoric?

And as a single parent who is not married, nor have I ever been, I don't see a problem with supporting marriage.

I cant honestly say the UK has got better in the last 13 years as in 97 I was only 15 so none of the current issues I have affected me.

Last local and general election I voted conservative. I was a married mum with 1 child (1 on way at locals) with 2 wages, plenty of disposal income and they suited me best.

Now as a single parent in council housing with 2 young (non school age) children working part time to avoid being 100% reliant on benefits, but relying on those tax credits my needs in a governement and political party have changed. TBH I selfishly need things as they are until DS2 (2) starts school and I can work full time again. For me this means voting Labour for the next 5 years, and then reevaluating my situation in 2015.

Labour
great post eve, I agree with you entirely

The rhetoric about marriage being the best place to bring up children.

Without any reference to what sort of marriage.

Like we all choose to be single parents!

Another one here who will vote Labour, I think they have made a lot of mistakes BUT if tories were to get into power they may well improve the economy etc but im worried about the effects their changes would have on me personally as a single parent who works full time, but is able to do so because of the help i get towards childcare through tax credits!

Labour.

I will always vote labour. The idea of tories comng into power sends a shiver down my spine.

The lack of knowledge of what each party represents staggers me.

Tories are not planning on scrapping tax credits. Just withdrawing them for those who earn a very comfortable income already. And like I said before, how can promoting being married be a bad thing? It's like saying that removing stamp duty for first time buyers is stigmatising non-first time buyers. Me thinks some of you are getting way too sensitive.

I just read on another forum a lady who was voting labour because the Tories would scrap SureStart centres except their manifesto clearly states they'd actually increase the number of staff so not sure how that would work!

Like I said before, most people are too lazy to listen to the news & read the manifesto so will vote based on what they think each party represents.

In fact, I actually believe there is a case now for only allowing certain people to vote. The perfect example is my ex (bless her) who voted Labour because Tony Blair had a nice smile.

Did anyone watch the conservative party political broadcast last night? Didn't really tell you anything I thought. However, sounded to me they're very much for the married unit (so am I) however I'm not that fortunate through no fault of my own. There was nothing said of single parent families so nothing was said that would encourage me to vote for them.

Niceguy you cannot promote "being married" without implying something very negative about not "being married" if you're not balancing that with a policy of promoting support for those who are not married. Obvious, no?

The tories have a long and inglorious history of stigmatising lone parent families and making us out to be feckless, irresponsible, hopeless parents.

You're right, I am completely ignorant of any positive policies that they have on how they are going to support my family. But I'm happy to hear about any, do tell.

FFS I've just heard DC on the radio saying the tories are family friendly.

Not to my family they're not.

exactly SM01. I am not married, I did not choose to be a single parent but it doesn't mean if someone said "I think marriage is a good thing" that I would see them as being anti-single parents. Frankly I agree. Having two parents, in a stable loving family is better than being on your own.

Niceguy, with due respect I find your last post extremely patronising. I am aware what they are saying but I am going on being a working adult for 18 years under a Tory government, single parent for 3 of those years and I don't trust them. They are not the party for single parents or ordinary working people. Not only will they hit us hard, they will also erode any rights we have in the workplace.

Not sure about your circumstances and whether you have sole custody, if you had 15 years ago with no help whatsoever then I think they would frighten you. It was the Tories that brought in the CSA, not sure if you read the news reports in the early days of this evil department.

I'm sure a party can change it's policies and be less radical, labour did/had to, but I haven't heard any promise of change, the promise of rewarding 'marriage' signifies the worst is yet to come.

X post, I meant your post of 9.29.

"Having two parents, in a stable loving family is better than being on your own".

Sorry but this statement of the bleedin obvious always really irritates me, because it frames the debate as if the choice is between stable loving families or being on your own.

Most lone parents are lone parents, because stable loving relationships weren't available to them - unhappy dysfunctional ones were.

No one ever says "Unhappy, dysfunctional chaotic relationships are better than being on your own". But in effect by promoting ALL marriage, whether stable, loving and joyful or unhappy, dysfunctional and abusive, you are saying that both models are equal of being supported by the tax-payer. But our families aren't.

I usually vote lib dem as we have a very strong lib dem mp in my constituency and i got slightly jaded with labour.

However lib dem say they will cut tax credits at 30K and over which where I live (london) is not a comfortable or even high income. So I may be voting labour

I only get the minimum tax credit but I rely on it. Plus I receive cb and minimal housing benefit even though I earn what would be classefied as good salary and receive maintenance.

Niceguy - I think your view of what constitutes a comfortable income may be skewed if you live outside London and SE eg my rent is over £1300 per month for a tiny little house. And that's at the cheap end for this area.

I agree with Eve as well about you being patronising about us not knowing who we are voting for - another one here who lived through previous Tory governments. I also give that warning to people considering voting for them.

Finally I heard David Cameron on radio today - he is a very convincing and smooth talker but a single dad rang in to ask why he can't get social housing (was in private rented) and DC said oh well surely some consideration should be given as you have dcs. He also talked about how more shared ownership would be built in London (enabling people to give something back).

I think those two statements shows how totally out of touch he is - the reason that people in private rented won't get social housing is on the whole they are deemed to be adequately housed so no prob to the council.

Secondly shared ownership is fine if you are younger and have no blip in your financial history but it is useless in my own case for example as due to bad credit (mainly due to exh) I won't be able to get a mortgage ever!!

What's wrong with building more affordable homes to rent?