Who to vote for as a feminist

[WorkingBling]

I am really struggling ahead of the elections. I have decided that commitment to feminist principals needs to be a strong part of my voting decision making process. But I honestly am not sure this helps.

Lib dems have terrible track record and while I like nick's wife, I can't vote for a party where there's only one woman I am impressed by.

Instinctively i am more of a labour supporter but with the exception of Harriet H I honestly feel underwhelmed by their female representation and view on women.

This leaves the conservatives. There are a number of woman in the party who impress me. But Dave doesn't strike me as a man who really believes in feminist principals.

Help please. All you lovely informed women must have some thoughts.

How many MPs do they have? Greens can not make a Government. Vote for a party that can make a difference.

The current government are failing in their promises to 'mend' the economy and their priorities are not stuff for women. Economy is about the movement of money and it's certainly not 'moving' round where we need it.

I was joking about the greens and their lone MP

was going to vote for them though until I read about their stance on prostitution on their own site

Not sure that the government as an elected body have as much power over The Economy as one might think. Interest rates are set by the Bank of England MPC, prices and inflation are set by the market, business values, housing prices are set by the market etc etc.

What governments have control of is "the public purse". This money is ours and I guess we have to decide which group we think are going to spend where we want them to.

Believe me, if the Tories had been in power in 2008, there would still have been a major market crash in this country and very probably a deep recession.

I agree there would have been a recession whoever was in but the fact that the govt went apeshit with the nation's credit card didn't exactly help. Nor did the fact that as a population we decided to live beyond our means on tick as well. Governments can't stop a global crash, but wise choices can make it a bit less painful.

I can't remember in my lifetime of voting (and I've been voting since the 1960s) any government of any party that seems to really "get" economics.

We'd really do better to let the country be run by successful business people and let the politicians decide why they want to spend the income on (only joking as it ain't gonna happen).

Sorry don't want to derail. Looks likely we will get a coalition anyway, so we will all get the government no one wants (think Italy).

It's because we'll get a coalition anyway that we should make the point that we care about the planet and we want it still there for our dc. With some trees and animals, if at all possible.

I'm going to vote Labour. In most areas a Green vote will just detract from Labour and leave it open for the Tories. This government is actively trying to dismantle public services and the NHS, which are major employers of women who also benefit from them.

I was going to vote Green, but their stand on prostitution has turned me right off, which is a shame, because I agree with pretty much everything else they talk about. I hate this blind spot people have.

God alone knows who I'll vote for now, but it won't be Tory and it definitely won't be that shower of shit UKIP.

It's been said already, but vote for the best option of your local MPs, nt for the party.

If they have been an MP before then they probably have websites that will give details of how they have voted and what questions they've asked.

I've just moved, and my local area has had the same MP for over 20 years. So not much going on here.

In the last election I voted for the candidate who had studied science, because I wanted more people in Parliament who understood how "proof" and "evidence" and things like that work.

I'm surprised some of you are voting Green (which is whom I intend to vote for). The Greens are very liberal, I would have thought you people would prefer a draconian nanny-state society where the Government sticks its nose into anything and everything.

Yes the Greens do support the decriminalisation of prostitution (The New Zealand model), but try and see their reasoning why.

greenparty.org.uk/leaders-blog/2014/11/01/pushing-prostitution-into-the-dark-is-no-way-to-keep-vulnerable-women-and-men-safe/

And their policies (including their stance on prostitution) are here:
policy.greenparty.org.uk/rr.html

They are also very supportive of gay rights.

You want the name of a party that supports criminalisation of prostitution? OK here you go- the BNP

"you people "

What, all one million of us, or whatever MN is at now?

"What, all one million of us, or whatever MN is at now?"

I meant most of the current regulars in the feminist section. I get the impression you want the Government having a big say in what citizens should do and what not to do.

I suppose if I were to reveal the Green party also want to decriminalise possessing very small amounts of cannabis for personal use that would put even more of you off voting for them?

It's been a year since Colorado legalised cannabis for personal use, I wonder if the sky has fallen down over there yet?

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/a-year-after-marijuana-legalisation-in-colorado-everythings-fine-confirm-police-9989723.html

Are you ok fayyive? You seem a bit get up!

Het up that should be

There are no parties which represent women in any way resembling a democracy, so if this is a deciding factor for you then there is literally no one to vote for. This kind of thing is why people spoil their ballots.

"ShirakawaKaede Tue 20-Jan-15 12:23:25
Green would be my choice, my one reservation is that they support legalization of buying sex - although whether they'd get that through is another matter."

You do realize buying and selling sexual services is currently legal in GB? (between consenting adults indoors except for brothels)

Another one who wishes she could vote for Stella Creasy! But I don't live in Walthamstow. Greens have the best feminist policies and women in charge. I don't know how any woman could vote for "calm down dear" Cameron.

If you disagree with a single greens policy, they decide them democratically, at the agm I believe(?) so you can join and vote against something you disagree with.

I'm not a Green Party member, and I don't have any strong views on whether prostitution should or should not be decriminalised. Just thought it might be useful to know!

I think there was a bit of an over-reaction to the "calm down dear" comment, but I also hope Cameron will be going out.

Thanks crispy, that is good to know and think about.

I actually didn't notice it's on feminist chat...

I don't think there's a broad feminist position on cannabis.