“Maybe the Labour Party isn’t for you”

[tabbycatstripy]

A writer on Twitter says she asked her local Labour Party candidate ‘the question’ on the doorstep. Apparently defining a woman wasn’t a problem for him. But when the prospective voter wanted to discuss single sex spaces (I think the example given was a single sex grammar school for girls in an area that has two for boys already, and whether it should have to admit ‘trans girls’) the answer was “Maybe the Labour Party isn’t for you.”

Already a bunch of TRA responses accusing her of stoking up the culture war.

When the fact on the ground is that there is ALREADY double the provision in place for male children that exists for female children, it is not stoking a culture war to ask whether even more of those resources should be given to males. It’s just asking questions about things female people care about.

But then maybe the Labour Party isn’t for me.

It would be worth writing to everyone again, telling them who you are voting for and why.
I think that the local councils can do a lot to improve the situation for women and girls in hospitals, care homes, refuges, schools etc. But many don't seem to be willing to have a conversation with women about these things.

"It would be worth writing to everyone again, telling them who you are voting for and why."

Great suggestion.

I will also point out that women have handed out 100s and 100s of leaflets to men and women to local Ward voters, and that we aren't going away anytime soon!

That’s fine, my vote is not for Labour

Altjough I don’t think it will impact them that much over other issues that get press I’m grateful for getting understanding from others on here

My feelings entirely. I am grateful there's no voting happening in my Borough because I honestly wouldn't know what to do.

I have no idea what to do either.

I cannot vote for Labour any more, they have no respect for women. I used to be a member but I can't see myself ever voting for them again.

Our local councillor (Tory) is actually married to the local Tory MP. I actually think he's a decent MP and does a good job locally. Whenever I've emailed him I get quick, reasonable responses, and he took lots of time to speak when he knocked on the door. Labour never even bother. He has indicated that both he and his wife are GC. So if I voted for her in the local elections I would be voting for a GC candidate.

I just don't know anymore. I can't stand so many things about the Tories yet there is real sense finally coming from BJ, SJ, RS. I also am glad we had the Tories in power throughout the pandemic rather than Labour, it would have been even worse.

Spoil my ballot paper? I'm certain that labour definitely aren't for me anymore. It's unthinkable but I may vote Tory.

Are you allowed to write why on the ballot paper, or does that make it spoilt?

Are you allowed to write why on the ballot paper, or does that make it spoilt?

Here's some advice from Voting Counts, LunaLovegoodsNecklace.

votingcounts.org.uk/spoilt-ballot

I have been to a couple of counts in the past and that post is consistent with my experiences. The candidates or their agents do see the doubtful/spoiled ballots and I personally think it sends a powerful message.

In your position, if I thought that the vote was going to be very tight and I really did not want another candidate to win, I might not risk writing on the ballot paper in case it was discounted but most parliamentary or local elections do not have such tight margins and voters generally know if they live in a marginal council or parliamentary seat.

Thank you @nettie434, that's interesting to read.

I've said this about the MP as well but I'm almost glad to live in a safe Tory seat/council ward where the MP actually is alright. Guaranteed to be Tory here every single time so my vote makes no difference.

I think I'll spoil my paper for that reason and write about women's rights all over it.

It wouldn't be unthinkable to me, Luna. The Tories are in power and can support and effect change for women. In your shoes decent politicians like your describe would be where my x went, & I've never voted Conservative.

@ScribblingPixie you're right- I think what I mean is I can't believe that I, who was a fully paid up member of the LP before, would consider voting for them. It's so far from my own politics. I don't judge anyone who feels differently.

Although I suppose now, maybe i am more aligned with them. Women's rights and the safeguarding of children is of equal importance to me as the cost of living and poverty etc. Once we lose those rights, they won't come back.

I returned my ballot by post. I spoiled it. Wrote all over it. Very childish, but no regrets. I just scribbled next to each candidate's name why I can't vote for them. I'd do it again, too.

I've just done the same, in red felt tip. It feels so wrong, but better than just binning the ballot paper.

So much about today’s Labour Party reminds me of Gordon Brown’s encounter with Gillian Duffy. She told him she was worried about immigration, he called her a bigot.

-> Labour lost the election because it didn’t listen to people -> the country voted for Brexit, mostly because of immigration worries. When politicians ignore what the people care about, things go wrong.

The Labour party isn’t for me, either, because of their irrational desire to give woke trans lobbyists anything they want, at the expense of women’s rights and children’s safeguarding. Plus Kier has failed as a leader.

But how can the Tories be for me when I absolutely despise Boris Johnson and his band of incompetents?

And how can I vote Liberal or Green when their stance on women’s rights is just as bad as Labour?

Ugh.

Where I live it's a two party race, Labour don't even bother leafletting. I can't vote Tory as they have plundered the council into billions of debt. So it's the LibDems with their bizarre women-hating, or a spoiled ballot, or not voting at all. I was going to hold my nose and vote LD but their behaviour on Twitter over the Respect my Sex husting leaflets was just so nasty.

Sometimes I feel a bit hopeless and wonder if feminists (or just women like myself) writing here are living in an echo chamber. My ex-H just reads the Guardian and has no idea that any of this is going on, he and has wife have Labour posters in their window and will continue to vote Labour over and over because they see this as the righteous option. Righteous = recycling their wine bottles and driving 2 huge cars). So whilst I think an exodus of Labour women from the Party will hurt, will the numbers make difference?

Thank you @nettie434
That is very interesting as I am torn between spoiling my ballot and voting for the Conservative candidate. I think I might spoil/write my reasons now I know the candidates will see them. Although I suspect the beardy local Labour guy will automatically just dismiss my ramblings.

Proper pissed off that Labour are so condescending and useless now. They are less of a serious political party and more of a student union think tank these days !!!

this sums it up for me too.

Thankfully, we have an independent standing. though I am also going to take a pen and adorn the bvallot paper with slogans. the stubby pencil they provide is far to loud scratchiung away.

nitter.net/Obsolesence/status/1227376875997102081#m

mobile.twitter.com/CllrJeanieBell/status/1227369172688080898

This is one of my Labour councillors. I saw the pronouns and thought, "Well, she's probably just trying to be nice. Live and let live" etc. Then investigated further. I don't mind women having different opinions to me. I do object when they think my differing opinions mean I should be thrown out of the Labour Party. Clearly will not be voting for her.

Had a Libdem canvasser round, asked him to tell me what a woman is, he declined. When I said that I was sick of TWAW rubbish he tried to tell me that his party was doing a lot to address the violence towards women and I told him that if a trans women attacked a woman it would be put on the statistics as a woman on woman attack . Think that I will probably spoil my ballot paper, its a two horse race in my borough between Tory and Libdem.

I'm in Wandsworth - high profile Conservative council that Labour seems to be in with a chance of winning. I've never voted Conservative, but I really can't bring myself to vote Labour this time round either. I think I will spoil my ballot - any suggestions for making my reasons clear? There are varying reports on whether anyone actually looks at spoiled ballot papers.

It really depends on the circumstances of the ballot count at the time. In my experience of working at many, the candidates and/or agents are often crowded around the tables for their ward throwing their weight about making sure that things are above board. As a count supervisor I would hold up a spoiled ballot to make it clear that it is spoiled. So make sure you write clearly (see my use of red felt tip above ) and there is a chance it will be read. I suspect contacting the candidates and telling them why you didn't vote for them would be a good idea too.

Also, I think a higher than usual amount of spoiled ballots would give everyone pause for reflection. I don't know if enough women will be doing this for it to register though. It's still better than throwing your ballot in the bin or not turning up.

I always vote - I don't want to just not turn up, I want them to know why they didn't get my vote. I'll look into contact details for the candidates.

@AutumnSquill last time I took a sticker saying 'if you don't respect my sex, don't expect my X'.
It saved me spending ages scribbling in the booth.

Good thinking EdithStourton. I've found a survey form on the Wandsworth Labour website so I can add some comments there, but since I've also voted Green and Lib Dem at various times in the past, I'd like them all to know why they're not getting my vote now.