London Mayoral election – voting as gender-critical

[PotteringPondering]

I’m voting in the London mayoral election on 2 May, and interested to know how others plan to vote.

I’m gender-critical and the only candidate I think I can vote for is Amy Gallagher, the former Tavistock whistleblower.

She’s SDP (ie relatively small minority party), so I guess won’t stand much chance of being elected. But a strong vote for her would signal a resurgence of the only party consistently against gender ideology (other than KJK’s new Party of Women, who are not standing in the mayoral election).

The sdp are very clear in supporting single sex spaces as far as I am away, on the website they have a section about it in their manifesto

Was it the scare-quotes you didn’t understand, or the word “probably”? Or both?

Correction.
May I say I am impressed that you know what Khan probably believes even though you say that no one has asked him a question on the subject.

Khan is frequently on record stating TWAW, so I can’t see it’s a big conceptual leap to think he believes women can have penises (as most TW do) or am I missing something..?

You’re not missing anything. @JessS1990 is apparently easily impressed by fairly straightforward logical conclusions.

😂. Did I say no one has asked him? Or did I ask if anyone has asked him? I can’t remember now. Though I do remember I looked it up after the post and found that my probably was a definitely and no surprises there.

Khan definitely thinks women can have penises. Moronic Labour thinking that that is.

Have only just heard (shows how much I pay attention to detail) that the voting is FPP. So suspect many smaller parties wont get votes as some of their supporters will want to ensure that what for them is the lesser of 2 evils get voted in.

Statements from some of the candidates:

You should always choose the lesser of two weevils.

You should always choose the lesser of two weevils.

Does feel a bit like that.

I see the Tory candidate (who is so laid back I wonder if she is just participating in her sleep) is promising a Women's Commissioner for London.

Susan Hall is as thick as two short planks.

Nice to see a Master and Commander reference!

I've just posted my vote - voted for Khan, with a peg on my nose, in the absence of any viable alternative.

Official 'London Elects' booklet has now arrived. It appears Londoners have three votes:

• Mayor of London.
• Constituency Assembly Member (named individuals, representing bigger constituencies than Westminster elections).
• London-Wide Assembly member (a vote for party rather than individual).

Will absolutely be voting for Khan again, and have seen quite a bit on my socials of different social groups urging people to vote him in again as there are lots of angry ULEZ voters now so he isn't necessarily a safe seat.

I voted SDP last time. But they have morphed into another Reform party so I can't do that again.

I got my catalogue of bleak through the post this week. Was interested in the SDP candidate until she mentioned "woke" and ULEZ. Quite intrigued by the independent Natalie Campbell, so will look her up when I get a moment.

Will have to spoil my ballot for the Constituency section, as it's just the usual suspects. I regularly voted Green here in ye olden dayes when they were an environmental party. Genuinely considering voting Communist for the London-Wide assembley option.

One the first things I noticed about the SDP when I looked them up was their plan to prioritise married couples for social housing.

This is, imo, a problem for women's rights. Particularly domestic abuse victims. I have a family member who experienced domestic abuse. She's returned to her husband several times and housing is one of the main reasons why. SDP might not have thought it through but their policy to prioritise married couples would directly negatively affect domestic abuse victims (who would be single if they leave their abusive husband or partner) particularly as housing is such a major barrier to leaving.

This makes me unable to see the SDP as a friend of women's rights or safety

I will add that I don't see Sadiq Khan as a champion of women's rights either. If I was voting in the London mayoral elections I'd be inclined to spoil my ballot or try one of the independents if they seemed decent enough

Khan is a misogynist imo, but I like some of his unrelated policies. Hall seems very trumpian, I would not personally be prepared to vote for her. The greens are full on gender zealots. If I were going to spoil my ballot (I’m not) I’d probably draw in a box for “Germaine Greer - Women’s rights/Men are not women party.“ and tick that.

I'm still pondering the weevils ....

It's from Master and Commander by Patrick O'Brien:

"Two weevils crept from the crumbs. 'You see those weevils, Stephen?' said Jack solemnly.

I do.'

Which would you choose?'

There is not a scrap of difference. Arcades ambo. They are the same species of curculio, and there is nothing to choose between them.'

But suppose you had to choose?'

Then I should choose the right-hand weevil; it has a perceptible advantage in both length and breadth.'

There I have you,' cried Jack. 'You are bit - you are completely dished. Don't you know that in the Navy you must always choose the lesser of two weevils? Oh ha, ha, ha, ha!"

So who would be the best for women? Susan Hall sounded quite strong on that.

Natalie Campbell interesting but vague.

Binface is high on my list.

So who would be the best for women?

I actually wonder whether there is anything within the Mayor's remit that they could do.

We know from Sadiq Khan's treatment of Joan Smith that he is just tokenistic, and fear that other candidates will off women what suits their party line.

The Tory candidates proposal for a Commissioner for Women could either be a Tory stooge, or (unlike) an independent official who convenes meetings and consultations with women across London and feeds them back.

The SDP candidate may be gender critical, but not necessarily a feminist.

So which is lesser of two weevils?

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Decision made. I will vote for Amy Gallagher (SDP) in the London Mayoral Elections.

I'm not an SDP member, and have no links to the party. My thinking is as follows:

• As noted above, a party's views on gender ideology for me has become a litmus test. It indicates how they view freedom of speech and women's rights, how swayed they are by current fads, their understanding of truth etc. Labour have moved, but not far enough. And a lot of their young activists are rabid when it comes to gender ideology.

• Greens and Lib Dems are now far more extreme than Labour on gender ideology. I'm a former Lib Dem and Green voter, but no longer.

• I'm not convinced by the Tory candidate Susan Hall.

• I can't vote for a joke candidate with a bin on his head.

• So I'll vote Amy Gallagher in the Mayoral vote (pink ballot paper), and SDP in the London-wide party ballot (orange ballot paper). Genuinely unsure who to vote for in the Constituency ballot (yellow ballot paper).

Thanks to all who have contributed to this thread.

Get out there and vote for what you believe in!

I know we wont hear the results until tomorrow but one newspaper is saying that out of 6 million registered to vote in London only 2 million did.

If that's truethen whoever wins, it wont really be possible to say that Londoners wanted them ....