Arrgh, 7 candidates and not one I can vote for!

[DuesToTheDirt]

OK, so I know there have been a zillion threads on the election. But my last hope, the independent candidate, has published a manifesto and that possiblity is now down the toilet. For the past few decades I have voted Green or SNP. For this election I will have a choice of

1. Reform - right wing misogynists
2. Tories - right wing party who have done just so, so many awful things in their time in power, from Brexit to eye-tests in Barnard Castle to destroying the NHS
3. Labour - pants on women's rights, and I wouldn't trust Starmer as far as I could throw him
4. Lib Dems - also crap for women's rights. TWAW, easier process for a GRC blah blah
5. SNP - not a hope in hell after the GRR bill
6. Scottish Greens - completely batshit, even less of a hope in hell
7. Independent - no mention of sex/gender, dismissing of climate change worries (because jobs are more important, natch), and waffle about irrelevant trivial issues

I don't know what I'm hoping for from this thread. A pity party, maybe!

Are you looking at it from a national party level or a local constituency level?

In your case I'd do the latter. Sometimes someone can be a good constituency MP even when not a party you'd usually vote for.

With any specific concerns or issues you have, contact each local candidate with your questions on the issue and see what their response is.

In same boat, other end of the country. I cannot make up my mind what to do - not vote? Leave paper blank? Sticker it with my handy Adult Human Female stickers? Which is unfair on the perfectly decent candidates who do support biological sex but represent parties I just can't vote for. I wish there was an easy, obvious course of action but I can't see it.

Mainly national level.

I've had 2 canvassers. One was our local MP, who I emailed ages ago about women's rights and got no reply (I mentioned this more than once, and he said, "Oh, that's strange...") He also gave me the "trans people are vulnerable" stuff. The other person was canvassing on behalf of another candidate - he agreed with me but wasn't too clear on what the candidate thought. I passed over my email address for the candidate to email me. Still waiting (this was about a month ago!)

Those two parties are the main contenders for the seat, which is doubtless why they are the ones who've been round.

Yeah, same for me. Except there's an SDP and an SLP candidate. No Independent.

Was thinking Labour until this morning's news reminded me why I can't.

The value of having a good constituency MP is sometimes underrated. Someone approachable and available for their constituents, to listen to and take note of their concerns, and help with issues a constituent may be having. Even if it's not a party you want on a national level.

However if you feel you really don't want or can't vote for any of your local options @Nightingalenight then imo it's better to spoil your ballot than not vote at all. I believe freedom not to vote is as important as freedom to vote, but spoiling your ballot sends more of a message than not voting at all.

If spoiling, don't leave the paper blank or anything else ambiguous. Count staff try to work out, when a vote is unclear, whether the voter intended to vote for a particular candidate. So if you do spoil, it needs to be clear it's intentional. Write something like "I'm intentionally spoiling my ballot. None of the above". If you want to add a specific concern or issue, add that in after you write that.

@DuesToTheDirt Doesn't inspire confidence in them being a good constituency MP if the candidate hasn't bothered emailing you to answer your question. I suppose the person canvassing might've lost or forgotten to pass your email on?

I guess you can either pick the one you dislike the least (even if it's one of the parties with no chance in your constituency) or spoil your ballot.

I'm still undecided myself who to vote for. So far no canvassers here and only one candidate has sent a leaflet (despite apparently being a marginal seat).

I'm the same as you, maybe we are same constituency? Or it's just so dire across Scotland at the minute.

I'm not sure who to vote for, it's so depressing.

Maybe we are. Hi there!

I have been thinking about this a lot as well, with a similar range of candidates. Our constituency is so Tory - put it this way if the Tories lose this one, there'll be less than 10 Tory MPs returned. I exaggerate but not a lot.

I'm still undecided but am coming down slightly more on the side of removing the Tories at all costs is the main goal and therefore will have to vote for the party which gives the best change of un-seating them and that's the Lib-Dem's. I'm not keen on them but I can't vote Labour, Reform or Green. I like the sound of the Social Democrat candidate and their manifesto reads well but they would get about 7 votes.

Have toyed with joining the Labour party to pursue change from within, but I don't think I've got the energy sadly.

I'll probably change my mind again before the 4th....

@Againname, yes they might have lost my email. But given their party line it's unlikely I'd vote for them anyway.

I don't really think I can vote for the one I "dislike the least" as women's rights are a line in the sand for me, so that rules out all the left-wing parties. Tory, hmm... no, not when I remember all the things they've done.

I spoiled my ballot in the last (council) election and will probably do so again.

@DPotter I once changed my mind in the ballot booth! I obviously hadn't prepared very well lol. I looked down the list, saw there was a Green candidate and voted for them. (I think it was Robin Harper, who has since left the Greens on account of their batshittery.)

I'm Tory/LD marginal, likely to flip LD. There's also

Labour who I emailed and might have voted for if they do respond, but with today's new it's not bloody likely. Unlikely to win regardless.
The Worker's Party (candidate has blue hair 😲) and isn't that Galloway's lot?
The Greens 🤣 🤡 although tbf I don't know anything about the individual's personal views.
An independent who's focused on climate and Gaza.

And, nearly forgot, Reform.

My 'be kind' sprogs will probably vote Green or Labour. I'm hoping to encourage my fella to vote Labour too, that should see all their votes safely wasted.

I'm torn between spoiling my ballot or even <shudder> voting for my current Tory who at least supports the official Tory line on gender.

I keep checking my birdbath every morning but, so far, Ed Davey hasn't thrown himself into it.

Sympathy. I have an Alba candidate and am wondering whether that's where to put my vote - manifesto not out yet, will read it carefully. (I know, Alex Salmond, I'm not a fan. Still.) If not I think I'll be ballot spoiling, which I don't really approve of, but it's a small step better than just staying at home.

I found out that we have a Party of Women candidate. It's possible I'll vote for her. Or else I'll spoil my ballot.

Women's sex-based rights are my concern and will influence my vote.

Same here. Not one candidate I can vote for. I’ll be spoiling my vote again. I’m so disappointed Alba don’t have a candidate standing in my constituency. I’m not big on independence but at least they know what a women is. Alex Salmond sure has his faults but I hope he gets a seat in Scottish parliament elections next year. He’ll wipe the floor with the whole lot of substandard politicians we have now. I could never vote Tory and will never forgive SNP for the utter shitshow recently. I had labour canvasser at door who ‘didn’t know’ their candidates view on single-sex spaces for women- really!! I can guess then what her views are. Go JK Rowling. What a star!

As we keep getting told Labour is getting in, we could all focus on voting for whichever local candidate stands for women's rights.

So when the Big Fight for the rights of women & girls & LGB begins post election, at least we have as many pro women MPs in parliament whatever their party.

That's it. That's all I've got.

Vote Labour you know it makes sense

I wish I had a POW candidate - I'd absolutely be voting for her.

Signing up to the pity party. This is the bakers shop window of decorated turds I have to choose from:

-the usual suspects (Labour, Conservative, Lib Dems, Green)
-Farage's nutters
-Galloway's nutters
-Christian right wing nutters

I can't see any other option than spoiling my ballot. I was wondering about quoting some Chaucer for a bit of variety.

If you vote Labour, you're saying "Let's improve the country while ignoring women and girls"

If you vote Tory, you're saying "I'm going to stand up for women and girls. A world which doesn't can burn"

It would be great if Labour loose due to this issue. But we'll pay the price either way

Yes, I have been agonising in the same way.
My choices are:
Tory female MP with a big majority, who’s not here much but at least has replied very positively to my emails about women’s rights, plus a very young Labour male who hasn’t replied to me and did have he/him in his Twitter bio, Lib Dems, Greens, Reform, plus a couple of odd independents for Freedom and Democracy and also Heritage. If the Communist party were standing I’d vote for them!
I'm currently thinking of best ways to spoil the ballot - ‘#LabourLosingWomen’ or ‘Rosie Duffield’ are my current favourites.

I'm a pensioner and I’m horrified for my generation that after all these years of going on marches for abortion rights and fighting for equal pay, pensions, better health care for women and babies etc, we now have to worry about whether we’re safe when we go to the loo or we’re in hospital. I’m also very concerned that my grandsons are going to learn all this gender nonsense at school. One of them will quite happily believe that he can be a dinosaur.

I think Labour are going to win regardless but this issue could still erode some of their majority.

I would have voted Alba, but there is no candidate in my constituency. I ended up voting tactically as the current MP is a complete toe-the-line SNP nonentity, and we could do with a lot fewer of those. Will probably still win though. :-(