Vote for local Tory candidate or spoil vote?

[popsicles2342]

Please can you explain how it works. Looks like the only decent candidate in my area is a Tory. Happens that she's a woman who understands sex-based rights. Labour didn't bother replying and Lib-dem spouted nonsense saying he understood the issue about single sex spaces but also that sex is not binary!

If I vote for the Tory candidate and she wins, will that 1. effectively keep her in (sounds good to me) 2. but also help keep Tories in power (not what I want)

Assuming Labour win, then won't it be ok to at least have a few Tory candidates that fight for sex-based rights? Or does it not work like that? I don't really understand how it all works!

One of the problems with voting Tory is you don't know what kind of Tory Party you're going to get. Only that you're definitely not going to get Sunak at the helm.

Their next leader could be one of their many TRAs who got us into this position.😬

No one - and I mean no one - would say this if a political party was planning to obliterate the meaning of race. Or remove the "indignity" that is non-disabled people not being protected as disabled people by handing them £5 pieces of paper.

We would rightly be horrified.

It's like women are a boring glob of white middle aged "Karens" who we can trample all over and they'll just have to accept it.

No. We are not a single glob and we won't accept it. We are different races and religions, different ages and have many or no children, we are married and we are divorced, we are nursery workers and we are SAHMs.

We are many different things but we are all female and we must be able to say we are, organise and have services and single sex spaces on the basis of our sex, and be able to keep men out. Yes, even those with their special papers.

Over my dead body will I lose these rights.

I don't understand, if the Tories win, does it really mean Sunak is out? Why would he be out if he wins?

Equally, is there any chance Starmer will go if Labour win? (is there hope?)

I’m in the same boat OP, I personally know my Labour candidate and he has a history of DV ( once when he was in a relationship with my friend ) he’s now married and they are both “apparently” happy (although she never looks it) but I can’t forgive what he put my friend through and the personal (verbal) attacks he made to me.

I would never vote reform and my Lib Dem candidate is another awful human being so I’m voting conservative and even though a lot of people on MN appear to believe voting Tory is worse than murder I’m glad you’ve done a post on it, my Tory candidate is a great bloke who has done and continues to do a lot in the local area and he fiercely supports women’s rights, everyone in my tiny part of the UK is struggling who vote for with our candidates and a few people that I know want to vote for the “greater good” so are voting Labour but I genuinely can’t think of doing that knowing my candidates history and background and their views on women’s rights

But surely they barely notice/care that the paper is spoiled and there's no recording of the reasons anyway?

Sunak is extremely unpopular with the party membership and the Tories are ruthless when it comes to defenestration leaders. I can't see Starmer being removed from his position if Labour win. He is credited with turning the party around and making them delectable after JC.

Also, the musical chairs style of government we've seen since 2016 is not normal in UK politics. It's chaotic, detrimental to the country and another reason not to vote Tory. We know Sunak will be out the day after the election and probably in California before the new school term begins. So another Tory leadership contest and change of direction straight after the election.🙄

Domestic Violence.

The last Labour government, introduced children's centres, more than doubled the amount of nursery places. Doubled maternity pay, doubled maternity leave and introduced paternity pay and leave. They introduced the right to request flexible work and strengthened protection for part time workers.

They increased support for carers of elderly and disabled relatives. Brought in new laws on domestic violence and strengthened victim support. They also brought in a national minimum wage – the biggest increase in women’s pay since the Equal Pay Act of 1975. The Labour government also introduced the Equal Pay Act. They invested in public services and had a large number of female MPs.

After 14 years, what have the Tories done for women and why do you want more of the same? The Tories stood by and let women's rights erode, they will continue to do so.

Everything you have beautifully summed up and written about in your excellent post are the exact reasons I’m voting Tory over the other god awful options I have in my area! Thank you x

Very eye opening.

Makes me think we should all just vote for the best local person irrespective of party.

But it also means we can't be lazy and have to do some research!

Labour are predicted a heavy majority. I think it’s fine to vote Tory to have them in opposition - nobody wants reform in opposition.

I agree with the others, Labour will probably get in. So if you have a candidate with a good track record of helping with local issues and seem like the best of all then vote for them whatever political party they are.

If you don't have a decent one, or they are new, then either spoil your ballot stating why, or vote conservative so there is a decent opposition party who can water down some of Labour's worse, and most harmful, policies. I'm in this category and will have to either spoil or conservative as they are all crap candidates. Seriously awful.

I have wrestled with the issue of wether to vote tactically or vote with my heart and have finally decided my heart wins. For your information the Conservatives have about as much chance of remaining in power as there is of winning the lottery so I wouldn’t let that worry you.

People were very blasé about Brexit as I recall. Look what happened there.

Really appreciate all your comments! I don't watch politics that closely so your knowledge and opinions are really valuable.

We're the same, kind of, except our Reform candidate is very outspoken on sex-based rights, as well as issues like the NHS (he works in finance in our local hospital) and our illegal migrant problem in our town (since several hotels were taken over by Government bookings with the illegal male migrants, we've seen a surge in stabbings, rapes, sexual assaults, muggings, robbery....our Tory candidate is very much "hands are tied" but Reform seem to actually care. Our Labour and Green candidates have just been banging on about ending the war in Gaza, or the envirnment, but nothing at all mentioned about women's rights, the NHS, and the sorry state of our policing/illegal migrant difficulties.

You still have a week, popsicles2342. Although I do understand the personal, internal tussle over this. It's really hard.

Agreed. And for these reasons I absolutely am voting Tory in this GE.

I grew up working class in a Northern industrial town, my parents and son are disabled, I work for the NHS , I am a pretty lefty liberal type- my natural political home should be Labour. Unfortunately they have made their disdain for women absolutely clear so they aren’t getting my vote.

I would do as you're planning to do, OP.

Disclaimer - I would probably say I am centre-right and have mostly previously voted Tory.

However, I am as disillusioned as most of the country is with the current situation. To be fair, I think world events have been particularly challenging, and would have been for any party, but the blatant lies, incompetency and corruption have been inexcusable.

I don't know how much things will improve under Labour and I am worried about a huge Labour majority, so in my view, as many sensible Opposition MPs there are, the better.

I dislike Starmer immensely - he comes across as a flaky, arrogant, misogynist.

And I disagree that his stance on gender and women's rights is a single issue - surely his inability to clearly understand and apply critical thinking to the issue (or his deliberate obscuring of it) is reflective of his overall ability, integrity and intelligence?

I am in Rosie Duffield's constituency, but actually still unsure who to vote for. She will likely win and obviously I do want her in Government... and I know the individual votes don't count, but it feels like voting for Labour is giving KS my support.

I won't vote Tory as the candidate is very inexperienced and actually TWAW.

I may still vote for Rosie or I am considering the Social Democratic candidate, though they don't seem particularly engaged and I don't agree with their whole manifesto.

I think there are good candidates in all (or most!) parties across the board and think it's a shame that the current system doesn't allow for more cross-Party working. It's a shame we can't pick n mix 😅

From what you say, you like her and it is just possible that she could win
in your area. If she did win, she would represent your area in Parliament even if Labour is in power ( which seems certain).

Conversely

My area has only ever been labour, there is no chance of Conservatives winning , but even though the Conservatives have been in power all these years, I have had a Labour MP.

If you have a good local MP, I would be inclined to vote for them personally, whatever their party. I also fear a huge labour majority and would like there to be plenty of GC representation in the HofC. That's a good enough reason in itself to vote tory if your local candidate shares your views. I wish we had more PFW and SDP candidates as this would be another way to make your voice heard.

There's currently little to no GC in the Commons. Why do you think that will change?

None?
You are wrong.

If the result is much better than expected for the Tories then Sunak might be left in place. If not there's a good chance of Kemi Badenoch becoming leader.
Nothing is certain, but if Starmer gets in with a huge majority I'm as sure as I can be that women's rights are going to be trampled all over. No one gets rid of a winning leader in the short term.

There is zero chance of Sunak remaining. The D-Day debacle was the final nail in the coffin and he'd be out only for the fact they couldn't replace him before the GE.

Round here it is likely to be between the LibDems and Labour. The Labour Candidate is a bit of a ranter. LibDem and Tory are new to the area. Both good at dealing with facts and both have good history with local campaigns.
Voting Tory is now a protest vote. That will be me.