I just don't know who to vote for!!!!

[PCCmember]

The election is in less than a week and I keep going round and round in circles not being able to decide who to vote for! I've quite politically engaged and I used to be an active member of a political party, but this time I really can't decide who to vote for. It's such a dismal choice and all parties have pretty negative aspects to their policies that I would find difficult to vote for. However personally I would prefer to vote for a candidate rather than spoil my ballot (totally respect those who chose to do so though!) even if I can only agree with some of their policies. This means choosing the least worst option, but I just can't seem to decide what this should be!

My constitutency is an incredibly safe Labour seat and the sitting MP will be re-elected. The choice facing me is as follows:

Liberal Democrat - This is the party a few years ago I would have described as my political home. However I quit the party over their complete disregard for women's and girl's rights to single-sex spaces. I have done the vote for policies quiz and it is stil the party whose policies I most strongly identify with (50%). I agree with their policies on democracy, economy, education, energy, health and social care, tax, immigration and transport. Given that no party will ever 100% align with my views if I am looking for the closest match, it should be the Lib Dems. But of course I completely disagree with their policies to introduce gender self-ID, end the spousal veto and to recognise non-binary identities in law. My local candidate is a (very) young man who has in the past called on Rosie Duffield to "reflect and say sorry".

Climate Party - A single issue party. I can't find any reference to their views on sex-based rights/gender identity. Can't find much about the local candidate.

Conservative - I don't have a strongly ideological objection to voting Conservative - indeed I have done so in the past. They were my second party (30% agreement) in the vote for policies quiz. However I don't feel that I can vote for this Conservative party due to their some of their policies - particularly immigration (Rwanda policy), the national service policy and the planned cuts to Higher Education (which is the industry which I work in!). However I of course support the policy to amend the Equality Act to make it clear that sex = biological sex. The local candidate has also made it unequivacably clear that he supports women's rights to same sex care, sports and services.

Reform - no thanks.

A completely random independent youtuber who seems to have got people to legally change their name to his so that he can stand in 11 constituencies!

Labour - I haven't been impressed at all by Keir Starmer's responses to the sex/gender issue and the shameful treatment of Rosie Duffield by him and his party. I also have a DD who is about to start secondary school at an Independent school so I just don't feel that I can vote Labour. The sittting MP (who will be re-elected) is a shadow deputy minister and is very much in the same vein as Keir Starmer (he used to be his deputy at one point). He avoids engaging with this issue and when he does he waffles about "safe spaces".

Worker's Party - George Galloway's Party. No thanks.

Green - although I do agree with some of their policies around public transport and PR, the party as a whole is too far left for me and the local candidate is TWAW.

So writing this out has made it clear to me that it's probably got to be either LD or Conservative, but I really can't decide which! If I were a single issue voter the choice would be easy, but other issues such as education, immigration, transport, health etc are all important too and I just can't decide which way I should hold my nose. Anyone else feeling completely unable to decide?

I've become a single issue voter.

It seems Labour is a shoe in and they are in a massive muddle about sex & gender & womens rights.

I'm hoping we can get as many sex realist MPs whatever party they are with. And parties are all split on this issue.

My labour candidate doesn't know what women are. The Tory does and he has been very supportive & responsive over the years when I've contacted him. I will hold my nose & vote Conservative for the first time ever.

What mad times we are living in.

I agree entirely, but I'm not in Rosie Duffield's constituency - that's another thread! If I were, I probably would vote for her especially as bizarrely the Tory candidate there seems to be TWAW.
I also work in a very captured industry so I sympathise entirely!

This is where I maybe heading (or maybe not - I keep changing!) As you say being in a safe seat does come with a certain freedom and I can perhaps justify it that I'm voting on this issue only and not for all the other stuff and it doesn't matter as Labour will win anyway. However, the tory candidate, although he is very clear on this issue, he has an interesting background and seems a decent chap, he isn't local and he's clearly just standing here to gain experience standing in an unwinnable seat. So is he the best person for the local area? But again perhaps that doesn't matter as he won't win? Arghh.... decisions!

Our Labour candidate looks like a 12 year old. He obviously isn’t but Labour haven’t fielded a strong candidate whereas Reform, LD and Tory have. We have a very prominent Tory MP in a stronghold and an area with a tiny majority that voted leave.

This is the first election (I’m almost 60) that I’m not automatically voting Labour and it feels weird, strange. I’m so so conflicted. Dh is voting Tory or LD but he also feels what’s the point. I can’t bring myself to do that at the moment.

if enough of us spoil because we feel there is no suitable candidate, they might be noticed. If you have someone who has been good on the issues that concern you vote for them.

Our boundaries have changed
My last MP was excellent. He was a Tory but the way he worked for the constituency was tireless. He was also prominent leave campaigner but apart from that I thought he was superb. He’s standing down as he no longer believes he can do good with the way the Tory party currently is. I didn’t agree with him on a lot of things but he was super.

I understand the sentiment but I don't think that will make anyone listen. I don't expect a party to align with me on every single issue and I also need to look at what affects other things like the NHS and people who are really struggling. For example personally, my DH has been out of work for months and I need the economy to have a boost. I can only see labour having the resources to do that. My vote has previously gone in to the ether of a safe Tory seat but this time the smug git should get unseated (and win his bet unfortunately)

I ended up voting Labour, because I think the Tories have done so much damage to the country that I want them out and Labour are the only alternative. I think if the Tories have 5 more years in power, our public services will be damaged beyond repair - and we may not have anything recognisable as the NHS any more.

My Labour MP seems to be a good constituency MP. I don't know his views on gender. Boundary changes mean the constituency has more Tory voters in it now, so I voted for him to keep out the Tory.

It was either that or spoil my vote, but after reading here about the experiences of poll workers who say that the parties probably don't read what you write on a spoilt ballot paper, it didn't seem worth it.

There were no alternative candidates to vote for - I used to vote LibDem, but certainly wouldn't vote for them now because of their position on gender. Greens' position on gender - absolutely not. Reform - no way. And of the independents, one is anti-abortion and I don't know what the others stand for.

So, reluctantly, it was Labour. But when they start trying to push through anti-woman legislation, I will be fighting it, in whatever way I can.

Not voting wasn't an option - I care too much that people fought for decades to get me the vote and I will always use it. I'm currently away from home, and when it looked as if my postal vote wouldn't arrive before I left, I was planning to drive home on polling day to pick up the postal vote and take it to the polling station.

I posted this on the other thread

This has been driving me mad. Always voted Labour but did spoil my ballot last time. I'm in a safe Tory seat but my vote counts to the percentages, so I, for one time only will vote Tory. My guy is ok and understands my points of view and doesn't misunderstand the debate. I am absolutely terrified of Reform so I can kill two birds with one stone. Sorted, but I never thought I would put a cross beside a Tory candidate. How times change.

Now I've made my decision, I feel much better

That's one of the issues with our system. I can't vote for the party I'd prefer to because they don't have a candidate in my constituency. Labour will win this seat, there's no doubt about that so I'm minded to vote tory just to send a message and hurt reform (they could take 2nd here)

Having just checked up to date poll reform are going to be 2nd here, won't hurt labours majority though

i can see the concern over the NHS and public services but the ultimate issue is whether a Labour supermajority is good for women and girls. If you think the answer to that is no then vote tactically if you can to prevent it except if it means either a Lib Dem gets in or an candidate of what ever party who is a gender identity evangelist .

the problem we have with all parties is the lack of MPs these days who have had a real
job outside politics. If we had more M
ps who had worked in public services they would be better whatever party .

However we have to think of the calibre of some of the inexperienced Labour candidates many whose experience comes from charities and quangos who we know are captured and are likely to be gender extremists. Starmer cannot answer the questions put to him on women's rights which suggests there is a behind the scenes deal and a Labour supermajority risks him being outed and a raft of more extreme. MPs running amok with no effective opposition We've not had that before in British politics and it is scary

I wish the press would delve into the background of some of these new Labour candidates and subject their views on women's rights to full scrutiny as that to me is the real risk here. Like one of those films where the heroine is engaged in a duel with one foe and doesn't notice the army of baddies creeping up behind her ....

@BaronessEllarawrosaurus

I'm not sure what to do!!

I'm sorry but they won't notice.

Spoiling just does not make the slightest blip on the radar, although I can empathise with the desire to make a protest.

I'm in a safe SNP seat. Pray for me.

Thoughts and prayers, ooft.

I'm also in an SNP seat. I think I'm going to vote Labour but I'm not entirely comfortable with that decision.

What is the up to date poll you checked please? That may help me make my decision- I’ve googled but can’t have got confused TIA

https://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/

Supposedly very accurate reports/predictions.

https://www.getvoting.org/

Maybe biased towards 'Remain' but still may be useful for working out tactical voting, seeing who is second, etc. (edited for wrong link)

Actually this site looks worthwhile, too and is supposedly non partisan:

pollingreport.uk/

I’m also struggling. I have changed my mind on who to vote for almost daily!

People say vote for your local MP - well my local MP is Conservative and she has been absolutely brilliant! No joke. She has made some amazing changes to our local infrastructure & helped create many jobs. And yes, I am shocked as well.

But I would feel guilty voting Tory. Concerned voting Labour and shame voting Reform, Lib Dems and the rest are just pointless.

Obviously Labour will win anyway regardless of what I decide

Thank you!

The pollingreport site seems a bit clearer about what polls its basing its stats on.

Spoil my paper.

My conscience won't let me do otherwise

And tells me that my constituency is a very close race between SNP and Labour ....

Geez, it's even worse if you feel your vote may actually make a difference.

This is a negative election (for the first time in my voting life). I don't think I am voting positively for any party but I definitely am dreading a Labour super-majority government so I will vote for the candidate best placed to beat the Labour MP (bit of a forlorn hope). I'm in a previously safe Tory seat but this time the polls have Labour to take it unfortunately. I don't like Starmer. He supported Corbyn and won't have changed his views since the last election. It's amazing how everyone seems to have blotted that memory out but that's the fault of the Conservatives that they have made themselves an even worse looking option!

As an aside, Sir Keir has a title but he's a socialist which does not sit well with me re whether his principles are really genuine. Maybe it's a good thing for the country that he might not be a genuine socialist after all 🤷‍♀️