Poll: Who will you be voting for on May 5th?

[bam0]

It's a tough call, I guess ..... but at least Howard hasn't taken the country to war, and lied through his teeth about the basis for it.

Whatever Tony "two-face" says about it, we've all seen the nature of the information presented to him about WMD, complete with the cautions and caveats about it's limited nature and reliability the intelligence community put on it, .... and we've seen the absolute certainty Blair turned that into when he told us about it.

It really infuriates me when I see him on tv apologising for "the intelligence being wrong", and yet no one takes him up on it, the intelligence clearly was not wrong, it just didnt fit with what he wanted so he lied to us and said it did.
I could never forgive him for such blatent contempt, and personally I consider it a treasonous act.

 

[Kainz]

Conservative here, have been voting them for a while now. Labour have done jack to my area except screw it up into a giant multiple kfc shop zone with refugees hanging outside almost every one. Been wanting to give someone else a chance for so long now.

 

[Haly]

Can't get off the hook that easily, m'dear. You said you prefer Blair to Howard.

I understand voting LD, but in light of Blair's immediate record, it doesn't explain prefering Blair to Howard.

In all seriousness, given the way Blair took this country to war, I can't think of much, or even anything, that would make someone less suitable for continuing as PM. Sure, I'm no Howard fan (and have given reasons why in the past), but I can't get over our PM taking this country to war on a lie. No matter how much of the night Howard has about him, he's vastly better than Blair.

Even if the war itself was still justified for other reasons (and that is VERY much open to debate, and only time will tell if the casualty count was worth it), the contempt Blair showed for the electorate in the way he presented the case makes him, in my view, totally ineligible to continue running this country if he is prepared to con the people over going to war, what won't he mislead, or spin, the people about?.

Did I?
I'm sure I didn't say I preferred Blair to Howard.....I tend to see them as about as bad as each other personally.
One's a liar and the other I wouldn't trust with a small child let alone a country.

Got to check back over my past posts now because I'm actually quite scared to think people think I prefer Blair

 

[AJUK]

I would like to ask those who voted for an Independent Candidate in this thread's poll, who they are and what is your reason?

 

[starscream]

This will be the third general election I've voted in. First of all, conservatives will win this poll as this forum is inherently right wing, but it’s not representative of the country. I think Labour will narrowly squeak it.

Conservatives: On principle I disagree with all their past policies like selling off Britain’s assets, industry, council housing etc. They appeal to people’s greed by hinting at reducing taxes but this will reduce the standard of public services as well. Their only policies seem to be opportunist and reactionary.

Labour: Voted for them in 1997 when I was 18. I generally think the country is in a better state that it was back then, and I'd consider voting for them again if Blair wasn't the leader. The fact is he deliberately lied and brought us into an illegal war. Also is far too 'in bed' with Bush

Lib Dems: Voted for last time and will do again this time. I agree with tax rises for people earning over 100k a year in return for student grants and improvements for pensioners. Also the LD's I think will strengthen our links with Europe rather than USA which I think is the direction we need to be taking.

Realistically what I would most like to see out of this election is a hung parliament.

 

[andi]

Apart from the war, I don't think Labour have actually done that badly. So for that reason, and because I can't stand Howard and because the Conservatives struggle to run a political party let alone a country, I'll vote Labour.

 

[HangTime]

I also think that its disrespectful not to vote, thousands of people have died just so that we can have a democracy and so that we can have the right to vote. I'm going to make use of it!

Not having a go at you in particular, as I've heard this from several people before, but this kind of attitude disgusts me. People fought and died for FREEDOM, not to make people feel forced into placing their tick on a piece of paper. Why should you have to profess support in the election for a party you do not necessarily think goes about things in the right way? People have the right to abstain from voting just as much as they do to vote. It really angers me when I see the same old arguments rolled out about how abstaining is disrespecting the dead.
How dare they try and bring something like that into a person's individual voting rights?
It's bordering on emotional blackmail, trying to make people feel guilty about not voting, a cheap way out rather than trying to tackle the issue head-on. Talk to people who don't vote. Find out the reasons why. Think about what can be done to reduce voter apathy, make them more aware of what can be acheived through democracy, basically BE ACTIVE in promoting an interest in politics. Help people understand what your party (if affiliated) stands for, what concrete measures they would take to improve the country. Raise awareness.

I can understand why many people choose not to vote. Modern politics is as much about mud-slinging and spin as it is about policy reform and facts. Then there's also the fact that the major parties have to try and please the masses, so in some cases you may find they have some policies and ideals you agree with, and others you don't. As an example, I used to be relatively liberal, I would have voted for the LDs in 1997 if it wasn't for the fact I was only 17. But I certainly don't agree with some of their more recent ideas concerning education. Then take the tories. I'm fairly right-wing these days in my views on the economy, but I'm not an out-and-out euroskeptic. In fact if Kenneth Clarke was in charge, I'd almost certainly be voting Conservative this year (I'm currently undecided). So it's easy to see why some people, faced with a whole wide range of issues, some of which they can't even comprehend, choose not to vote rather than actively do more research to help them reached an informed opinion about who to vote for. This certainly isn't helped by the attitude of many MPs, concentrating too much on slagging each other off, spending too much time telling us what the governments past and present have done wrong, rather than giving us concrete info on how they would rectify the situation.

In summation, aiming idle critisism at those who decline to vote with nothing more substantial than a dig at their supposed lack of respect for war heroes is simply too easy, its a throwaway comment. Explain and persuade, don't insult.

 

[Wintermute4075]

Conservatives 33% WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Liberal all the way

 

[Reesy]

'Not eligible for voting '

 

[Morba]

Not voting or voting for anyone other than Tory is a vote for Labour.

I wish people would look to the future and base an opinion on the last 5 years atleast rather than the last 20.

 

[AJUK]

Conservatives 33% WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Liberal all the way

Liberals on 22% is even more worrying. Fair play Labour are getting owned in this little part of the internet.

 

[Bigpops]

Abstaining.

I voted Labour last time. I don't trust any of the main parties. If there was a 'common sense' Party, i'd vote for them.

You know. One where the burglar gets banged up, instead of the home owner getting sued because the burglar broke his leg escaping over the fence. Where speed cameras are outside schools instead of long straight empty roads. Etcetera etcetera.

Vote Labour? Maybe, if they'd done their job a little better.
Vote Tory? Not if you threatened to boil me in oil.
Lib Dem? Not after the mess they made of running the local council, nevermind the country.

 

[HangTime]

Not voting or voting for anyone other than Tory is a vote for Labour.

Depends what constintuency you live in IMO. If you live in an area where the seat is primarily contested between Labour and another party (not the Tories), voting for that other party is in no way a vote for Labour. Some areas of Scotland for example, are fought out between Labour and the SNP. Quote how voting SNP in such a constituency is a vote for Labour, I'll never understand...

 

[AndrewP]

Depends what constintuency you live in IMO. If you live in an area where the seat is primarily contested between Labour and another party (not the Tories), voting for that other party is in no way a vote for Labour. Some areas of Scotland for example, are fought out between Labour and the SNP. Quote how voting SNP in such a constituency is a vote for Labour, I'll never understand...

Thats the situation in my constituency (Western Isles) Aside from the SNP and Labour, no-one gets more than 1,000 votes, and a local candidate could easily poll more than the Lib Dems and Conservatives - like if someone runs as a candidate who is against the proposed wind farms.

 

[Garp]

That said I am not a Labourite but I do believe that the conservatives would have taken the emphasis away from alternative curiculum by not recognising the need for it in the first place.

MB

I don't disagree with you there, and the creation of the LSC was a good thing(TM) in my opinion, and I reckon that only labour or lib dems (maybe) would even have initiated the consultation, but what is the use of a consultation if it is ignored? Its just a waste of time / money. The whole funding situation, however? Thats a farce and a half. The only aspect that seems to be getting any benefit from this government is adult ed, which whilst it is a valuable cause, is being bolstered to the detriment of the existing schools / coleges students. If things continue as they do so far, the need for adult ed in core areas will increase, rather than the specialisms the government wants to promote.

 

[SCM]

For those saying anyone who doesn't vote is wasting their vote are wrong in some cases. As i am in a Tory seat which is unlikey to be lost and as i'm not voting Tory my vote is meaningless as my vote will not make any difference to this area. If it was a PR system then yes my vote is wasted if i didn't vote but under the current system though me not voting here wont affect the result. As very unlikely there will be a masive labour swing here to unseat Ann Widdecombe.

SCM

 

[Matblack]

For those saying anyone who doesn't vote is wasting their vote are wrong in some cases. As i am in a Tory seat which is unlikey to be lost and as i'm not voting Tory my vote is meaningless as my vote will not make any difference to this area. If it was a PR system then yes my vote is wasted if i didn't vote but under the current system though me not voting here wont affect the result. As very unlikely there will be a masive labour swing here to unseat Ann Widdecombe.

SCM

But if we both did that then we reduce the chance of unseating the witch at all, and H will be voting LD I expect so between us we can make a difference.

People who vote for her have never met her or are clinically insane IMHO

MB

 

[nero120]

People who vote for her have never met her or are clinically insane IMHO

MB

Why, pray tell?

 

[Mr.T]

You can actual spoil your voting form if you feel that none of the parties are what you looking for. That way at least you are letting your views be known.

 

[R4z0r]

I wish this were the real election