UK General Election 2015: Who will you vote for?

[dust]

Haven't been paying much attention in here, but it looks like there's no topic about this yet.

 

A week to go.

 

I guess that some of the choices above won't be getting votes from people on here, but we must be fair -- these are the top 10 parties by number of seats (shifting Green into Alliance Party's spot because I might actually consider voting Green). And I've tried to think of other realistically applicable options.

 

Please only vote here if you're actually British or living in the UK!

 

I'm curious to see both how many people here are (British/living in the UK) and what kind of votes we'll be casting.

Edited April 29, 2015 by dustybeijing

[dust]

I voted Lib Dem last time. Purely because I like Clegg. His background, and his perspective, is... impressive.

 

Not sure what to think of Lib Dems now though. They have accomplished some, but...I feel like a more extreme option is needed.

 

Perhaps I'll vote Green.

[Apech]

I voted Lib Dem last time. Purely because I like Clegg. His background, and his perspective, is... impressive.

 

Not sure what to think of Lib Dems now though. They have accomplished some, but...I feel like a more extreme option is needed.

 

Perhaps I'll vote Green.

 

 

Cleggy is a closet Tory IMO.

[Jetsun]

Well the Tories are mostly interested in getting themselves and their privileged friends rich, Labour still have people like Ed Balls who were largely responsible for screwing things up last time, the Lib Dems don't stand for anything any more. Whoever we choose unless you are a millionaire you are going to get shafted.  

Edited May 1, 2015 by Jetsun

[Apech]

Anyway sod the election ... whatserface has just had a baby!!!!

[dust]

Cleggy is a closet Tory IMO.

 

Is that (in your opinion) bad?

[Apech]

Is that (in your opinion) bad?

 

well yes for two reasons.

 

1) he pretends to be otherwise

 

2) being a Tory is evil

[dust]

Well...you're not wrong with your #2 there. Pretty sure I still like him though. Comparing the main manifesto points yesterday, I side mostly with Green and Lib Dem.

 

A UKIP vote up in the poll here... has me intrigued...

[Jetsun]

UKIP are basically Tories. They are funded by an old Etonian who used to fund the tories and Farage is a publicly educated banker.

[Apech]

UKIP are basically Tories. They are funded by an old Etonian who used to fund the tories and Farage is a publicly educated banker.

 

 

I think you mis-spelled that last word.

 

Its odd that in the last election there was Cleggmania because basically he wasn't either Labour or Tory ... and this time we have Nicola Sturgeon as the most popular person most people can't vote for.  So it seems that there's a huge feeling of wanting something different ... which is unfulfilled.  There's Tory, there's Labour Tory, or UKIP Tory, they all merge into one somehow.  And the leaders are all PR specialists ... everything they say is scripted and repetitive ... dull, dull, dull ... in the old days you could look forward to some off the cuff banter or witticism but not any more.  And its been going on for nearly 100 days!  Long enough to attain enlightenment through semen retention ... or something.

[Rara]

I won't vote.

 

As long as they keep out of my life, I will keep out of theirs

[Nikolai1]

even russell brand is saying vote labour!

[dust]

Isn't Russell more pro-Green?

 

I watch his Trews fairly often. I like him. But I do think that urging people who believe in the same things that he does (e.g. compassion, equality, self-actualization) not to vote is urging a large part of the population to give way to those voting on the other side (e.g. rich wankers, xenophobes, people who hate any kind of change)

 

 

 

As long as they keep out of my life, I will keep out of theirs

 

I know what you mean, and I have considered not voting, but... do they?

 

Surely the political system affects you?

[Nikolai1]

No Brand is telling everyone to vote Labour, except in Brighton where they must all vote Green to keep their 1 MP.

 

[Apech]

I think Russel Brand has been conned by the fact that Miliband went to be interviewed by him.  Although he does seem to be saying do anything to keep the Tories out ...which is understandable.

 

 

BUT I predict a Tory victory (although maybe not an outright majority) because people are naturally cautious and they don't quite know what they will get with Labour now.  I hope I'm wrong.

[Nikolai1]

I predict Tories to win on seats but Labour and Lib Dems to govern. Which is also exactly what I want to happen but without the Tories winning on seats!

[dust]

No Brand is telling everyone to vote Labour, except in Brighton where they must all vote Green to keep their 1 MP.

 

Yeah, I watched the video after I posted. I didn't see it coming..

 

 

 

I think Russel Brand has been conned by the fact that Miliband went to be interviewed by him.  Although he does seem to be saying do anything to keep the Tories out ...which is understandable.

 

People definitely underestimate Brand's intelligence. Ian Hislop was making him out to be an imbecile on Have I Got News for You the other night...but the intelligence and fluidity with which Brand speaks, and the amount of actual information he cites, is far more impressive than I've seen from any of the party leaders.

 

He knows exactly what he's talking about, exactly what he's doing. If anything, he's probably been planning all along to do a U-turn and promote Labour, and Miliband gave him an opportunity to do it.

 

But let's not make it all about Russell Brand!

 

 

 

 

BUT I predict a Tory victory (although maybe not an outright majority) because people are naturally cautious and they don't quite know what they will get with Labour now.  I hope I'm wrong.

 

I've been getting Tory propaganda through the door daily.. even Sunday... it's disgusting. Fear-mongering nonsense.

 

There's no way I'm voting Labour either, though.

 

 

2015 election policies - Defence:

 

 

Conservatives

• Second new aircraft carrier will be brought into active service
• Renew Trident with four new nuclear-armed submarines to maintain continuous at sea nuclear deterrent
• No further cuts in the regular Armed Forces
• Increase spending on defence equipment by 1% a year

Labour

• A "minimum, credible, independent nuclear deterrent" on continuous patrol
• Strategic Security and Defence Review
• Make it illegal to discriminate against or abuse members of the Armed Forces
• International LGBT Rights Envoy and a Global Envoy for Religious Freedom

Liberal Democrats

• End continuous at sea nuclear deterrent, enabling a cut in the number of submarines
• Ban arms exports to countries flagged up by the FCO’s human rights report
• Help service personnel and veterans with mental health problems
• Integrate defence and security spending

 

 

From Tories, some trigger-happy, Empire-centric ideas.

From Lib Dems, some peaceful, helpful, compassionate ideas.

From Labour..just fairly pathetic.

[dust]

Seriously, who the fuck is voting for the "All Our Problems Can Be Fixed by Building a Great Wall to Stop Dirty Immigrants" Party?

[Apech]

• International LGBT Rights Envoy and a Global Envoy for Religious Freedom

... the Labour Party want a Rights Envoy for Lettuce, Bacon and Tomato sandwiches? ... that's extreme!

[Rara]

I know what you mean, and I have considered not voting, but... do they?

 

Surely the political system affects you?

I've been to and fro with this argument but in all honesty, it affects me as much now as it has done each year of my life. I didn't vote when I was 1,2,3,4 etc... I voted a few times between age 18 and 24 I think and I still fail to see its use.

 

Regardless of who's in power, it just appears to be a game amongst power-happy charlatans and those voting and hanging banners up outside their houses are just supporting a team.

 

Chelsea Football Club affect me more than my government does on a daily, emotional basis lol

[Rara]

I've been getting Tory propaganda through the door daily.. even Sunday... it's disgusting. Fear-mongering nonsense.

 

This reinforces my point. All parties have been doing this...it's all so desparate. Where exactly have they been for the last 5 years? All of them?

 

I understand PR campaigns very well. People only seem to care about our vote when they HAVE to get off their arses

[Nikolai1]

I vote but I attach very little importance to it. I cannot understand these people who get all het up about tax rates, or changes in benefits when the proposed changes will amount to virtually nothing. Even if it's 200 quid a year for the average household - who would notice it? I think anybody who understands what is really important in life, the true sources of meaning, beauty and love, just loses interest in politics. I think that a person can more or less transcend their own socio-political concerns, but this isn't the same as apathy. It's simply not needing politics anymore.

Edited May 5, 2015 by Nikolai1

[dust]

Again, I do know where both of you are coming from. But the way I see it: what if nobody who (like us) believes in a life of compassion and balance were to vote? (Voting for the more compassionate/balanced option, whatever one thinks that is)

 

Then who would be voted in charge of things? As awful as some of the current leading party reps are, it could be a whole lot worse.

 

And it's not just about a little money for the average family. Apparently there are 900,000 people reliant on food banks here. More people, people with jobs, unable to support themselves without handouts and struggle. And let's not forget people in other countries who we, with our ruthless consumerist system, keep locked into a cycle of poverty and abuse.

 

The Tories have cut NHS spending and plan to cut education spending whilst increasing defence spending (see manifesto*). The UK makes a huge profit from selling arms overseas, including to not-very-nice countries like Saudi, UAE, Israel, Russia -- the Lib Dems and Green both actually have plans to rectify that (whether or not they'd work is another story).

 

Neither of the major parties are actually doing anything that they say they are. They're all liars. They know they can't just turn the deficit into a surplus, but seem to think that they're allowed to make that kind of claim. They should all, Labour and Tory alike, be thrown in jail for fraud, false advertising, aiding and abetting human rights abuses, et cetera...

 

So yes, I think that at some point, it does come down to apathy. You might not need politics, but politics needs everyone. The system is shit, First Past the Post doesn't work, most MPs are scumbags....blah blah.. and so you might not see a difference, not see your vote counting, but if certain parties/people were to gain power you would almost certainly feel the result. It could be a lot worse. Farage might be a joke, but if the political atmosphere turned to large-scale support of a party like UKIP, we would all be in fucking big trouble... !!

 

 

 

Anyway... hah. My intent was not to be that guy! (The guy chastising people for not voting.) In a 'free country', we should certainly feel free to vote or not, as we like. Pressuring people to vote "Because World War 2" is silly.

 

I just get a bit excited sometimes.

 

 

 

*

 

We are meeting NATO’s two targets: that each country should spend two per cent of its gross national income on

defence, and of that spending 20 per cent should go on major equipment. We have made commitments for the equipment plan to be funded at one per cent above inflation for the next Parliament. We plan to invest at least £160 billion in new military equipment over the next decade.

[Apech]

The thing about 'not-Voting' is that it's not always the same thing.  Not-Voting because you can't be bothered - is bad and negligent.  Not-Voting as an active protest at the choices on offer is a kind of active statement equivalent to spoiling the ballot paper.  Not-Voting because you don't want to be responsible for the  outcome - questionable.  Not-Voting  because you have worked out that all politicians are professional liars - personal ethics.  Lastly Not-Voting for cultivation reasons - i.e. avoiding dirty qi (valid???).

[Nikolai1]

But in terms of the outcome of an actual real life election, all these different types of not voting are the same. It's simply not voting.

 

So the practical outcome is: those who vote are the the ones who decide what this real life situation will be next.