Election Post: Tactical voting

[emony]

The subject of voting was mentioned at work today, and my bosses said the following:

Male!Boss: Blah blah something Conservatives will like - Female!Boss will like that. She's a Tory, I'm Labour.
Female!Boss: But we're voting Green this time.

Now I'm all for the Green party. They do some decent stuff, and voting Green in a European election or even a local council election is fine. Perhaps that's even what they meant, I don't know, but it made me think about voting. It's good to vote according to your political principles, but please don't waste your vote on a party that's not going to get anywhere unless you've got no other option. If your constituency is a Labour stronghold, vote Lib Dem, vote Green, vote for the Tories if you feel so moved, but please let me know if you intend to do so, so I can filter you out of these political posts, as I imagine my Tory-bashing will not be to your taste.

However you vote, be wise about it. In my previous constituency, Portsmouth South, Labour are utterly hopeless. It's a two horse race between the Tories and the Lib Dems. As a consequence, a lot of people who might have been personally inclined to vote Labour (pre-1997, I mean) instead voted Lib Dem, and as a consequence Portsmouth South has a Lib Dem MP and has done for a while now. Here in Surrey South West it is the same. Labour are no hopers. The only person who can take the seat from the Conservatives is the Lib Dem candidate. So, in my constituency, voting for Labour is a waste. Your vote would be better used for the Lib Dems.

What it really comes down to, of course, is whether you dislike the Tories more than you feel deep loyalty to Labour or the Lib Dems or whoever else. If you don't want a Tory government, if you want to ensure that the Tories don't get enough power to do any more damage to our country, and I hope that as many of you as possible don't, use your vote wisely and tactically to keep the Tories out.

Protest voting is all well and good, but if your anti-Labour protest vote for the Greens, or the Lib Dems in an area where they can't possibly hope to win, means that there's one less vote for someone who might be able to keep the Tories out of a seat, then you're not just punishing Tony Blair for being an arse, you're punishing yourself and everyone else by subjecting us to four or five years of Michael Howard, tax cuts for the rich, public service cuts for the poor, and policies of hatred towards asylum seekers, gypsies, and god knows what other groups. Check the Daily Mail for an overview of the likely targets.

You'll also be contributing to keeping Oliver Letwin in a job, which I think constitutes a crime against humanity. *stabs pins into OL doll*

Check out this website - http://www.tacticalvoter.net/ - if you're at all interested in tactical voting. It's pretty good in providing information, and their "vote swapping" scheme seems like a good way to ensure that you represent your political alliegance while ensuring that the Tories are kept out of as many seats as possible.

Thus ends this party political broadcast for the "Emony is nuts" party. Sorry *g*

Comments

[graculus.livejournal.com]

I live in a Labour safe seat, but rest assured I'd rather spork my own eyes out than do anything that would help the Tories get back into power, so bash away! :P

[emony.livejournal.com]

I'm glad to hear it *g*

Are you moving for your new job? Will that mean a new constituency?

[graculus.livejournal.com]

I will be moving, but not till July.

And yes, new constituency... *goes to check* Still likely to be relatively safe Labour seats, as far as I can see.

Sorry to see my old constituency of Norwich North is at risk from the Tories, having been heavily involved in the campaigning to get the seat back from them in '97. :(

[emony.livejournal.com]

I must admit, I'm very excited to be living in the Lib Dem's third highest target seat. We should be a Tory loss, and that can only ever be a good thing. Unless it's a loss to UKIP. At least Norwich North is only Tory target 102. It'd take quite a swing for them to take it, so fingers crossed it'll stay safe. Well, Labour anyway. Election night is certainly going to be an interesting time.

[whatthebananas.livejournal.com]

Ah, that tactical voting thing sounds great! Have just registered, cuz I live in a bloody Tory stronghold with Labour the only ones with a hope of unseating them and I really don't want to vote Labour... but if someone else will be voting Liberal Democrat for me that makes it slightly more bearable. And also, all the political posts are useful AND interesting cuz I've been trying to read up all politicky things so I can make an informed vote and stuff (as a first time voter, I have yet to have all the spirit sucked out of me but I still have very little faith in politicans) and yes, having it on my flist certainly helps :)

[emony.livejournal.com]

Aw :) Glad to have been some help. The BBC news website (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/vote_2005/default.stm) section on the election is quite useful. It explains some of the basic concepts of the election, follows the progress of the campaigns, and you can look and see how things stand currently and who's standing in your constituency. And I'm sure I'll keep talking about it too *g*

[seshat1.livejournal.com]

I live in a Lib Dem area so I'm happy. Our local lady is lovely, and so I can't imagine that she won't be voted in again. *crosses fingers*

[emony.livejournal.com]

Good good :) We have high hopes for Simon Cordon here :)

[indehed.livejournal.com]

I'm in the same boat and always have been. Perth (I think we've become North Tayside now) have a choice of SNP or Tory. It's traditional that all the farmers in wax jackets vote Tory and the rest see sense and go snp. Labour are next but a bit behind and the rest have no hope. So that's why Perth has been SNP for a long time now. I imagine it will be again come May.

[emony.livejournal.com]

Are you not Perth and Perthshire? That's an SNP seat, and, well from the name I assumed it was you. Sounds like a definite SNP vote though. We have a lot of wax jacket types here in Surrey too, but fortunately we're also a big commuter area for London so we've got a lot of socially guilty over their wealth Lib Dem voters too. *g*

[indehed.livejournal.com]

We have always been Perth but i heard it was merging into North Tayside now or something. I don't know, was something i was told, but could have been a heap of bollocks.

[emony.livejournal.com]

If there has been a merge, I think the constituency has become Perth and Perthshire, because that exists still, but there's no mention of Tayside, North or otherwise. Check out the BBC election website, that lists seats and candidates and stuff, if you want to know for sure. There's a postcode checker.

[indehed.livejournal.com]

that could be the merge, if so it's more likely we'll be snp because North Tayside was a stronghold for them too.

[celestialwillow.livejournal.com]

I'm now living in a safe Labour area, after spending the last five years in a safe Lib Dem area. I expect I'll keep voting Lib Dem.

[emony.livejournal.com]

Sounds like the best option. At least it's Labour not Tory. Labour might be a bit crap in some ways at the moment, but they're not the Tories. Lesser of two evils and all that.

[celestialwillow.livejournal.com]

Absolutely!