In a pickle

The upcoming General Election has me in a real pickle. I’m one of those floating voters that each party is so worried about.

Some days I think Tony Blair is actually okay and doing a decent job. Other days I think Lib Dem’s Charles Kennedy is the kind of straight-talking guy that we need, but then I’ll hear him another day and he seems to be repeating Tory policies word for word. Then there’s Michael Howard. There’s just something about him that makes me feel slightly queasy (I know that’s completely irrational, but there you are).

I guess I’m more Lib Dem than Labour or Tory, so why not just vote Lib Dem? Well, as Tony Blair likes to tell us, the Lib Dems are not going to get in, so a vote for them only helps the Tories gain ground on Labour. So voting Lib Dem is really like voting Tory, and if you don’t want to see Michael Howard in No. 10 you might as well vote Labour to begin with — WTF?!!!

Is the Monster Raving Loony Party still going?

Posted 4 years, 10 months ago

I am completely disillusioned by the politics this time round and have no idea who I will vote for. I do however believe that Michael Howard is complete part of the body which is at the top of your legs at the back.

I am pleased I am not a politician. I cannot lie to save my life although I am good in inventing excuses :-)

Berb Brown · 4 years, 10 months ago

If your current MP voted for either foundation hospitals, tuition fees or the war in Iraq, please - regardless of party - vote for whichever candidate is most likely to depose your MP. After all, most people think that the policies of the three main parties are all the same, why not judge them on their past record?

James · 4 years, 10 months ago

In our constituency (Bath), a vote for Lib Dem (who I support anyway) is a vote *against* the Tories, as Labour can’t win the seat and it’s a two-horse race.

Tim · www · 4 years, 10 months ago

A vote for the Lib Dems will allow the Tories in the back door? I find it quite sad that instead of choosing who to vote for based on their views, values and policies, we’re being told to vote for people we may not like purely to stop someone else we don’t like getting in.

I have no idea who I’ll vote for - they all seem as vague and slimey as one another. But I will vote.

John · www · 4 years, 10 months ago

> A vote for the Lib Dems will allow the Tories in the back door?

That’s what Blair would like us to think. Labour are definitely playing mind games, but there may be an element of sense in it. If so, do you vote for the party you like (Lib Dem), or vote for the party you don’t mind (Labour) to prevent the party you dislike (Tory) getting in?

It’s a tricky situation alright.

Phil · www · 4 years, 10 months ago

Diane has just pointed out to me that it’s more or less a foregone conclusion in our district, as Labour have a 53% majority -

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/vote2005/html/262.stm

Phil · www · 4 years, 10 months ago

I think it’s completely wrong to consider a vote for a candidate a waste in the face a big majority by another party. A vote is your say in which party you would like to see leading the country, no matter how small you think the chances are of that party winning. In my opinion, if every voter thought like that, we wouldn’t have the two horse race we currently have with the Tories and Labour.

Matt · www · 4 years, 10 months ago

Absolutely Matt, I’m still voting for who I want to get in, though it would take something really special to dislodge Labour in my area.

Phil · www · 4 years, 10 months ago

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My name is Phil Lindsay, a web guy from Scotland, now living in Newcastle upon Tyne in England. I also run a web design company called Presence. You can email me at phil@xlab.co.uk, read more ramblings on my Twitter stream and view my photos on Flickr. You can grab the RSS feed for this weblog here.