Topic: The 'who the fuck am I even actually going to vote for?' thread

[Neville Chamberlain]

My borough - Gedling in Nottingham - has always been super-super-efficient at getting their shit together and sending me all the voting forms I've ever needed since being here in Berlin, but a couple of months ago, when the prosepct of a snap election became real, they also advised Brits outside the UK to arrange a proxy rather than a postal vote because whenever the election is called, it's likely to be short notice. Now that the date has been announced, does this election count as "short notice" enough for me to arrange a proxy instead of waiting for Gedling to send me the postal voting documents? Like I said, Gedling have always been incredibly efficient, so if I can count on anyone to send postal voting documents out to me in good time, I can count on them. But still...

If it comes to a proxy vote, what can you do if you don't actually know anyone in that constituency? I don't have family there because it's not where I grew up and none of my friends/ex-colleagues live anywhere near Gedling.

[Buelligan]

Looking forward ...

Honestly, this is a cunty post.  You should delete it and you should think hard about spreading your inner cunt so freely.  Not funny, not clever, just cunty.

[colacentral]

Genuinely viscerally hate every party since they all want to hurt people, just different groups.

There I was thinking "ladyboys? No thanks" would be the worst post this week.

[Zetetic]

As ever, it's worth actually seeing what actual people you're voting for.

It's extremely easy for me to vote Labour in my constituency, and try to convince others to do the same, as my MP is a remaniac like myself. (And the Plaid candidates have been piss-poor. And it's a Lib/Lab marginal.)

[Paul Calf]

My borough - Gedling in Nottingham - has always been super-super-efficient at getting their shit together and sending me all the voting forms I've ever needed since being here in Berlin, but a couple of months ago, when the prosepct of a snap election became real, they also advised Brits outside the UK to arrange a proxy rather than a postal vote because whenever the election is called, it's likely to be short notice. Now that the date has been announced, does this election count as "short notice" enough for me to arrange a proxy instead of waiting for Gedling to send me the postal voting documents? Like I said, Gedling have always been incredibly efficient, so if I can count on anyone to send postal voting documents out to me in good time, I can count on them. But still...

If it comes to a proxy vote, what can you do if you don't actually know anyone in that constituency? I don't have family there because it's not where I grew up and none of my friends/ex-colleagues live anywhere near Gedling.

I live near Gedling. If you're absolutely desperate and can't find anyone else, I'll be happy to do it for you.

I'm taking the day off anyway so I might as well make it worthwhile.

[SpiderChrist]

12 December is my wife's birthday. She's naturally delighted.

[Neville Chamberlain]

I live near Gedling. If you're absolutely desperate and can't find anyone else, I'll be happy to do it for you.

I'm taking the day off anyway so I might as well make it worthwhile.

Very nice of you to offer, Paul! I'll leave it a week or so, see how Gedling Borough Council respond. If they respond swiftly, I'll take my chances with a postal vote. If not, I'll be in touch...

Thanks again!

[Noonling]

Is 60/30 LAB/CON good enough to throw away my vote on Green? Haven't looked at the actual people yet, mind (moved into the area since after the last election)

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Is 60/30 LAB/CON good enough to throw away my vote on Green? Haven't looked at the actual people yet, mind (moved into the area since after the last election)

Having voted Green previously in a Labour seat it did feel like it achieve precisely zero when 2 years later Labour obliterated those Green gains (by standing on a left wing platform).

I would argue it makes more sense to vote Green at a local level to build up their base of councillors, which then affects local decision making and influence.

Ultimately for the left to make any kind of statement we need to put aside Labour's faults and reject Boris. If he wins convincingly the next decade could be a brutal one.

[canadagoose]

I'm not going to be much help, BritishHobo, as I'm not sure myself. Our current MP is SNP, and seems quite decent. Labour came quite close last time after the "Corbyn bounce", but I think everyone knows Labour are fucked in Scotland this time around, and might just end up with Edinburgh South and East Lothian left. I'm not entirely convinced by the Labour candidate either. Tories came surprisingly close (probably because someone decided we should share a constituency with the New Town, Stockbridge etc.) but I don't think they'll have any luck this time either. It probably doesn't matter what I vote. Tempted to vote Green, not that they've any chance of winning.

[Paul Calf]

Very nice of you to offer, Paul! I'll leave it a week or so, see how Gedling Borough Council respond. If they respond swiftly, I'll take my chances with a postal vote. If not, I'll be in touch...

Thanks again!

Sure. DM me if you need to.

[buttgammon]

I've already made my mind up. I have a lot of time for Plaid and their local candidate is excellent, but the prospect of the Tories winning the seat is too high and the only way to stop them is to vote Labour. It's funny, because I agonised over my vote in the European elections (and did vote for Plaid in the end), but this is a relatively easy decision, if only because the ridiculous FPTP system has basically made my mind up for me.

[BritishHobo]

Aye, I think once again that's the way I'm gonna have to lean. I don't know why I sound really reluctant, like 'the lesser of two evils', because it really isn't the case - I fucking love Corbyn and am 100% behind the idea of him in government.

[Dr Trouser]

I'm not going to be much help, BritishHobo, as I'm not sure myself. Our current MP is SNP, and seems quite decent. Labour came quite close last time after the "Corbyn bounce", but I think everyone knows Labour are fucked in Scotland this time around, and might just end up with Edinburgh South and East Lothian left. I'm not entirely convinced by the Labour candidate either. Tories came surprisingly close (probably because someone decided we should share a constituency with the New Town, Stockbridge etc.) but I don't think they'll have any luck this time either. It probably doesn't matter what I vote. Tempted to vote Green, not that they've any chance of winning.

Problem with SNP is that as there are so many of them the quality drops off a cliff pretty quickly. I did some work with Carol Monaghan and she is great, but then you meet some of the others....

I will be voting SNP as discussed elsewhere as the only other choice is Jo Swinson's chebs.

[NoSleep]

I'm not going to be much help, BritishHobo, as I'm not sure myself. Our current MP is SNP, and seems quite decent. Labour came quite close last time after the "Corbyn bounce", but I think everyone knows Labour are fucked in Scotland this time around, and might just end up with Edinburgh South and East Lothian left. I'm not entirely convinced by the Labour candidate either. Tories came surprisingly close (probably because someone decided we should share a constituency with the New Town, Stockbridge etc.) but I don't think they'll have any luck this time either. It probably doesn't matter what I vote. Tempted to vote Green, not that they've any chance of winning.

Please vote Labour.

[canadagoose]

Problem with SNP is that as there are so many of them the quality drops off a cliff pretty quickly. I did some work with Carol Monaghan and she is great, but then you meet some of the others....

I will be voting SNP as discussed elsewhere as the only other choice is Jo Swinson's chebs.

There are certainly some I'd rather see the back of (coughs at Edinburgh South West) but I don't think Deidre Brock is terrible. Not one you hear a lot from in Parliament, but she's not bad.

Now in the constituency I'm originally from, I'd have no hesitation in voting SNP to try and get the slimy Tory git out. He'll be safe, though. The sod.

[canadagoose]

Please vote Labour.

You're actually the second person to suggest that today and I'm certainly considering it, although I'm not sure it'll be much help against the general tide. Neither would voting Green, mind.

[idunnosomename]

vote for me

[Inspector Norse]

Obvious Labour vote for my constituency, they won by a mere 915 votes last time and the seat has yoyoed back and forth throughout history so it’s a worrying one. The deposed Tory candidate has already been leafleting, so my mum and dad had a nice fire going when we arrived for a visit this week.
The Lib Dems used to be strong but lost 80% of their vote after Clegg’s big sell-out.
The Green candidate last time round was an old classmate of mine. Bit of a nutter back in our school days, good to see she’s got it together.

[Buelligan]

You're actually the second person to suggest that today and I'm certainly considering it, although I'm not sure it'll be much help against the general tide. Neither would voting Green, mind.

Can I be the third?  Labour's the only party that stands a hope of power that gives two shits about the green agenda.  And the more green socialists that come to the banner, the greener the party, a party that prides itself on democratic policy-forming, will become. Please vote Labour.

[bgmnts]

Honest to god i'm so out of touch are we voting for left labour or blair labour? What is Labour anymore? What is anything? Brexit has fucked this up so much.

[Buelligan]

No it hasn't bgmnts, Corbyn is our leader, McDonnell is our chancellor, you know who we are.

[The Culture Bunker]

Where I am (Manchester Withington) saw a big Labour increase last time out,  but then again, it's gone Lib Dem in recent years (2005/10) and I wouldn't be surprised to see it be close this time out. The LDs seem to be a lot more organised in terms of getting people knocking on doors and suchlike - it might come down to how much people still hate them over the coalition. Bearing in mind the odious John Leech got voted onto the city council recently, I reckon memories are short. 

I'll vote Labour, but I know a fair few in the area who might well drift away to the Lib Dems.

[Rizla]

You're actually the second person to suggest that today and I'm certainly considering it, although I'm not sure it'll be much help against the general tide. Neither would voting Green, mind.

i'm in the same const as you CG, i'll be going slab this time i reckon; Gordon Munro isn't it? He's ok. He's alright. There was only a couple of thousand in it last time. I might even knock on a door or two. Feels weird saying that.

[bgmnts]

No it hasn't bgmnts, Corbyn is our leader, McDonnell is our chancellor, you know who we are.

Yeah but here we vote for the party not the leader right? Its not the US.

[Blue Jam]

Y'all blew the chance to put Ruabon on the map.

"Well you can tell by the way I use my walk I'm a woman's man, no time to talk"

[The Boston Crab]

ABC for me.

ABC.

All a Bunch of Cunts, so vote Green.

[Blue Jam]

Gonna vote SNP. Feel sorry for all you poor fuckers who don't live in Scotland.

[canadagoose]

i'm in the same const as you CG, i'll be going slab this time i reckon; Gordon Munro isn't it? He's ok. He's alright. There was only a couple of thousand in it last time. I might even knock on a door or two. Feels weird saying that.

He does seem all right, although I was a bit dismayed when he retweeted some transphobic rubbish a little while back. I don't suppose it really matters unless it affects his voting somehow.

[bgmnts]

"Well you can tell by the way I use my walk I'm a woman's man, no time to talk"

Pissing.