lonemagpie

Here in our constituency, the numbers ended up being Tory 48, Labour 34, UKIP 11, and LDs 5, (from a previous 43, 37,10 and 7 respectively) so apparently I totally wasted my vote after all.

Like I always say, next time I won’t fucking bother. And then I do...

Crossposts: http://lonemagpie.livejournal.com/1028138.html

For those wondering which way I voted, and why, I don't mind saying. Despite my immense disappointment at them letting things slide, Lib Dem.

Why? First, I dislike the Tories and Labour equally - and for a lot of similar reasons, actually. (No rational foreign policy, snooper's charters, invasions of privacy, and the general new caste of bankers' friends going straight into government from Uni without life/work experience in the real world first.) - Vote Cameron, get Osborne and IDS. Vote Miliband, get Balls and Harman. None of those options appeal. Obviously voting UKIP is out of the question, so that left (in this constituency) Lib Dem or Green.

That made it a numbers game. We're in a roughly tied seat - 43% Tory, 37% Labour, neither of whom I'd vote for - with UKIP on 10%, LDs on 7% and Greens on 3%. If, as was always likely, it's going to be hung parliament, that means I want to avoid the risk of a nightmare anybody/UKIP coalition. That means a vote for the Greens will be wasted, but a Lib Dem vote, in this constituency at least, *might* help in some tiny way to keep the LDs level with UKIP, and deny UKIP the chance to be coalition power-brokers.

So, tactical anti-UKIP vote for the LDs it is... Not that I expect it to make a difference, given how slaughtered the LDs will get

Crossposts: http://lonemagpie.livejournal.com/1027842.html

Ah, it’s that time when like so many of the celebs that people follow, I come on an encourage people to vote. Unlike the celebs, though, I never tell you *who* to vote for. Not least cos I’m convinced that none of them are fit or competent for the purpose. (And this time around, all of them are determined to criminalise bits of sexuality, endanger more women and kids, and censor the internet, because *all* would rather go with tabloid campaigns than scientific fact.)

Anyway, my advice, therefore, is very simple- don’t vote for a party or candidate because a celeb tells you it’s cool, or because a tabloid warns you of the consequences, or (especially) because of peer pressure or family tradition. Fuck that shit. Go and vote for who you think will do the best - or least-worst,anyway - job of it.

That’s the point of the exercise. Vote for who you like best or hate least, regardless of what anybody else says. Your vote is your vote, not your family’s, or your favourite star’s, or anyone else’s.