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Voting for policies not parties

(21 Posts)
grannyactivist Sun 11-May-14 22:47:34

I just took a survey that offers policies to vote on, rather than voting for particular people or political parties. It confirmed (100%) that the policies I would vote for actually match the party that got my vote in the European election (I've already sent in my postal vote). Phew, that's reassuring. Try it yourself and see if the policies you like match the party you would vote for.
voteforpolicies.org.uk/

gillybob Mon 12-May-14 07:31:12

Well what a turn up for the books that was grannyactivist I came out as 50% Labour, 25% UKIP and 25% Green !

No how do I get that result into a voting slip? grin

Iam64 Mon 12-May-14 08:09:10

I came out 50% green, which surprised me

grannyactivist Mon 12-May-14 11:04:46

Vote for policies was created for the 2010 General Elections, but I think it's a useful tool as it does away with party political allegiance and sets out the bare bones of policies. I'm fairly astounded that the Green Party would possibly have won the last election if people had simply voted for the policies they believed in.

Iam64 Mon 12-May-14 12:30:10

agree grannyactivist, but wouldn't we need proportional representation for that to be achieved. PR has always sounded a fairer system to me smile

Mishap Mon 12-May-14 13:13:58

Well - I came out as 78% green, 11% Lib Dems and 11% UKIP!!!!!

The questionnaire was difficult as I found it hard to pick one of the sets of options.

Interesting that Labour and Tory did not get a look in!

If I vote green it will be a wasted vote as they don't stand an earthly of getting in here. If I vote Lib Dem, they might get in by the skin of their teeth. And as for UKIP, well, no chance I will vote for them!

We definitely need PR!!!

JessM Mon 12-May-14 13:22:02

OMG - 44% Green, 22% Tory [shock!!) and the rest evenly distributed. Have to say there are a log of clueless policies aren't there.

grannyactivist Mon 12-May-14 14:05:30

The European elections are governed by PR Mishap, so no votes are 'wasted'. Here in the South West it's looking likely that the Greens will take a seat.

Mishap Mon 12-May-14 14:21:56

Yes - I was thinking of general elections.

The only local candidate for the European elections who has bothered to put out a leaflet is with the "We want a referendum" party. Hmmm.

smiter1955 Mon 12-May-14 14:42:10

If everyone who don't vote for Green because "they don't have a hope" did vote for them then surely they might actually have a hope?

smiter1955 Mon 12-May-14 15:06:13

BTW I got

Green 33.33
Lab 22.22
Tory 22.22
Libdems 22.22

Very interesting that in this constituency the Greens are only a fraction behind Lab yet this is a Lab stronghold. It's said if there was a red rosette on a goat around here folk would vote for it smile In last elections in a couple of the districts the BNP actually got more votes than UKIP or Greens.

grannyactivist Mon 12-May-14 17:36:13

It seems the Green Party's policies are finding some support amongst the gransnetters that have taken the quiz. Are there any dyed in the wool supporters of the major (!!) parties out there who'd take the quiz and share the results?

DebnCreme Mon 12-May-14 18:11:16

I worry about me sometimes, it would seem my results are: BNP 25%, Conservatives 25%, SDP 25% and Green Party 25%. No wonder I don't want to vote!

Charleygirl Mon 12-May-14 18:17:01

OMG I do not believe my results. BNP 60% Labour 20% and UKIP 20%. I have never put an X against any of these and have no intention of ever doing so. I would have liked to have mixed some of the policies.

grannyactivist Mon 12-May-14 21:12:08

The policy summaries were taken from the official websites and manifestos of the political parties. There is no editing - except to remove any references to political party names - so that the style of each political party is retained. There are a maximum of eight key points for each issue from each party, and they are taken in the order in which they are published. If there are less than eight points they are all shown.
The voteforpolicies site is completely non-partisan. The project is completely unfunded (i.e. they're doing it for free), and they don't have any kind of connection with any organisations - political or otherwise. It can help you make an informed, unbiased decision about who to vote for based solely on policies. But, as you can see, the results may shock you!!

MiceElf Mon 12-May-14 21:59:00

Mine was mixed with 55% Green. Mind, those are the policies. Where's the guarantees that they will be kept to if elected? Look at the LibDems on Student Loans for example.

Nelliemoser Tue 13-May-14 12:52:15

I am a bit of a pragmatist as far as voting goes. As the party I have great sympathies with is not very likely to get into power where I live, I have been known to take the next best option. Where I live this strategy is most useful in local elections.

petallus Tue 13-May-14 13:24:00

I've come out as 50% Conservative, 25% labour and 25% UKIP.

I haven't voted Conservative for 40 years!

Probably, I rushed the questionnaire and didn't understand all the finer points.

grannyactivist Wed 14-May-14 12:37:24

I'm fascinated with this - my friends (real life) are doing the survey too and none of them are getting the results they expected. It seems to indicate that people are NOT voting for the policies they actually want when it comes to elections.

durhamjen Wed 14-May-14 23:24:34

50% green, which is what I would vote for in the EU elections anyway, so that's okay. The other 50% split between three parties, none of them Labour.

annodomini Thu 15-May-14 00:10:51

I got exactly the result I expected which is just as well as I have already sent in my postal vote for the Euro election!