Should you vote tactically?

My father, way back, once voted Tory to keep the BNP out. Even his dad, a miner, who'd told him voting Tory was a mortal sin, understood that where the Labour candidate had no chance, even a Tory was better than the BNP. I tend to feel the same about the Tories in relation to UKIP.

So far we've had election blurb from the LibDem who has been our MP for quite some time and the Young Conservatives. Nothing else.

For heavens sake this poster has gone a step further than most and he/she is still being shot at!

'Having a pop at Labour voters'. 'Having a pop at Tory voters'

It is hardly gone unnoticed by any GN this is par for the course by some and sillyoldfool's post was probably one of the weakest I have read! She/he apologised, I don't know what for to be honest! He/she posted in no more a fashion than most on the politics thread, perhaps even less vehemently.

Lord knows why I am sticking up for a poster I have only ever seen post on this thread but come on, fairs fair.

My niece and her husband live in Redruth, which is a four way marginal, the most marginal in the country. So 74% of those who vote will probably think that their vote does not count, when the winner is announced.

I agree, pogs. Unnecessary fuss.

I worked with a woman who told me the whole of her family would vote for a pig if it wore a blue rosette and another who,when asked her views, said her husband hadn't told her yet. This was in the 70's, let us hope today's voters are more informed (and with their own opinions).

Durhamjen

Re your last post it could be said that every single voter, in every constituency in the country could feel their vote was wasted when their chosen candidate loses surely.

It is how it is.

Annsixty

That's a phrase used to describe all partisan voters of any colour, but of course there was the vote for a monkey, was it for the Mayor of Hartlepool, can't remember.

Yes I was referring obliquely to the fact that families voted with families although my facts were totally true. Those statements were made to me .

But actually, POGS, as it's a four way marginal, every vote does count in Redruth. I thought you would understand that without having it spelled out.

DJ

Wasn't the point you were trying to make was, those who hadn't voted for the winning party would feel their vote hadn't counted?

That's how I read your post so I think my post makes perfect sense!

You are quite correct with your thoughts! I fully understand and do not need things 'spelling out' .

If every vote does not count in a four way marginal, then it will not count anywhere. So no votes ever count?
Everybody who lives in Redruth can influence the vote. However, after the election, three quarters of the population of Redruth will think that they are not represented.

DJ

Nope, I will stick with my original comment .

Sillyoldfool has nothing to apologise for, but it seems to me, that when somebody is magnamimous in this way, that apologies should be accepted with good grace.

A couple of questions [apologies if they have been answered on this thread but I haven't read it all]. We are constantly being told that no party will have an overall majority and that we should vote tactically considering which minority party we want to hold the balance of power. Shouldn't eveyone just vote for whichever party they feel should form the next government and is the whole concept now going to change the overall result. And [this is the main question] I thought the arguement against proportional representation was that it often resulted in coalition governments, which aren't particularly good for countries, so might we just as well now have proportional representation?

I would vote tactically if I thought that it would keep the Tories out. For example Hove is a marginal seat with the last MP being Tory. Now if voting Lib or some other meant that it would keep the Tory out I would, otherwise I will vote for the one nearest to my beliefs.

Another thing [I had an epiphany moment the other day]. I've always thought that people voted for parties because of personal ideologies eg I've always voted Labour because I'm quite happy to have less if others, more unfortunate than myself will have a better life [excluding bankers, that is]and I feel that they are the party that share my view. But I was talking to someone from a mining village the other day who said the people there were turning to UKIP in droves, and I realised that people vote for whichever party will give them the most and they don't think about the country as a whole ie people in general think of no1 first. It was a bit of a shcok to realise this [need to do a hashtag thingy saying 'I'vealwaysbeenabitnaive'].

Unfortunately tegan, people from the old working class communities realised long ago that Labour no longer spoke for them, nor was it necessary for politicians to have any political ideologies (Tony Blair proved that). So I think many people are not necessarily looking out for number one but just casting about for someone to believe in, and unfortunately Nigel Farage has spotted that gap in the market. Dangerous times.

The result of Thatcher ideology, tegan; there is no such thing as society.

A list of marginals.

may2015.com/category/seat-calculator

Thanks for that*DJ*. As I expected the prediction is that my constituency will switch from Labour to SNP thus matching the other city constituency. The Labour MP stepped down almost at the last minute.
My father, who voted Labour only once (in the post-war election) was a lifelong tory voter. He said that a donkey could stand here and would win as long as they had a red rosette.
Changed days!

Unfortunately, I'm 60 miles south of the border, mcem. Otherwise I could vote SNP as well. However, that might make me a floating voter.
Was that Labour MP scared?
My parents were lifelong tory voters, too, until Blair persuaded them he was one of them. Only once.
I was talking to a friend today, who lives somewhere we used to. She said there was no point in voting as the Tory MP always won. So I told her about the website. The Ashcroft poll gives a 0% majority for the incumbent. She's now going to vote.

I think he was scared. No real reason given, though he's of retirement age. A few days later he and his wife were asked to leave a local pub (not sure if there's a connection).

He was not in my opinion a good constituency MP and any time I wrote to him I was not happy with his reply - eg on gay marriage - so frankly it wouldn't matter which party he represented, he'd never have my vote. His attendance at Westminster was disgraceful.

The new SNP candidate is ruffling feathers with inconsiderate parking of the battle bus!
He recently replied to my enquiry about TTIP assuring me on the SNP stand re NHS, but not addressing my concerns about anything other than that.
I feel another email coming on.........
You have 3 days left to move north of the border and register to vote!

Easy date to remember. It's my birthday.
Just emailed my MP about cutting poverty. I find it strange that the Tory candidate has signed up to it. She obviously thinks she will not get in, so will not be held to account.

Your post makes no sense to me at all durhamjen. I don't know what it is that the Tory candidate has signed up for, but if it's to cut poverty isn't that a good thing?

What a surprise, ana.

The Tory candidate has a 1% chance of being elected, less than the Green Party.
Tories do not cut poverty. They create more.