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Is anyone going to vote tactically?

(75 Posts)
Romola Mon 27-May-24 12:42:55

In my area, currently a Conservative-held seat, Labour's vote is very low, while the Lib Dems are within a few percent of the Conservatives.
If we had a fair PR system, I might vote Green, but I'm going to vote Lib Dem because I want to see the end of the Conservatives' run of power. Voting for any other party would just help the Conservative to get elected.
I do feel relaxed about a Labour administration. There seems to be a lot of talent at the top of the party.

choughdancer Wed 29-May-24 17:43:04

I will vote tactically as it's a two horse race in my constituency and I do not want the Tory MP to win again. Fortunately the candidate I'll vote for was a very good MP in the past so not a wasted vote.

Grantanow Wed 29-May-24 11:04:44

It's necessary in my constituency to kick the Tories out.

biglouis Wed 29-May-24 11:03:07

At the moment I am one of those "floating" voters/ Ive voted conservative all my life but the plates are still spinning so far as I am concerned. I am very much attracted to vote Reform.

Wyllow3 Wed 29-May-24 11:00:48

Interesting, its been raised in "left right left right"

choughdancer Wed 29-May-24 10:46:22

maddyone

I thought our election was about Britain.

But Britain is part of the world! 'No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.' And the same applies to countries.

If migration is one of your top priorities, we need to examine how we can help poorer countries to cope with the effects of climate change (IMO caused mostly by the actions of the West); how war and famine can be made less likely to happen; the restoration of foreign aid, which is at the moment being wasted paying for the lack of efficiency in the government's asylum policy.

It won't be any good climbing higher and higher up our ivory tower, muttering 'stop the boats!'

Iam64 Wed 29-May-24 10:34:29

maddyone

I thought our election was about Britain.

The election is about what’s best for our country. It’s an opportunity for the voting public to talk to our prospective MP about their views on defence, civil liberties, international concerns including how the country should respond to wars/famine etc causing mass immigration into Europe/uk. The war in Gaza/Israel is a huge issue internationally. We have Jewish and Muslim British voters, why would candidates not be open with voters

I’ve discussed these issues with the candidates hoping to represent my constituency. The sitting MP and more recently the candidate looking to replace him

maddyone Wed 29-May-24 10:29:22

I have voted LD in the past, but I wouldn’t do so again. They lost my love a long time ago.

Oreo Wed 29-May-24 10:25:45

No, I always vote for the Party rather than the actual MP in my constituency.

henetha Wed 29-May-24 10:20:02

The only thing I know for sure at this stage is that I will vote.
I've never not. I wish more people would vote and I don't understand their apathy.

Lovetopaint037 Wed 29-May-24 10:15:02

PS to the above. If we want a Labour government we must vote as complacency is to be avoided. That is the danger when polls are looked at and voters don’t bother to make the journey to the Polling station. This happened to Neil Kinock back in the day when a landslide was predicted. The right to vote was hard fought and it’s too easy to say I didn’t bother as they are all as bad as each other. The other excuse is that they don’t really know who to vote for. That’s not good enough. We need a high turn out.

Lovetopaint037 Wed 29-May-24 10:05:10

I live in a so called safe Tory seat. However, the MP we have who has sat comfortably for some years doing very little and not even bothering to acknowledge communications will be retiring. He is now generally disliked so that will reflect on votes and although I was going to vote LD only to keep the Tories out I am now refusing to do that. Labour is our best option. A Tory lady councillor came to our door on Sunday and I told her that I was unable to vote for their candidate and handed back the leaflet describing the new candidate. She looked extremely serious and not at all happy.

annodomini Wed 29-May-24 09:38:03

I've always voted Lib Dem (or predecessor parties) but would compromise if I thought another party (Labour here) would be more likely to defeat the present Tory incumbent. I don't think I need to compromise this time but have advised my GC - new voters - about tactical voting

flappergirl Wed 29-May-24 09:08:01

LottieLouise

I am going to vote for the party that increases the personal tax allowance and if none of them will, I will not vote.

Glad to see you have the national interests at heart and that you, as a woman, are also prepared to waste your hard won vote.

Luckygirl3 Wed 29-May-24 08:55:12

By the way, I have never voted Labour in my life (nor indeed Tory), but I will do on this occasion as the primary aim is to prevent a further term of Tory government and a Labour vote is the way to go in my area.

Voting for the person with the best interests of the locality in mind is not always the best tactic. I cannot fault our Tory MP on that score - but he supported Boris Johnson and many ultra right wing policies, so the greater national good is what matters.

Luckygirl3 Wed 29-May-24 08:49:45

Sparklefizz

I would never vote tactically. It’s not the Eurovision Song Contest

How else, under the first past the post system, can you try and get the result you want - or, more to the point, prevent the result you definitely do not want? If people blindly vote for "their" party, this will often lead to the one result they do not want.

For instance, if you are a Labour supporter and the local Labour candidate cannot possibly win (judging by past voting habits), then voting for them is effectively a vote for the Tories. If there were say a Lib Dem candidate who stood a chance of ousting the Tory, might it not be better to vote for them? As a Labour supporter, the last thing one wants is to give the Tories more seats.

maddyone Wed 29-May-24 08:20:50

I thought our election was about Britain.

Nicenanny3 Wed 29-May-24 08:14:43

Angela Rayner/George Galloway take your pick🤔

growstuff Wed 29-May-24 08:09:21

Nicenanny Maybe it would be a good idea if people actually heard what Rayner said. Here's the link:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rN_IExi0kw

Stop spreading lies!

Nicenanny3 Wed 29-May-24 07:56:13

There's change and change though be careful what you wish for. Angela Rayner campaigning putting Gaza/Palastine at the top of her agenda and there was I thinking this election was about Britain and our problems🤔

Allsorts Wed 29-May-24 07:49:57

I will vote in the General Election for the party I want to run the country.
As everyone seems to want change it doesn’t need a crystal ball to see the way it will go.

dragonfly46 Wed 29-May-24 07:43:53

I am going to vote for the candidate who has our areas best interests at heart and who is local and approachable. As for the main parties they are all as bad as each other.

LottieLouise Wed 29-May-24 07:30:08

I am going to vote for the party that increases the personal tax allowance and if none of them will, I will not vote.

Casdon Wed 29-May-24 07:08:42

Curtaintwitcher have you forgotten about Boris Johnson unlawfully proroguing parliament?

Sparklefizz Eurovision doesn’t matter, but who governs us for the next five years is vitally important, and it requires tactical voting to keep the Tories out. Call it compromising our principles if you like, and it is - but that in these circumstances is not as bad as another five years of Tory rule, so millions will vote tactically.

Curtaintwitcher Wed 29-May-24 06:59:24

It's all very well talking about voting for the Lib Dems. Has everyone forgotten Jo Swinson and her plan to over-turn a democratic decision because she didn't agree with the result. Was that indicative of the general attitude of her party?
When party members are told how to vote, how is that democracy?

Sparklefizz Wed 29-May-24 06:50:02

I would never vote tactically. It’s not the Eurovision Song Contest