We have 10 candidates! - What would you do? - warning bit of a ramble.

Why would an independent be so bad? If he’s local, interested and a hard worker, it sounds as if he would deserve your vote rather than the ‘official’ Tory who sounds pretty horrific. I assume from what you say that you prefer someone right-leaning rather than left, so if you have someone who sounds perfect for you, go for it! At least you are less likely to regret your vote if you don’t have to hold your nose!

Thank you for this thread.
You caused me to look up our candidates.
We sometimes have 10, but have less this time.
Including a Party I have never heard of.

Personally, if I were you, I would vote for the candidate you actually want.
If more people did that, the Country may be in a better postition.

We have an Independent. I looked him up. He has no connection to our area at all, has stood in other areas far away, and his "manifesto" makes no reference to any local issues. So not getting my vote.

We have eight candidates to choose from. From far right racism to left wing "any man can be a woman".

Things have never been this bad in living memory.

Seriously considering NOTA.

We have one of each of the main parties, plus a reform plus an independent.

From being a safe Tory seat we have, in the course of this campaign, become a marginal, as Labour and Conservative are now neck and neck. Hopefully some of the right wing Tories will defect to reform and give Labour a clear road.

One poster above believes: *Personally, if I were you, I would vote for the candidate you actually want.
If more people did that, the Country may be in a better position.*

There is no way that this puts the country in a better position. We have a first past the post system which forces people to vote tactically. So many votes are wasted votes. You can vote for the candidate you actually want, but if you know they will not stand a chance of getting in then it is pointless and does not put anyone in a better position. Look for the party you absolutely do not want anywhere near government and vote for the person most likely to oust them locally.

Luckygirl3

We have one of each of the main parties, plus a reform plus an independent.

From being a safe Tory seat we have, in the course of this campaign, become a marginal, as Labour and Conservative are now neck and neck. Hopefully some of the right wing Tories will defect to reform and give Labour a clear road.

One poster above believes: *Personally, if I were you, I would vote for the candidate you actually want.
If more people did that, the Country may be in a better position.*

There is no way that this puts the country in a better position. We have a first past the post system which forces people to vote tactically. So many votes are wasted votes. You can vote for the candidate you actually want, but if you know they will not stand a chance of getting in then it is pointless and does not put anyone in a better position. Look for the party you absolutely do not want anywhere near government and vote for the person most likely to oust them locally.

I’m afraid, although it does go against the grain, I totally agree

sandelf

Tory, Labour, LibDem, Green, Womens', Reform, UKIP, Independent who is a respected local Tory not chosen by national party, Ind who is against local asylum settlement, - another Ind much same. So the 'right' will be split 5 ways and the less right have 4 'flavours' to choose from. Seems total madness to me and a high probability we will have an MP very few of whose constituents support them. Going to have to put a peg on my nose and vote for the Tory whom I dislike (snooty, wanted a 'proper' chat with man of the house etc!). The popular local Conservative county councillor not adopted by central office has worked hard and long for the area - put in the long days and wet mornings on site. He is Indian by origin and Muslim. I may be wrong but I suspect his non selection is through religious and racial prejudice - and he does not have 'lovely' pronunciation - but it is never a problem. I'd vote for him but he would be only an independent MP - not good for him or us. The labour candidate is local and hard working - would be a good MP but I distrust Starmer and think he will be shoved off course by the rough boys were he to be PM. What a mess eh? Is it the same elsewhere?

Vote for the Labour candidate if he’s good and hard working.
I’m not so sure that Starmer will be pushed out if he wins by a big majority.
I don’t think the Indian councillor not adopted to stand was anything to do with race or colour, after all we have a Conservative Hindu for PM.
It’s true there’s a large baffling choice to vote for this time.

I don't think Starmer will be 'pushed out' by any person or group. He's been utterly ruthless in eliminating much of the 'left wing' and creating an impression of a centrist party that people will feel is 'safe' to vote for.

He seems to me to be something of a technocrat. He has said that he wants to see the country 'run properly' and I think that is what he will be concentrating on.

Whether he leans more 'left' once in power remains to be seen, but there are aspects of the manifesto, on worker's rights for example, which have been largely ignored by the media, which don't seem to agree with the claim that he is 'tory in name only'.

If this is too leftist for some voters, so be it. But I think an emphasis on competence, which other parties don't seem to offer, is worth considering.

You can vote for the candidate you actually want, but if you know they will not stand a chance of getting in then it is pointless and does not put anyone in a better position

They would not not stand a chance if enough people did it. Which is the point I was making.

So many people just say "oh they wont win" and give up. Literally before they have even started.

I agree with MaizieD above👍

Going to have to put a peg on my nose and vote for the Tory whom I dislike (snooty, wanted a 'proper' chat with man of the house etc!).

He sounds like a real charmer. I certainly wouldn't be voting for him.

Vote for the person not the party? If you have a good local candidate that you respect, go for them.

Yes vote Labour. As others have said. Starmer is very ruthless and throughout his life, it seems that he sets himself a goal and has always achieved it.

So since he has been the leader, he has set himself the goal of cleaning up the Labour Party and has achieved it in much less time people thought was possible. He is definitely a country before party man as well.

I also think that parliamentary standards will rise under his guidance and democracy will be the winner.

He is if you read anything about him more left leaning than the media suggest, and I think that this will be reflected in labours policies going forward.

I shall be the first to criticise, but I’m hoping that my criticisms will be few.

So join what seems to be a vast majority in the country snd vote Labour😀😀😀👍👍👍

makevotesmatter.org.uk/

Some interesting statistics here.

I think there are going to be some very disappointed Labour supporters on this forum a few months down the line. Probably about as disappointed as Conservatives are now.
Reform has a chance to grow in popularity having heard Zia Yusuf on YouTube - he seems to be a good communicator, is from a migrant medical family, made millions from a startup and has fire in his belly. Knows how to work the crowd. The street savvy version of Rishi Sunak! Probably more grounded than Starmer. Interesting times.

What will the Labour supporters be disappointed about, ronib?

You are right Sandelf to vote for the party over the candidate. I fear that the next Parliament will be a soup of candidates, untried and without strong support or belief behind them, lone voices unable to make themselves heard or present any credible opposition.
A strong opposition is needed; at present it looks as though their leader will be Ed Davey, who has a poor record as a minister and has campaigned as a complete fool,
Most of Labour's plans are unknown, and with a leader who knows perfectly well that a woman does not have a penis but refuses to admit it because he might lose Stonewall's support is to be feared. I doubt he will be able to control his party once elected.
This 'vote tactically to get the Tories out' is on of the most cynical and dishonest ploys I have experienced, and so many voters are like you, very undecided how to vote; fed up with the Tories but distrusting the alternatives, with good reason.

MaizieD

What will the Labour supporters be disappointed about, ronib?

MaizieD I give it six months before the gripes begin …. It’s going to be the middle of winter and energy prices will be high.

This 'vote tactically to get the Tories out' is on of the most cynical and dishonest ploys I have experienced

No way is it dishonest. The FPTP voting system leaves no other option if one's vote is going to count. Millions of people will be chucking their votes down the pan and losing their opportunity to influence who governs us. It is vital at this time that the public have a chance to deal with the mess of the last few years and have a government that is taken seriously by the rest of the world and regarded with respect.

I agree Maisie that there are many people who do not have a realistic idea of what Labour in power can actually do in the short term. They will of course be disappointed. But that is true of whoever gets in.

I often wonder why those interviewing or sparring with Sunak do not make their response to his every claim/promise: "Well why have you not done this in the last 14 years?"

Whoever gets in, the British like nothing more than a good moan!

ronib

MaizieD

What will the Labour supporters be disappointed about, ronib?

MaizieD I give it six months before the gripes begin …. It’s going to be the middle of winter and energy prices will be high.

Well they’ve had plenty of time to get used to the idea.

It’s going up by an out 10% in October if anyone is in any doubt.

Pleased to see that the CBI have stated that there is £50 BN waiting to be put into the investment vehicle by private business, that labour intends to set up. That is the route to lower prices and net zero. The CBI are supporting Labour.

ronib

I think there are going to be some very disappointed Labour supporters on this forum a few months down the line. Probably about as disappointed as Conservatives are now.
Reform has a chance to grow in popularity having heard Zia Yusuf on YouTube - he seems to be a good communicator, is from a migrant medical family, made millions from a startup and has fire in his belly. Knows how to work the crowd. The street savvy version of Rishi Sunak! Probably more grounded than Starmer. Interesting times.

Labour have not promised any huge changes ronib, so Labour supporters’ expectations of change in the short term are low. They will no doubt get some things wrong, but there is not time in the next six months for them to make such a comprehensive mess of things as the Tories have done in fourteen years. I think you need to temper your expectations of doom somewhat.

Back to the OP, I’d choose who to vote for based on a couple of principles.
If my preferred candidate stood any chance at all of being elected that person would be my first choice.
If there was no chance, as is the case for mine here, I would vote for the person who had the best chance of election whose party values align most closely to mine, that’s what I will be doing.
In a national election ultimately it’s more important to get the party you align to in power than to have a good local MP, because that makes more difference to your life.

Independents can be fine - but they won’t usually win a seat. Generally, it will be Tory/Labour/or maybe LDs.

In the end, we have to vote for those who most support what we want.