| Topic: | Who to vote for in the by-election | |
| Posted by: | Leon Markham | |
| Date/Time: | 16/07/07 10:07:00 |
| I've a bit of a problem with who to vote for in this by-election. I don't want to go on about myself but in the context of this debate it seems right - there are too many people representing different parties claiming to be members of the public so apologies for length but to put my comments in context. Historically I've always voted Labour - in general they've been closest to my views at the time of the election - I'm pro free-market, pro social justice and believe the state should do what it needs to and not much more. I live in Northfields. Now in this election the main parties have REALLY annoyed me... LABOUR Completely ignored us and seem to believe that either the election is a foregone conclusion (probably wrong) or that it will not be won or lost in Northfield ward (maybe right). Frankly they don't deserve my vote because they haven't worked for it. CONSERVATIVE Initial views of Tony Lit made me think I might have to do the unthinkable (to me - I grew up in a coal-mining area during the miners' strikes) and vote Tory. Being a rational soul I thought I would put preconceptions behind me and consider voting for a party which had been vilified for much of my youth. Thankfully then two things stopped me having to consider this - the Tory campaign manager Grant Shapps was caught blantantly impersonating a Lib Dem campaigner and then Tony Lit got caught out having been at a Labour fund-raiser only a month or so ago with his arms around Tony Blair looking for all the world like he wants to go into politics for the labour party. It all just smells too rum. LIB-DEM They have at least had the decency to try to stay in touch with dozens and dozens of leaflets coming through the door. However they have descended into a very negative and seemingly very stupid campaign. They have sent through leaflets with messages like - "Tony Lit lives outside the area - how can he understand our local NHS Problems" - weelllll - he lives in Chiswick so he might use Hammersmith Hospital JUST LIKE ME and I don't think that moving into to borough intantly gives you a profound understanding of the clinical, commercial and social problems surrounding the NHS. - A bloody survey to ask me, among other things, if I would like more green spaces in the borough. I live in EALING! Now - I would like more green spaces, I would also like Ealing to be a lot closer to Cornwall, New York and the South of France, however living on planet earth Ealing is one of the greenest areas of London and this is one of the main reasons I moved here. I find this very negative campaigning both incredibly stupid and very insulting. SO - who then can I vote for. A protest vote for an independent whose policies I don't understand seems wasteful. The Greens strike me as in general being principled decent people but I think they raise very important questions but don't really have convincinig policies. Not voting seems to be wrong, especially as so many people fought for the right of people like me to have that vote... I know there are good and principled people who are members of all of the main parties - can you explain to me why I should vote for your man? |