UK General Election 2010

[farleft]

Forgetting the issue of capitalist elections for a minute, out of those elegible to vote and those who will do so, who are you voting for and why?

[The Idler]

1. SPGB but they're only standing in Vauxhall.
2. TUSC but I don't know if they're standing where I live.
3. Green.

[farleft]

TUSC? Dont know them, sounds like a trade union, do they have parties?

I'll be voting for the greens, goot policies on the NHS, education and transportation (formally known as public transport! lol)

[revolution inaction]

Forgetting the issue of capitalist elections for a minute, out of those elegible to vote and those who will do so, who are you voting for and why?

no one, all candidates and parties represent the interests of capital, and even if they didn't they would quickly become corrupted if they gained power.

[farleft]

no one, all candidates and parties represent the interests of capital, and even if they didn't they would quickly become corrupted if they gained power.

We know, hence the first line of the first post! We are all well aware of the limitations.

[revolution inaction]

We know, hence the first line of the first post! We are all well aware of the limitations.

then why would you vote at all?

[Dimentio]

Voting in a two-party system with a majoritarian twist is quite meaningless. The main problem is that if you have two large parties with quite similar programmes, and you dislike both of them, your vote for a small party which you like would actually be a vote for the large party you dislike the most.

It seems quite nailed now that David Cameron is going to win the election, not on any programmatic issues other than the fact that the economy is struggling and that people don't like Gordon Brown.

Has Gordon Brown moved to the left in recent years or been perceived as moving to the left?

[farleft]

radicalgraffiti (http://www.revleft.com/vb/../member.php?u=17146) - Why vote at all? Because although it will not change anything of any particular significance it can make small changes in order to make working class peoples lives a little bit more tolerable (such as minimum wage increases) another good reason is that if you fear for example the conservatives privatising the NHS then yoou may wish to vote for anyone else to stop this.

Dimentio (http://www.revleft.com/vb/../member.php?u=10945) - It's not a two party system but yes there are two main parties and while there is pretty much always two main parties it hasnt always been these particular two. Gordon Brown has not moved nor (in my opinion) is he being perceived as moving to the left.

[Tifosi]

I'm not going to be voting as it is untimely pointless but if I had to it would be the Greens for the reason in FarLeft's blog. They say a few good things but will they act on them? That is another matter.


The joy doesn’t end there though oh no, The Green Party also demand a full and immediate cease fire in Gaza and the introduction of an EU wide minimum wage. Then there is the work they are doing to ensure we turn to renewable sources for all our energy needs as well as the reduction in our Co2 emissions.

Cannot see anything wrong with that

[farleft]

Red Clydeside (http://www.revleft.com/vb/../member.php?u=26140) - If it makes no difference then why not vote green anyway :)

[RedStruggle]

Fuck the Greens, anti-immigrant bigots.

[revolution inaction]

radicalgraffiti (http://www.revleft.com/vb/../member.php?u=17146) - Why vote at all? Because although it will not change anything of any particular significance it can make small changes in order to make working class peoples lives a little bit more tolerable (such as minimum wage increases) another good reason is that if you fear for example the conservatives privatising the NHS then yoou may wish to vote for anyone else to stop this.

i don't belive that there will be any detectable difference in what labour and the torys do just what they say, labour for example are already privatizing bits of the nhs, and calling it things like public private partnerships, and the torys will not dare to try and fully privatize it, at lest not openly.
I think that what we get from the government depend on what we can take, not who we vote for.

[farleft]

Fuck the Greens, anti-immigrant bigots.

What exactly is the Green Parties immigration policy?

A quote from their website under the policies section I found this on immigration:

"Would ensure the UK takes the lead in having an immigration and nationality policy that does not discriminate on grounds of race or ethnicity. Local Green Party branches around the country have worked to support asylum-seekers who are unfairly threatened with removal."

[farleft]

i don't belive that there will be any detectable difference in what labour and the torys do just what they say, labour for example are already privatizing bits of the nhs, and calling it things like public private partnerships, and the torys will not dare to try and fully privatize it, at lest not openly.
I think that what we get from the government depend on what we can take, not who we vote for.

Yes I totally agree, I personally can't tell the conservatives and labour apart but fortunately they are not the only two parties contesting the election.

[Revy]

I don't live in the UK but I'd vote for TUSC.

[farleft]

I've never heared of the Trade Union & Socialist Coalition (TUSC (http://www.tusc.org.uk)) before. Their website doesn't show much in the way of concrete policies but it's a good start.

Will still be voting green though but of course I hope all left-wing parties and candidates to well.

[revolution inaction]

Yes I totally agree, I personally can't tell the conservatives and labour apart but fortunately they are not the only two parties contesting the election.

thay are the only two parties that have an chance of winning though, and even if one of the smaller parties were to get elected they would act the same way.

[Tifosi]

Red Clydeside (http://www.revleft.com/vb/../member.php?u=26140) - If it makes no difference then why not vote green anyway :)

Because I have better things to do, like cutting the grass or putting my jeans away in order of how many holes are in them:D. It really is pointless so I'll do something more productive with my day. And anyway the greens want to save the rainforest, I'll help by not wasting paper.

[Die Neue Zeit]

I don't live in the UK, but I'd cast ballots for TUSC or RESPECT (shrug) where they're running.

[Bitter Ashes]

TUSC is just a rehash of the old labour party idea. There's nothing original about it and it'll all end the same way as Labour did.

I'm going to the polling station to spoil my ballot paper. I will be writing "Direct Democracy" on it. Spoiled ballots are recorded and can turn an election into a refferendum.

Besides, there's no point voting for a party in Huddersfield because Barry Sheerman will win it, again. The only way that man will not have a seat in Westminister is when he resigns.

[Die Neue Zeit]

I'm going to the polling station to spoil my ballot paper. I will be writing "Direct Democracy" on it. Spoiled ballots are recorded and can turn an election into a refferendum.

At least you're not abstaining. :)

[Bitter Ashes]

At least you're not abstaining. :)
Thanks. I dont want my refusal to vote for a bourgeois party to be misinterpretted for political apathy. Only the people are fit to rule themselves, no party can do it for them.

[robbo203]

Forgetting the issue of capitalist elections for a minute, out of those elegible to vote and those who will do so, who are you voting for and why?

If I voted for anyone it would probably be either the SPGB or the De Leonists if they had a functioning political organisation to vote for. These are the only ones unequivocally part of the revolutionary socialist or non marlet/ anti-statist political sector. Otherwise I would spoil my ballot paper.

[Vladimir Innit Lenin]

Thinking about spoiling my ballot paper - had never thought of it in the context of not voting for one of the Capitalist parties, yet not part of the 'can't/won't/don't vote' statistics.

Are all the statements on spoiled ballots recorded, or just the more 'establishment acceptable' statements, such as 'DIRECT DEMOCRACY'? For instance, if I were to write 'DOWN WITH CAPITALISM', would that likely be pushed away never to be seen again somewhere?

This election actually does seem like a good candidate for a spoiled ballot campaign. I imagine that turnout will be no higher, indeed possibly lower, than previous elections, with less outright support for one party, a theme which has been missing since 1992 - we now have a situation where it seems many in the electorate genuinely despair at the options available, yet are not ready to vote for the anti-establishment alternative yet. An organised spoiled ballot campaign could surely prove a step in the right direction?

[Bitter Ashes]

Are all the statements on spoiled ballots recorded, or just the more 'establishment acceptable' statements, such as 'DIRECT DEMOCRACY'? For instance, if I were to write 'DOWN WITH CAPITALISM', would that likely be pushed away never to be seen again somewhere?
All of them are recorded. Copies of exactly what was on the ballot paper are presented to each candidate too so that they can read what's on there. A lot of them are unfortuantly mistakes, like somebody accidently voting for more than one candidate (it happens beleive it or not), but there are always ones in there with strong political messages written on them that are seen directly by candidates.


This election actually does seem like a good candidate for a spoiled ballot campaign. I imagine that turnout will be no higher, indeed possibly lower, than previous elections, with less outright support for one party, a theme which has been missing since 1992 - we now have a situation where it seems many in the electorate genuinely despair at the options available, yet are not ready to vote for the anti-establishment alternative yet. An organised spoiled ballot campaign could surely prove a step in the right direction?
Some comrades in Sheffield are sorting out an anti-election campaign I hear, but I've not got any details atm. I'll keep you posted when I know more.

[Nosotros]

I'm not voting for anyone, the greens are just another capitalist party.

[Vladimir Innit Lenin]

Ah, not too sure that my singular politically spoiled ballot will make that much difference. I've spoken to my MP via e-mail several times, he is an absolute *insert word*. One of the worst careerist lackeys i've ever come across.

[farleft]

I'm not voting for anyone, the greens are just another capitalist party.

Do you support (would you support) tactical voting?