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UK members, what is your preferred politcal party?

UK members, what is your preferred political party?

  • Plaid Cymru

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Democratic Unionist Party

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Sinn Fein

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Brexit Party/Reform Party

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • UK Independence Party

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    105
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MattRat

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I thought I'd make a political thread that could be some fun, without hopefully any of the baggage of normal political discussions. I've only included the well known parties otherwise we'd be here all week (plus an extra catch all). I'd also love an explanation of why you picked the choice you picked.
 
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birchesgreen

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Labour, I am a member too. As for why, it seemed right years ago, my faith has been tested recently though but no others appeal in any way, except maybe the Acting Witan of Mercia.
 

Cambus731

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I generally support Labour. I am pretty much dead centre politically, or possibly just slightly left of center. I did vote Green in 2010, but they lost my vote because of their ludicrous opposition to HS2.
In the last two elections I voted Labour in spite of Jeremy Corbyn. I thought he was a disaster
 
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Gloster

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Green. Despite being a bit impractical and unrealistic at times, they are trying to deal with the only problem that really matters: the future of the planet. I do hope that if enough middle of the road sympathisers join they might become more electable. I am quite aware, unlike many of those on the left, that it is no use having the purest ideals if you can’t take the electorate with you.

Always been left of centre, joined the SDP (remember them) when they were formed and later was a Labour member for a while, but I usually find something that turns me away from committing myself to one way of thinking. I usually describe myself as an ABC voter: Anyone But Conservative.
 

Cowley

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I’ve gone ‘None of the above’ because that’s how I feel at the moment (I’d say I’m probably slightly left of centre and fairly concerned about the environment).
Today I received a copy of ‘Politically Homeless’ - Matt Forde’s new book, that I ordered a few days ago.
Just the title pretty much sums up how I’m feeling at the moment so it’ll be interesting to read hopefully.
 

MattRat

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The Yorkshire Party appears to be missing !
Read the OP.
I’ve gone ‘None of the above’ because that’s how I feel at the moment (I’d say I’m probably slightly left of centre and fairly concerned about the environment).
Today I received a copy of ‘Politically Homeless’ - Matt Forde’s new book, that I ordered a few days ago.
Just the title pretty much sums up how I’m feeling at the moment so it’ll be interesting to read hopefully.
I'll have to give that a read. I used to like the Lib Dems when they tried to be the true middle ground under Nick Clegg, but now they seem content to just sit in the fer dwindling shadow of Labour.
 

AlterEgo

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Only one Lib Dem? It used to be vastly overrepresented on this forum.
 

Ostrich

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Another one for "None of the Above".
I haven't voted for a number of years - having lived in cast-iron Tory seats since 2000, I know my vote would make absolutely no difference whatsoever in the scheme of things, so frankly, why waste my time and energy, I've better things to do.

Cynical, moi? :smile:
 

507021

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Conservative support seems to have rocketed compared to past polls too - I seem to remember that they typically had no more than 25% of forum users' support!

I think it's worth bearing in mind that this poll's sample size is, at the time of writing, much smaller than the general election threads.
 

507021

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Another Labour member here, but I don't support the party locally because the Liberal Party is more deserving of my vote.

My faith in the party is being tested though, simply because I don't know what it stands for. My membership will be allowed to lapse if nothing changes by next January.
 

brad465

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Green. Despite being a bit impractical and unrealistic at times, they are trying to deal with the only problem that really matters: the future of the planet. I do hope that if enough middle of the road sympathisers join they might become more electable. I am quite aware, unlike many of those on the left, that it is no use having the purest ideals if you can’t take the electorate with you.

Always been left of centre, joined the SDP (remember them) when they were formed and later was a Labour member for a while, but I usually find something that turns me away from committing myself to one way of thinking. I usually describe myself as an ABC voter: Anyone But Conservative.
In Germany the Green party seems to have done what you hope our Green party does, and are in with a chance of beating the CDU later this year and maybe the leading party in a coalition, or at least a very significant coalition partner. The Greens here did rather well in local elections, but to do so in General elections will require a progressive alliance with Labour and co. under our FPTP system, if that ever happens that is.
 

507021

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In Germany the Green party seems to have done what you hope our Green party does, and are in with a chance of beating the CDU later this year and maybe the leading party in a coalition, or at least a very significant coalition partner. The Greens here did rather well in local elections, but to do so in General elections will require a progressive alliance with Labour and co. under our FPTP system, if that ever happens that is.

A progressive alliance is the only way centrist/left parties will ever get into government again in this country.

The Tories have the right vote sewn up, but the left vote is split multiple ways.
 

MattRat

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A progressive alliance is the only way centrist/left parties will ever get into government again in this country.

The Tories have the right vote sewn up, but the left vote is split multiple ways.
Except that would still give you less seats than the Conservatives. I think apolitical and centrists also have something to do with it. If you were one of these groups, who would you vote for? I know which I prefer (not saying I like Conservatives, but give me them or the left as the only two choices, I'd pick them every single time ATM).
 

Revilo

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Always vote Conservative except once (for the Brexit Party).
 

507021

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Except that would still give you less seats than the Conservatives.

That's why we need PR, and the best chance of getting that implemented is a united centre and left.

If you were one of these groups, who would you vote for?

If I were a centrist or apolitical, I'd vote for the progressive alliance because I have very personal reasons for wanting to see this government lose power.
 

MattRat

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If I were a centrist or apolitical, I'd vote for the progressive alliance because I have very personal reasons for wanting to see this government lose power.
Except your personal reasons are why you have the political leanings you do. You have to think like other people to understand them.
 

507021

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Except your personal reasons are why you have the political leanings you do. You have to think like other people to understand them.

Far from it, actually. Yes, I support Labour, but I am absolutely not on board with the idea that I must be staunchly anti-Tory because of that fact alone. While the Cameron governments didn't represent what I believe in politically, they had a decent level of competence and strong leadership and, with more life experience under my belt, I can see why the electorate voted for more of the same in the 2015 general election.

The reason why I abhor the current incarnation of the Tory Party is because the government's incompetence led to my Dad's death in a care home during the very early stages of the first lockdown.

I would, respectfully, prefer not to discuss the latter point any further, but I hope it offers some clarity to my earlier point.
 

MattRat

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Far from it, actually. Yes, I support Labour, but I am absolutely not on board with the idea that I must be staunchly anti-Tory because of that fact alone. While the Cameron governments didn't represent what I believe in politically, they had a decent level of competence and strong leadership and, with more life experience under my belt, I can see why the electorate voted for more of the same in the 2015 general election.

The reason why I abhor the current incarnation of the Tory Party is because the government's incompetence led to my Dad's death in a care home during the very early stages of the first lockdown.

I would, respectfully, prefer not to discuss the latter point any further, but I hope it offers some clarity to my earlier point.
Except it doesn't. I wasn't referring to how you thought, but how others thought. For example: Someone in Hartlepool who was apolitical, might have looked at the success of the nearby area with a Conservative MP and thought 'I want a slice of that pie'. Both of you would have valid reasons, but those reasons would give you different conclusions, is my point.
 

londiscape

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None of the above. Am ex-Conservative but no way I'd ever vote for them again after the past 14 months. And my general political views have migrated somewhat leftwards recently as the disproportionate effect of lockdown policies has shown what the political class really think of ordinary working people (i.e. couldn't give a toss while the middle classes are happy baking sourdough bread or whatever it is they do while normal people bring them things ordered from multinational companies owned by trillionaires).

Voted Lib-Dem in local elections because they opposed vaccine passports and renewal of the Coronavirus Act, although it was with a certain amount of nose-holding as the only other alternatives were Con/Lab and a resident's association that had no public policy on any lockdown matters whatsoever. Although I hadn't forgotten that Lib-Dems had supported lockdown up until this point, it was a case of least worst option and I didn't want to spoil my ballot.

Had I had the option I would have voted SDP.
 

507021

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Except it doesn't. I wasn't referring to how you thought, but how others thought. For example: Someone in Hartlepool who was apolitical, might have looked at the success of the nearby area with a Conservative MP and thought 'I want a slice of that pie'. Both of you would have valid reasons, but those reasons would give you different conclusions, is my point.

I know and understand why people vote the way they do, I have said as much.

You asked who I'd vote for (out of a left/centre pact and the incumbent government) if I was apolitical, and I gave you an answer explaining who I'd vote for and why. I thought the whole point of the thread was for people to explain why they vote the way they do?
 

NorthOxonian

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I voted Conservative in the poll, but not with any great pleasure - they're the least bad of an awful bunch and I certainly don't like the party leader. The only reason I picked them over "none of the above" was because I find them slightly more tolerable than the rest, and wanted my vote to reflect that.

I was formerly a Lib Dem member, and became fairly senior in my university's branch of the party. However, I became disillusioned with the party just before the 2019 European elections, and left. In the past I've also voted for three of the other options in the poll, but each of those was more of a protest vote and a cry for change than the result of any ideological agreement with them.

I note someone has already mentioned the resurgent SDP as an "other" option - I wouldn't say I supported them but definitely watch them with interest. Some of their policies aren't things I agree with, but I just appreciate the way they neither sneer at people (as much of Labour seems to nowadays), nor want to help the rich line their pockets (as quite a few Conservatives seem to).
 

MattRat

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I know and understand why people vote the way they do, I have said as much.

You asked who I'd vote for (out of a left/centre pact and the incumbent government) if I was apolitical, and I gave you an answer explaining who I'd vote for and why. I thought the whole point of the thread was for people to explain why they vote the way they do?
Sorry, I just realised your point. Sometimes it's hard to remember Covid isn't a political thing.
 
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