What is your final voting decision? *New Poll*

[Faerie]

If I had been able to place my vote I would've been voting Conservatives. I agree with more of their policies than the other 2 main parties (and sorry, yes I do see it as a 3 horse race). I feel a twang of guilt though as I know for my sister having the Conservatives in government would not be best for her.

However I submitted my forms to be registered as an oversees voter the week before the 20th April deadline, was cutting it fine but should've been ok by 2 days or so and then the stupid volcano erupted and my forms didn't get there in time

I love that there has been so much discussion about politics, I don't remember it being like this last time in my age group, hopefully it will make people realise how important it is to vote in the local elections too!

 

[DJ987]

I emailed all my local candidates to ask them various questions and the Conservative one was the only one that replied! Therefore I think I would be happy for him to represent my constituency in parliament!! x

 

[Shiv]

I emailed all my local candidates to ask them various questions and the Conservative one was the only one that replied! Therefore I think I would be happy for him to represent my constituency in parliament!! x

that's a great idea, and i think does give an impression of who is willing/ going to serve their consituency well and listen to people's questions/fears.

Right I am going to have a quick read of the three manifesto's (thanks Hayley for suggesting0 and then I am off to vote

 

[buttonnose82]

he replied already! just 10 mins after i sent my email!

I sent

Hi there,

I just wanted to let you know that sadly you have lost 2 votes today due to Leeds councils incompetence. We relocated to leeds 2 months ago and entered our forms before the cut off date so we could vote, however Leeds council have failed to process them in time despite numerous phone calls. I have been told anything from they have our form and will process it to they don't have our form, to they have our form but tough it wasn't processed in time. I got promised a call back yesterday morning which i am still waiting on, I have rang yet again this afternoon to be told it's too late.

Good luck!

this was what i got in reply

Hello Carla

Thanks for the support anyway. I will hopefully be able to take this up after the election as your elected representative!

Best wishes

Stewart

 

[Hayley90]

x

 

[marley2580]

Apparently there's a a higher than average turnout. All this interest in a hung parliament seems to be encouraging voters to turn out.

 

[Hayley90]

x

 

[buttonnose82]

At least he took the time to reply !! Especially as today must be hectic for anyone standing, no matter how big/small their constituency.

I think its terrible a council as big as Leeds has effed this up though, its taken away your right to vote, which is so so important, and i bet there are hundreds more like you aswell.

xx

they said the reason i hadn't had a call back yet was because they had a long list of call backs, so i am certain there must be alot of us in the same position, i just hope they all email the person they would have voted for to let them know

I am so angry/pissed off because i have been denied my right to vote because of their incompetence!

ughhhhhhh I love pregnancy hormones, i am never usually one to complain!

 

[Shiv]

ok so i am reading through the manifesto's and I haev a question I was hoping one of you politics officianados might be able to help with.

SO all these manifestos sound like complete pie in the sky to me. Lots and lots of promises about what they would do if they got/remained in power. But I am taking it that they aren't actually held to account over anything they say in their manifesto's to get our votes?!?!?!?!?

 

[reallytinyamy]

I have thought long and hard this time round. I've never taken an interest before and always voted Lim Dem because my mum does

This time however I am voting Conservative. I was torn for ages but I think the tories policies best suit me at this point

 

[buttonnose82]

ok so i am reading through the manifesto's and I haev a question I was hoping one of you politics officianados might be able to help with.

SO all these manifestos sound like complete pie in the sky to me. Lots and lots of promises about what they would do if they got/remained in power. But I am taking it that they aren't actually held to account over anything they say in their manifesto's to get our votes?!?!?!?!?

your correct, they aren't accountable for what they promise yet actually do, they all 'twist the truth' to get votes, it's a case of who do you trust the most

 

[redpoppy]

again no need to alienate others, with comments like that they won't come and give their reasons because they have already been abused about their choice before opening their mouths

They wouldn't anyway and if someone supports a party who has a solid and firm background connected with the national front then I'm afraid alienation is inevitable. I understand the BNP work on that victim mentality but I wouldn't have minded alienating supporters of the taliban, supporters of German national socialist party or supporters of and party which has views that, well hidden or apparent, disgust me. I don't want to be your friend if you think the non whites are out to get you because we're simply not. End of. There's no conspiracy, i don't want YOUR jobs, I'm not here to take YOUR land or breed with your women to dilute the master race. If you support the BNP I understand that it is very likely because quite foolishly you think they're the only party that will help but this means that you are 1. either naive enough to think they do not have an intrinsic racist element OR 2. are absolutely okay with them having that. SO me being a liberal believer in equality for all AND also being NON WHITE myself I find that abhorrent.

I don't intend to hide that or attempt to alienate people. I don't WANT to alienate you whoever you are but how about you don't alienate me by supporting a racist party?

I believe they should run and I believe everyone can vote for who they want and people are free to criticise publicly. If you want to criticise my views in a public forum go ahead. But believing in the right to freedom doesn't mean you believe in tip toeing around issues.

 

[Hayley90]

x

 

[reallytinyamy]

in regards to the 'do you really need an extra £80 if you earn £50,000', it's impossible to say, if you live in a city and earn £50,000 it can be the same as living in a town and earning £35,000, the cost of city living is alot higher so yes a extra £80 can make a huge difference

You are totally right, and as a basic example if you asked someone from up north whether 50K was a good salary they'd probably think "hell yeah" but if you asked a Londoner, they wouldnt probably say, "Well, no not really"

£80 would make a huge difference to me childcare wise, even if they paid it directly to my childcare provider.

IMO there is just no incentive for mothers to return to work, they just move the goalpost everytime we try to do the right thing and its sad, i bet a huge chunk of SAHM's would like to get themselve a little job, but they cant because its not realistically achievable

sorry I've not read the whole thread yet but just wanted to add that, now I have gone back to work part time we are better off than we have ever been, we get 80% childcare paid and over £50 a week CTc on top of that. This is just for the year however, after I have been working for a year we will lose all that and be worse off than before I started work. The only way me having gone back to work is worth it in the long run is if I go on maternity after a year- go figure!!! It just seems so bizarre!

 

[emmad339]

conservative for me.....always have done

 

[gills8752]

again no need to alienate others, with comments like that they won't come and give their reasons because they have already been abused about their choice before opening their mouths

They wouldn't anyway and if someone supports a party who has a solid and firm background connected with the national front then I'm afraid alienation is inevitable. I understand the BNP work on that victim mentality but I wouldn't have minded alienating supporters of the taliban, supporters of German national socialist party or supporters of and party which has views that, well hidden or apparent, disgust me. I don't want to be your friend if you think the non whites are out to get you because we're simply not. End of. There's no conspiracy, i don't want YOUR jobs, I'm not here to take YOUR land or breed with your women to dilute the master race. If you support the BNP I understand that it is very likely because quite foolishly you think they're the only party that will help but this means that you are 1. either naive enough to think they do not have an intrinsic racist element OR 2. are absolutely okay with them having that. SO me being a liberal believer in equality for all AND also being NON WHITE myself I find that abhorrent.

I don't intend to hide that or attempt to alienate people. I don't WANT to alienate you whoever you are but how about you don't alienate me by supporting a racist party?

I believe they should run and I believe everyone can vote for who they want and people are free to criticise publicly. If you want to criticise my views in a public forum go ahead. But believing in the right to freedom doesn't mean you believe in tip toeing around issues.

^^ WSS. I'm not for capital punishment and penal stations either.

 

[buttonnose82]

I agree everyone is entitled to their opinion ...... thats why we have a right to vote in the first place

BUT there is also a way of saying things that don't result in people being baltantly alienated and being called naive or racist

 

[polo_princess]

in regards to the 'do you really need an extra £80 if you earn £50,000', it's impossible to say, if you live in a city and earn £50,000 it can be the same as living in a town and earning £35,000, the cost of city living is alot higher so yes a extra £80 can make a huge difference

You are totally right, and as a basic example if you asked someone from up north whether 50K was a good salary they'd probably think "hell yeah" but if you asked a Londoner, they wouldnt probably say, "Well, no not really"

£80 would make a huge difference to me childcare wise, even if they paid it directly to my childcare provider.

IMO there is just no incentive for mothers to return to work, they just move the goalpost everytime we try to do the right thing and its sad, i bet a huge chunk of SAHM's would like to get themselve a little job, but they cant because its not realistically achievable

sorry I've not read the whole thread yet but just wanted to add that, now I have gone back to work part time we are better off than we have ever been, we get 80% childcare paid and over £50 a week CTc on top of that. This is just for the year however, after I have been working for a year we will lose all that and be worse off than before I started work. The only way me having gone back to work is worth it in the long run is if I go on maternity after a year- go figure!!! It just seems so bizarre!

It certainley is hun ... im an financially better off working part time rather than full time. I just cant understand the logic in that?

 

[dani_tinks]

But the BNP are racist!

 

[Shiv]

ok, so I've scanned (veeeeeeeeeeery quickly ) the maniestos and am more confused than before. i won't be voting Labour as I have no faith that Gordon Brown can lead a country. If he had stood down as P.M prior to the election and gone back to being chancellor I "may" have considered them.

So I thought my mind was set on Lib Dems, Nick Clegg really impressed me in the debates (and he is a bit hot ) but reading through the manifestos even though the conservatives one would leave me more out of pocket (I think) I get what they are saying. We can't carry on wildly spending............so now i am torn!!

Then of course there is the whole a vote for Lib Dem is a vote for Labour (and conservative depending on which party is trying to scare you!).

hmmmmmmmmmmmmm I really should have made my mind up by now!