I was a floating voter (you can be as sceptical as you like given many on here if they've noticed me at all probably think they know how I always have voted and always will, but they'd be wrong). I was kind of expecting to finally decide in the ballot box, but I've now had my mind made up having finally discovered some of the personal details about one of the two possible candidates which they've been very coy about. It's a straight fight between the Torys and the Lib-dems here (have had no election material at all from Labour, and something pretty much every day from the other two). The thing is, one of these candidates has used a lot of the space on the leaflets rubbishing the opposition – amongst other things complaining that the opposition candidate has been parachuted in from out of the area, whilst claiming to be the "local champion" themselves. Very little detail on the background of the actual candidate, which did leave me rather suspicious, the nearest we get is a picture the the candidate's mum who they make sure to point out does live in the constituency. Also somewhat ironically complaining about dirty campaigning from the other side – something I've seen no sign of (no mention at all of the what the opposition has or hasn't done on their campaign material, just positive stuff).

Have been meaning to find out more, but by chance have just found some info that this "local champion" doesn't live in the constituency at all, has never lived here, has contested two other different constituencies in previous elections, partner is currently MP for a different constituency where their family home is, and to cap it all, mum moved into the constituency only very recently so making a lie of the implied hint there. All in contrast to the opposition "parachuted in" candidate who has actually lived here for 4 years. Now I've actually got nothing against people contesting constituencies they don't come from, but not really very impressed with the making a big deal about the "out of towner" opposition when you're even worse yourself.

Yes I know I should decide on policies and it seems a petty reason to decide one way or the other, but I was undecided on those grounds and I'd been thoroughly put off by the negative campaigning already. I now know I really don't want somebody like this as my MP. There is more I've missed out of the dirty campaign waged, and other personal details which put me off, but most of that would instantly identify the party and candidate, something I've tried not to make too obvious to avoid the usual party political rubbish (feel free to guess or point out which is which if you're local and have seen the relevant stuff – I don't think it really adds much to the debate).

I'm sure somebody will also point out all MPs (and potential MPs) are like this, just some hide it better.

My MP got the job by shagging John Prescott. She has earned it I reckon, but that doesn't make her any good does it.

My MP got the job by shagging John Prescott.

Doesn't really narrow it down does it? Need more of a hint.

Doesn't really narrow it down does it?

Are you suggesting Two Jags swings both ways?

Can't be bothered reading that.

So who you voting for?

We've had so many leaflets and fake newspapers, fake handwritten letters and pictures the lib-dem candidate smiling next to any topical object or person that the latter days "you're wasting your vote if you don't vote for me" and "I'm the local champion, look I've been seen here, there and everywhere" that I have quite frankly been turned off that candidate. It just reminds me of a sickening look at me campaign, rather than "look at what I've done". "Here I am fighting for this" "Here I am standing near a pothole"…. tired of it.

I'm going to pick the biggest c**t, and then if they look like they might win I'll vote for whoever is most likely to beat them, even if that happens to be the second biggest c**t. And that,

gentlemen, is democracy

but by chance have just found some info that this "local champion" doesn't live in the constituency at all, has never lived here

I'm sorry aracer, but this story just doesn't stack up. Now I don't doubt what you're saying is true, but I can't see how a candidate can make such a big issue that, unlike his opponents, he is the local guy, if he has never ever lived in the constituency. Obviously the local press and his opponents could very easily and quickly find that out, and he would be exposed as a liar and fraud. Or are we talking technicalities here, eg, he is a local lad, but has technically lived outside the constituency ?

Or was born there and moved away when young.

I'm as surprised as you ernie – I'd not really bothered that much finding out more about the candidate in question despite my suspicions, as I'd assumed the press etc. would dig it out just as you say. As I say, the opposition candidate appears not to want to stoop to that level, so no mention at all there, and I've done a search of the online local paper and this is the first mention of it I can find. The election bumf definitely reads the way I suggest (the earliest stuff was worst – seemed the single point – but that has been thrown already). I've also done my own research and the details all check out – has never been a local in any way (up to 2005 was a local councillor somewhere else, since then has worked for spouse in London). The technicality is that the candidate isn't a liar and fraud because they've never actually said they do live here, just lots of heavy hinting, and the mum thing.

Our mp (v likely to be re-elected) has lived in our constituency for years and was a city councillor before he stood for parliament. Interestingly he did a 'reverse Gladstone' and switched from liberal as a councillor to conservative as an MP so he could 'better do God's work'. Honestly! (He is by local accounts a proper proper God-Botherer) By that logic he ought to have also switched to NuLab a couple of elections ago but hey ho… He will have a lot of support just 'cos of who he is and how he's always lived here irrespective of people's opinions of Saint Dave. I think actually talking to and being genuinely interested in his constituents outside of election campaigns also helps!

Still, to borrow a phrase I read on here, a nurse voting Tory is like a Turkey voting for Christmas so despite the grudging respect I have for him for actually giving a toss about our constituency, there's no way I'll vote for him until God tells him to switch to a party that in some way actually holds the values of equality, compassion and humility that he must hold so closely as a Christian. 😆

We've had so many leaflets and fake newspapers, fake handwritten letters and pictures the lib-dem candidate smiling next to any topical object or person that the latter days "you're wasting your vote if you don't vote for me" and "I'm the local champion, look I've been seen here, there and everywhere" that I have quite frankly been turned off that candidate.

Great reason for picking a candidate. 🙄

Democracy? found out last night that the neighbouring constituency is that of the Speaker of the House of Commons – so by tradition the opposition do not field any candidates, so if you don't want to vote labour or ukip or some other hopeless independants what choice do you have. In 27 years of general elections my votes have counted for zip, gonna vote lib dem just with the vague hope we get some long overdue election reform in this country….

I was kind of expecting to finally decide in the ballot box

Were you going to fold yourself up inside the ballot paper and post yourself through the slot in the top?

Can't be bothered reading that.

So who you voting for?

+1

i find it so hard to motivate myself to vote.

we've had ONE election related piece of paper through the letter box

it was from the BNP

the other candidates just aren't bothered despite the fact we are a target Lib Dem seat having been safely Tory for years

I'm at a loss really, if a candidate came up to me and said 'we'll be raising taxes to clear up a bit of this mess we are in, it's not going to be easy for a few years but in the end we'll all be fine really' then i'd vote for them

I live in one of the country's most marginal seats – 667 votes separate Lib Dem and Labour, with Lib Dem having taken it off Labour last time. How I vote, there, has massive significance for the likelihood of Labour remaining in government or potentially putting the Tories in because it stays Lib Dem.

My ordinary voting habits are borne of disdain – I tend to deliver a blank ballot paper – but this time I know I need to choose someone. It has to be tactical, but there is also the local element. The incumbent MP is good as a constituency MP, but a swing to Labour would give more chance of keeping the Tories out.

Since I'm a well paid* worker in the private sector, I've been through tough times already since the banking crisis began. I could be selfish and ignore the forthcoming kicking the public sector is going to get (after all, those workers have been relatively untouched by the grimness we've had to endure), but how does that benefit society at large?

Decisions, decisions.

*According to the likes of Cameron, himself worth only £27m.

a nurse voting Tory is like a Turkey voting for Christmas

My mums a nurse and has been for 40 years, she's a tory through and through.

Told me when I voted labour 13 years ago that they'll spend too much mess up the country and leave a massive debt. So far she's not done that badly with her predictions 😕

Great reason for picking a candidate.

Actually its a reason not to pick the candidate, constant waffle about what they're doing yet nothing seems to get done, great ideas that never materialise and daily junk mail. Seems like a good enough reason to go elsewhere to me. Or do you vote for whoever makes the most noise?

I'm driving home tonight and back tomorrow morning so I can vote. Yay me 🙂

Tiger, don't be thick.

Spending this time was absolutely necessary and tories would have done the same.

. Or do you vote for whoever makes the most noise?

No I'd vote for the person who is representing the party I agreed with most – seeing as MPs generally vote along party lines anyway. Next priority would be looking at their personal voting track record if they had been an MP previously, then looking at what they had done locally – bottom of the list would be their campaign publicity.

mess up the country

How is the country messed up? Seems fine to me.

BTW I currently earn about £10,000 per year so I'm not exactly well off – still live perfectly comfortably.

Talkemada – Member
Can't be bothered reading that.

So who you voting for?

Yes you are known for you short, insightful and to other point posts..the irony

"but a swing to Labour would give more chance of keeping the Tories out"

In a Lib/Lab marginal, I don't thinks so. If you believe the polls, Labour are a long way from getting a majority. So the key battle grounds are in Con/Lib and Con/Lab marginals. So I wouldn't be "tactical" voting in your situation.

😆

Well, it was late and I was tired.

but a swing to Labour would give more chance of keeping the Tories out

In a hung parliament, share of total vote could be important. Maybe as much as number of seats?

do we know what he said yet though as I skipped it too 😯

Tiger, don't be thick.

Sorry I'll wander back to the retard clinic

No I'd vote for the person who is representing the party I agreed with most – seeing as MPs generally vote along party lines anyway. Next priority would be looking at their personal voting track record if they had been an MP previously, then looking at what they had done locally – bottom of the list would be their campaign publicity.

I'd tend to agree, but it wouldn't stop me (an undecided voter) from using it as the final straw that breaks the camels back, as I have here. Or rather it's allowing me to see how they really DONT have much of a track record locally, despite shouting about how they like to be involved.

Tactical voting all the way for me, I'm afraid. I am picking my candidate based on how best to support the party I favour, which may or may not mean actually voting for them.

I'm sure a quick forum search and a very small bit of detective work would reveal from the above how I actually intend to vote 🙂

EDIT: Retard clinic – what an ace idea. Teach people basic economics, politics and a quick rundown on history. Great.

Our Tory candidate came knocking last night
we had a pleasant 10 minute chat to him, he asked us to consider voting for him
It was then I pointed out that all 4 of us had actually voted by post last week 😀

He seemed in a hurry

ourmaninthenorth – Member
I live in one of the country's most marginal seats – 667 votes separate Lib Dem and Labour, with Lib Dem having taken it off Labour last time. How I vote, there, has massive significance for the likelihood of Labour remaining in government or potentially putting the Tories in because it stays Lib Dem.

My ordinary voting habits are borne of disdain – I tend to deliver a blank ballot paper – but this time I know I need to choose someone. It has to be tactical, but there is also the local element. The incumbent MP is good as a constituency MP, but a swing to Labour would give more chance of keeping the Tories out.

Since I'm a well paid* worker in the private sector, I've been through tough times already since the banking crisis began. I could be selfish and ignore the forthcoming kicking the public sector is going to get (after all, those workers have been relatively untouched by the grimness we've had to endure), but how does that benefit society at large?

Decisions, decisions.

*According to the likes of Cameron, himself worth only £27m.

Similar story here.

Lib Dem seat, gained from Lab last time round, no Tory threat likely (Scotland!) and a reasonable majority.

MP pretty good I have to say, wholeheartedly agree with her voting records on most issues, but she seldom disagrees with the party line. Clean and transparent on expenses.

But I want to see a Labour (or at least a Lab/Lib coalition) government, as I think this outcome will benefit the country most, so I have to decide whether to vote locally or tactically. Then again, this is Scotland and when have we ever affected a Westminster election?

Is there an election?

I live in one of the country's most marginal seats – 667 votes separate Lib Dem and Labour, with Lib Dem having taken it off Labour last time. How I vote, there, has massive significance for the likelihood of Labour remaining in government or potentially putting the Tories in because it stays Lib Dem.

Given the way things have gone, I'm not sure your vote will have a massive significance & it's not marginal any more
That seat is a LibDem hold

Our Tory candidate came knocking last night
we had a pleasant 10 minute chat to him, he asked us to consider voting for him
It was then I pointed out that all 4 of us had actually voted by post last week

He seemed in a hurry

The legend that is Legard!

He'll have been trying to make up the time he lost delivering leaflets in Hurworth, which isn't actually in the constituency 🙂

(I'm calling Darlo for Lab, with Lib beating Con into third.)

so, to summarise, aracers vote is going to Baldwin (Conservative).

You can see I'm a bit bored.

Hey everyone, guess who I'm voting for?

Don't forget to check back here regularly for possible updates.

You really will be astounded when you find out who it is.

No, really.

I'm not going to give the game away with too many clues, except that it will be someone from one of the main parties.

I like this game. It's very exciting.

He'll have been trying to make up the time he lost delivering leaflets in Hurworth, which isn't actually in the constituency

😆

This thread is boring without pictures of Amy Pond

a true scot