It appears that the media is pitching this as a two horse race with the UKIP as the only “alternative”, it strikes me as no choice at all?

So, The Greens? a wasted vote or not?

It depends on where you live but a vote is never wasted, you just might not get the outcome you want

what are they saying, tories vs ukip? how the hell did we end up in this situation? total nightmare,

greens usually get my vote anyway.

+1

If the alternative is not voting then it’s better than that.

Be nice if they had a no suitable candidate option.

The greater the share of the popular vote the minority parties get, the greater the chances of PR one day happening, you would have thought. One day.

The only wasted vote is one that doesn’t align with your political views. In other words, if you like the Greens vote Green!

It frustrates me that Labour and the Conservatives are the only 2 parties who will actually be in power. They are both as bad as each other and need kicking off their smug high horses.

So IMHO do it!! It’s who I’ll be voting for on election day.

It is probably worth pointing out that the Green Party had an MP a long time before UKIP did, and they are the only one of the two to have had an MP elected during a general election (Caroline Lucas, Brighton Pavilion)

If the alternative is not voting then it’s better than that.

+1

It’s probably who I’ll go for too. Seems to be little choice.

and +1 for a “none of the above” option

It is probably worth pointing out that the Green Party had an MP a long time before UKIP did, and they are the only one of the two to have had an MP elected during a general election

This. The Greens have an elected MP, UKIP’s MPs were not elected as UKIP MPs bit Tories who defected. In Scotland we have 2 greens and 0 UKIPs. And this is in spite of the blanket media coverage UKIP get. A vote for who you believe in is not wasted.

There’s no such thing as a “wasted vote”. A number of people, all of them committed in their own way, will be standing in your area and *will* have an effect on your life for the next few years.

How you vote is up to you. People talk of things like “tactical voting” where they mainly think about who they *don’t* want in power. The only trouble with such tactical voting is you can only end up with one thing; someone you don’t really want. Surely, better to read up about the candidates, and use things like voteforpolicies.org.uk, to let you make a real choice.

You might be surprised; you might end up with someone you *do* want that way!!

I do have to declare an interest here, though. I’m standing as a local Green Party candidate in Old Gaywood, King’s Lynn.

Rachel

Of the available options, Greens make the most sense in the long term

Weird that the media seems to avoid them though…

why is that?

Well you could say a vote is always “wasted” unless your constituency has a result decided by a single vote. And only not then if you vote for the winner. And if it makes any practical difference to the way the country is governed. Which has probably never happened in history.

I don’t see how voting green could be any more wasted than voting for X in a safe seat, where X could be any other candidate.

After listening to this

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzGyEXPDQBI[/video]

cast your vote 😯

‘Tactical’ voting just reinforces the two-party hegemony. Everyone should vote for who they want to see in power.

You beat me to it duntstick 😆

I don’t think greens have much of a chance here, and I don’t agree with all their policies but I’m kind of tempted on the basis that it might give them a bit of a springboard to get a higher profile and a bit of momentum for the next election or the election after that. But still undecided.

MrNutt – Member
So, The Greens? a wasted vote or not?

Yes. It is a waste of vote.

How long have they been in politics? Still no impact whatsoever from them at all. Too idealistic and elite in their thinking by considering themselves as know it all kind of party that dictates what is good for you. Completely detach from ordinary folks …

The case study of how long a far (?) left and green combination lasts is just across the channel. Admittedly Hollande abandoned such policies pretty quickly and the rest is history…..

That. Got to play the long game. Show that there’s an electorate desperate to find a good alternative to the old parties and some new ones might spring up.

Have a read of their manifesto, check how they’ve got on running Brighton and if that sounds good to you then definitely vote for them.

I’ll be voting green, although it won’t go any way to unseating the Tories in my constituency. If I still lived in South Norwich I’d have a dilemma. While they could potentially win there, splitting the labour vote last time got us a lib dem and a Tory government.

Yes. It is a waste of vote.

How long have they been in politics? Still no impact whatsoever from them at all. Too idealistic and elite in their thinking by considering themselves as know it all kind of party that dictates what is good for you.
From a UKIP voter who claims not to be a right wing headbanger

I’m thinking of voting Green because I want the mainstream parties to actually deal with the environmental problems that confront us. My thinking is that they will improve their behaviour regarding the environment if they see the greens gaining votes.

As for reading manifestos, what’s the point, they’re a web of lies.

I’ll vote SNP this time, I believe our best chance for change is out of the UK and I dont think its over yet.
After that Green all the way.

As for reading manifestos, what’s the point, they’re a web of lies.

It’s just that pretty much every person I know who’s considered voting green had actually no idea what they stand for – barring the “Green” in the name.

SNP should start branching out into England they would get my vote 🙂

I will also be voting SNP this time.

SNP should start branching out into England they would get my vote

I wish they would do just that.

ChubbyBlokeInLycra – Member

Yes. It is a waste of vote.

How long have they been in politics? Still no impact whatsoever from them at all. Too idealistic and elite in their thinking by considering themselves as know it all kind of party that dictates what is good for you.

From a UKIP voter who claims not to be a right wing headbanger [/quote]

Hey Chubby (should that simply be Fat or lard?) I think I have voted all of them in the past so I am not exactly right wing but I definitely do not want to see any party in majority as they need to earn their living harrrrddd! They need to be constantly under pressure from each others all the time. I vote to put them all under pressure. Yes, UKIP this time for me because they scare the shite out of all the main parties … 😆

If I were in Scotland I would vote SNP … You do know UKIP and SNP are not exactly friends when it comes to the issue of colony don’t you?

How long have they been in politics? Still no impact whatsoever from them at all.

Apart from forcing the major parties to adopt green(ish) policies?

Same thing as UKIP really, the Greens are unlikely to ever hold much in the way of actual power but if enough people vote for them then the major parties will start sniffing round for policy ideas.

I’ve got a pretty good idea what the Greens stand for. To be honest some of their policies will have a negative impact on my life but someone has to make the difficult decisions.

I’m trying to decide where to vote – by the looks of it my London place is a safe Tory seat but my Edinburgh place could change hands from Labour to SNP, so my vote will have more potential impact in the latter.

GrahamS – Member

How long have they been in politics? Still no impact whatsoever from them at all.

Apart from forcing the major parties to adopt green(ish) policies?

Same thing as UKIP really, the Greens are unlikely to ever hold much in the way of actual power but if enough people vote for them then the major parties will start sniffing round for policy ideas. [/quote]

Should be fun this time as the minor/smaller parties could be the king or queen maker … 😆

I’ve got a pretty good idea what the Greens stand for. To be honest some of their policies will have a negative impact on my life but someone has to make the difficult decisions.

I think they’ve ok if you’re just looking to register a protest vote (and safer in that regard than the LibDems, who’ll sell your vote to the highest bidder) but the reports from Brighton are not good. I know a folks that live there and say the Greens have been a disaster. Given they’ve no chance of more than a seat or two it probably won’t matter in a Westminster context.

epicsteve – Member
… (and safer in that regard than the LibDems, who’ll sell your vote to the highest bidder) …

They ALL sell your vote to the highest bidder if they are offered the chance to be in govt. Bear in mind, most of them have never tasted real power in govt so given the chance I bet the temptation is so high they will give in. Strategic or not.

but the reports from Brighton are not good. I know a folks that live there and say the Greens have been a disaster.

Of course there have been absolutely no problems with tory or labour councils over the years by which we can judge them.

Rachel, Kings Lynn? That’s just up the road from me. Well, same county anyway.

Good luck lass, I hope you do better than just get your deposit back.

I’ll be voting green. I Have idealistic views. I dream that the world could and should be better than it is. I could sit on my arse and not vote. I could vote for the same bunch of tits who have done nothing but line their own pockets. But instead I’ll vote for a party I think could start to change that.
Now if lots of others did the same……

Epicsteve, when I vote Green it wont be a protest vote, I want them to sweep to power in a landslide victory and change everything 🙂 As a matter of fact if they did i’d probably be happy to stay within the UK.
A lot of folk will call it a disaster, like I said they are difficult decisions that need to be made.