The number of seats won or lost is kind of irrelevant. The important thing in terms of how a future general election will go will be the national vote share. I think it'll be a lot closer than the polls and that will hopefully set some alarm bells off in labour HQ and force Starmer to pull his finger out of his backside. From this point forward the momentum will be with Sunak.
People like myself have very little reason to drag themselves out and vote for a party which takes our vote for granted.
So you want change but you don't want to vote for it?
Up here in the clouds of Greetland & Stainland we're voting LibDem to keep the Tories out of the local seat.
So you want change but you don’t want to vote for it?
Someone has to offer some change first. I'm seeing nothing but more of the same from all the parties. I suppose I could vote for the greens but what's the point? This is a solid labour area and dragging myself into town to add 1 vote to their double figure vote tally seems a bit pointless.
I know a lot of it is Emporer's new clothes but not voting for the Govt does send a message
It's really difficult to judge success or otherwise in locals other than locally. Most of the seats that are up were voted in 4 (5 with COVID maybe)years ago so gains and loses are measured against them - but progress is measured against last year. In Leeds we have three councillors per ward elected one per year,with a fallow year every, for 4 years then change happens progressively.
So for my ward to win the seat off the Tories would meet expectation, Tories retaining would be s big step backwards.
Choice here of;
1) Tory
2) Labour
3) LibDem
4) Very popular independent candidate (former Labour candidate who came very close 2nd to Tories last time around)
Have a horrible feeling the three non-Tory options are going to completely split the vote and result in the Tory witch getting back in.
Just got back from the polling station, we had two ballot papers to fill out, one for the parish council and one for the district council. Despite being very tory around here there was only two candidates standing for the district council, one Green and one indy,I voted Green. The parish council on the other hand had 14 candidates and you could choose up to 12! seems a little pointless to be honest, none of them have put out any information about themselves, at least none that I can find and I don't want to vote for a nimby type so I spoilt that one.
Most of the seats that are up were voted in 4 (5 with COVID maybe) years ago so gains and loses are measured against them – but progress is measured against last year.
Apart from where there have been boundary changes, as above most of these are re-elections for seats that were up in 2019, at the nadir of Theresa May's popularity. Unless the Tories gain significant numbers of seats, it'll be a bad night for them (even if it's not spun that way)
Ultimately losing councillors also reduces local visibility, and in turn reduces your activist base (which isn't a problem in safe seats, but is when other parties are out knocking on doors).
@Bazz What councillors have you got at the moment? Anecdotally the Tories have got to the point where in some (even true blue) areas they're struggling to find candidates.
Well, if you "can't be bothered to vote"... don't go moaning about the political apathy of others.
It's pretty easy for me around here, some great Labour and LibDem councillors, some awful Tory ones. More of the former, fewer of the latter, please. Voted to keep a Labour councillor. All three in the ward are Labour, and I see no reason to change that. Definitely nothing from Sunak that helps his candidate here... he's just house sitting in number 10 without any consent from the voters... 'till he's moved on.
but not voting for the Govt does send a message
I'm not voting for the govt.
Well, if you “can’t be bothered to vote”… don’t go moaning about the political apathy of others.
I generally don't. I complain about the apathy of politicians who can't be bothered or don't have the courage to offer new solutions to obvious problems. If they can't be arsed trying to change things, I can't be arsed to vote for them.
The parish council on the other hand had 14 candidates and you could choose up to 12! seems a little pointless to be honest,
Parish councils are just archaic and powerless administrative structures which provide an opportunity for retired self-important 'pillars' of the community to feel like they're 'giving something back' while doing bugger all and sticking their noses into other people's business. They should be abolished.
I complain about the apathy of politicians
Have you spoken to any of your local candidates? Looked up what they have to say? Checked their record if already in office? Are they apathetic or engaged and listening to the people they represent or are asking to represent?
Parish councils are just archaic and powerless administrative structures which provide an opportunity for retired self-important ‘pillars’ of the community to feel like they’re ‘giving something back’ while doing bugger all and sticking their noses into other people’s business. They should be abolished.
This. 100% this! They are trying to push one through where I live. The referendum on whether we want it or not was a resounding "No!" but there is a feeling that St. Helens council will push it through by nefarious means. Adds a few quid to the council tax bill with very little tangible benefit.
Parish councils are just archaic and powerless administrative structures which provide an opportunity for retired self-important ‘pillars’ of the community to feel like they’re ‘giving something back’ while doing bugger all and sticking their noses into other people’s business. They should be abolished.
This.
Parish councils are invariably the biggest bunch of stick-in-the-muds around. Little more than a bunch of retired NIMBYs who get to act out all their Daily Mail fantasies.
@ratherbeintobago just looking at the make up of the district council (Wealden) we have 28 Tory, 6 Lib Dem, 4 Independent democrat, 4 Green and 3 Independent group. I was just surprised no one from the Tories were challenging the Green candidate for this ward, must think it's a lost cause 😀
Are they apathetic or engaged and listening to the people they represent or are asking to represent?
I've not had any literature or contact with any of them. I had to go on the internet just to find out who they are, and there is very little info about what they will do other than vague candidate statements. I have my ear pretty close to the ground and can honestly say that here in Todmorden there has been zero campaigning activity from any of them.
Parish councils are invariably the biggest bunch of stick-in-the-muds around. Little more than a bunch of retired NIMBYs who get to act out all their Daily Mail fantasies.
Hence why I spoilt my ballot.
I have my ear pretty close to the ground and can honestly say that here in Todmorden there has been zero campaigning activity from any of them.
Maybe they knocked on the door but you didn't hear them?
Just voted lib dem here.
Place was empty, I was literally the only person in there.
Mind you it was 11.30 so not exactly peak time.
I asked them if it was busy this morning and they said "so-so".
Maybe they knocked on the door but you didn’t hear them?
I don't expect them to knock on my door, I live up a hill and they probably assume I'm a died in the wool tory so it's not worth the effort. But there is nothing else, no campaigning activity, no leaflets, no posters, nothing in the local news. The only evidence that there's a local election going on is the odd isolated 'voting labour here' poster in gardens or windows and there's very few of those.
Walking around door knocking has got to be the most pointless activity.
How many people are home during your canvassing time and actually will answer the door?
Of those, how many are either going to vote and might be swayed by your spiel; or might be convinced to vote by your interaction, when they wouldn’t have before?
With all the wasted time, plus the risk of coming across some nutter who wants to rant at you for half an hour about immigrants or 15 minute cities or something.
How many votes do you think you would gain an hour?
I had two ballots to fill out. One was pick 5 out of 7, the other, 2 from 5.
Conveniently, two tories in each, so all the LD and independents got my vote. No labour presence at all.
Typing this, one of the Tory candidates in my town got exposed as a Britain first nut job. Think he stood as an independent. Can’t remember his name, don’t even know if he was in my constituency. Ironically my anyone but Tory policy I may have accidentally voted for him.
Just had Jake Berry knock on my door asking if i had voted yet. Replied i will do later but not for your team. He shrugged and wadered off. I should be a prime conservative voter but it'll be a generation before i think about voting for them again if at all. Between Brexit, Johnson and Truss they deserve to go and sit in the corner for a very long time and think about what they've done.
I suppose I could vote for the greens but what’s the point
Because if they get a boost in votes then Labour might reconsider its current approach.
Just had Jake Berry knock on my door asking if i had voted yet
I got slightly confused there, thinking you meant Matt Berry. I have been watching a lot of "What we do in the shadows" recently though
Candidates are just from the 3 main parties round my way. I haven’t seen any engagement from any of them. It’s like they have all decided it’s a forgone conclusion so aren’t bothering
I hear Matt Berry's voice everywhere, everyday.
That's because he's in everything.
What's all this ballot-spoiling business? Is that a statistic which gets recorded? Does anyone actually care? Do you ring up radio phone-ins to say "no comment"?
What’s all this ballot-spoiling business?
They get counted.
I spoilt my vote for the police chief card because the cops shouldn’t be political. My voice got heard rather than tutting.
I believe it’s compulsory to vote in Australia. When I was there ,the spoilts were about the same as the non votes in the uk.
The amount of shit our ancestors went through to get that ballot card it’s bloody disrespectful not to use it in some way.
@ajaydoubleyou Doorknocking, and carpeting people's halls in Focus leaflets, seems to work for some parties though.
Maybe because the people who are in during the day are older and are more likely to vote?
What’s all this ballot-spoiling business? Is that a statistic which gets recorded?
Not really because it covers everything from someone going "no one i like" to someone who doesnt quite understand the complexities of sticking a cross in a box.
I guess if its funny it might amuse the person counting and if its really funny and abusive about one of the candidates they might see/hear it.
I think there is an argument for a specific "not interested" option although what would then be done with that is anyones guess so probably not worth it.
Maybe because the people who are in during the day are older and are more likely to vote?
How true is that nowadays with work from home. More likely for certain professions but I would think age is less important now. Be curious if there is any good research on it.
Only a two horse race for us.... Conservatives or Lib Dems..... no others.
I hear Matt Berry’s voice everywhere, everyday.
Launch the nuclear weapons
Spoiling a ballot is completely pointless. If you don't want to vote for any of the candidates, don't vote. It may give you a sense of satisfaction to have "stuck it to the man", but no-one other than you gives a toss about your spoilt ballot paper.
I've just been to the polling station. A few people arrived before me and a few arrived after. 🆔 checked on entry. Pencil in good condition.
I'd be paissed if we all trooped off to spoil our ballot papers and the bloody Tory won by 2 votes to 1 though.
I disagree. It separates ‘can’t be bothered’ from ‘yes, I am bothered but dissatisfied with what any of you are offering’
Like I say, no-one gives a toss that you are dissatisfied.
Walking around door knocking has got to be the most pointless activity.
How many people are home during your canvassing time and actually will answer the door?
Of those, how many are either going to vote and might be swayed by your spiel; or might be convinced to vote by your interaction, when they wouldn’t have before?
That's not the only point of canvassing though. If a candidate knows you are likely to vote for them, that will be recorded. Then, come polling day, the tellers at the polling stations relay back to party HQ who has turned out to vote. If you are known to be likely to vote for a party but didn't turn out to vote yet then you are likely to get a knock or a call during the evening reminding you to get out and vote.
Side note: chatting to the Tory teller at our local polling station, he has absolutely no time for the current government. He seemed as keen as anyone to get rid of them 😂
Edit: just to be clear, given that it's illegal for tellers to talk politics with voters: I was there as a teller too, this was just chat in between getting voter numbers.
Lots of stories of people being turned away.
https://twitter.com/edwinhayward/status/1654080542550130690?s=20
Like I say, no-one gives a toss that you are dissatisfied.
I get that, but if you don't raise a protest, however ineffective, then they absolutely won't.
If a candidate knows you are likely to vote for them, that will be recorded. Then, come polling day, the tellers at the polling stations relay back to party HQ who has turned out to vote. If you are known to be likely to vote for a party but didn’t turn out to vote yet then you are likely to get a knock or a call during the evening reminding you to get out and vote.
I didn’t know that. Didn’t realise they had access to the list of voters. Had assumed canvassing was merely a blanket approach of picking a street (in a statistically useful neighbourhood) and knocking on all doors.
Seems I was wrong about that.
As someone who is fairly outspoken as being a swing voter come GE time, and I’m hopefully quite a swing demographic, I’m possibly more annoyed that no one has ever knocked on my door (when I’ve been in)
I think there's very little knocking on doors now given how polarised some people are getting, I'd imagine the chances of running into a few unpleasant nutjobs each day is quite high.
Just been. Disappointed to see there were no dogs. Other than that, all good and I was 1 of 2 voting at the time. (1:30ish).
No door knocking in the lead up that I noticed either.
Pencil was in excellent condition.
I get that, but if you don’t raise a protest, however ineffective, then they absolutely won’t.
Go to stopthetories.vote
Enter your postcode and it'll give you a breakdown of your local political scene and an indication of how to vote tactically.
That's better than spoiling ballot papers.
If 9500 people write "you're all ****ers" over ballot papers because they somehow think that's "making a statement" and 500 people vote Tory, guess who's going to win...
