I'm considering doing something I swore I would never do under any circumstances - voting Tory. At the last election in this ward, the Tories got more than twice the votes of all the other parties combined (It's Colne, for Christ's sake - how is that possible!). However, the way Reform appear to be hoovering up support, it seems the only way to try to stop them is to vote Tory. Additionally, the Tories are the only party to send any literature and, I hate to admit it, the only party to have come out against the diabolical Walshaw Moor Saudi Arabian wind farm.
Any comments?
Who are the candidates? What are the chances of them just joining Reform after you've voted them in anyway?
You'll have to enlighten me how a wind farm is diabolical, I agree I don't see how Saudi money needs to be involved but weaning off fossil fuels is surely a primary objective now.
As for tactical voting, I'd hold my nose and vote tory if it kept reform out. What a shit world we live in, that it has come to this.
You'll have to enlighten me how a wind farm is diabolical, I agree I don't see how Saudi money needs to be involved but weaning off fossil fuels is surely a primary objective now.
Agreed, I think hes referring to the Calderdale Energy Park, that had loads of nimbys complaining and theyve scaled back the benefits it would bring.
Project Evolution - Calderdale Energy Park
thanks for that.. i looked up my local predictions...
Reform is a predicted winner
conservatives come close
no lib dem option from what i can tell
green in 3rd
and labour may as well be out playing golf
The 'NIMBYS' are complaining because of the damage it will do to 'protected' peatland and the wildlife. Not to mention the 60-odd thousand journeys of huge trucks through Colne and laneshawbridge on already crumbling roads and the new roads which will have to cut across the countryside. These things are huge! 200 metres. Taller than Blackpool Tower. The profits will be going back to Saudi Arabia - after Richard Bannister (Boundary Mill owner) has had his £500 million. It is a disgrace. Why don't they put 200 metre tall structures on the South Downs or somewhere else near to London? No chance.
"Near London" it's more about solar at the moment, loads of it, all objected to by their own Nimbys. There are good reasons why on shore wind makes more sense in the North of England and Scotland than in the South East of England... these Northern sites aren't chosen so you can't see them from London.
Reform is a predicted winner
conservatives come close
no lib dem option from what i can tell
green in 3rd
and labour may as well be out playing golf
This is almost exactly the same for me. I clearly can't vote Reform, and I really don't want to vote Tory. But what's the alternative? Green to send a message I guess?
Why don't they put 200 metre tall structures on the South Downs or somewhere else near to London?
Because they're wind turbines and it doesn't get windier than the hills above Burnley. As far as I'm concerned people who object to wind turbines get a coal-fired power plant in their back garden.
My only options realistically are Reform or Con. This is filling me with joy.
Usually the wider region is a mix of Labour and Tory but the entire local area seems likely to get wiped out by Reform 😣
"Because they're wind turbines and it doesn't get windier than the hills above Burnley. As far as I'm concerned people who object to wind turbines get a coal-fired power plant in their back garden".
Even though destroying the peat will release more CO2 than the windmills will save?
And even though it is saudi money?
And even though Bannister stands to make £500 million? This is nothing to do with clean power and all to do with money.
Earlier this year I came to the conclusion that with heavy heart I'd vote tory to keep reform out. Ex miner,I will feel unclean.
Crikey, if an ex-miner can vote Tory to keep Reform out, I can't really complain if I 'have' to.
Why don't they put 200 metre tall structures on the South Downs
We put them in the English Channel and admire them from the South Downs 🙂
There were still loads of complaints about having the view stolen!
Still, its helped the sealife because the trawlers have to stay away
Because they're wind turbines and it doesn't get windier than the hills above Burnley. As far as I'm concerned people who object to wind turbines get a coal-fired power plant in their back garden.
The coal-fired power stations should surely go in the South East where the power is required then? Or stick a couple of nuclear power stations alongside the M25 if it's not very windy there.
Why don't they put 200 metre tall structures on the South Downs
Cos they build them in the sea......
Rampion 1 powers 350,000 homes, the Rampion 2 farm will generate enough to power 1Million homes
[edit: Spooky beat me to it]
However, the way Reform appear to be hoovering up support, it seems the only way to try to stop them is to vote Tory.
Got a leaflet from the tories which to basically said that. "vote us to beat reform".
Leaving aside the dubious accuracy in this area I did find it curious.
The coal-fired power stations should surely go in the South East where the power is required then?
Er... what coal-fired power stations?
Even though destroying the peat will release more CO2 than the windmills will save?
What windmills?
Have I stumbled into the pensioners' thread?!?
If I lived in Colne I'd be voting for anyone who pledged to build a Vivary Way bypass.
Worth using this site to decide how to vote to Stop Reform and Tories tomorrow. We are LibDem in MidSussex
Tho says Labour for Colne Valley.....?
Thanks susepic ... that tactical vote tool confirmed my already placed postal votes... reassuring... to a degree.
Saw something on BluSky this morning saying that PlaidCymru are seeing a swing in the Senedd elections as people do a Caerphilly and vote to keep reform out - here's hoping that's correct🤞🤞🤞
Er... what coal-fired power stations?
Er... the coal-fired power stations that Flaperon was proposing as "punishment".
Talk about being on the horns of a dilemma, having to vote for an evil bunch of self serving racist Tory ****s, just to keep out an even more evil more self serving bunch of racist ****s out.
Never forget though that 3/4 the reason we're in this ferhucking mess is because of the Tories. Privatisation of water, electricity, gas, British Petroleum, NATS, railways, 15 years of austerity for normal people, and the Fhucksit vote just because Cameron wanted to settle an internal Tory argument. Racist Reform and Fascist Farage wouldn't have a platform if it wasnt for Tory Cameron shirking leadership responsibility and letting the morons decide like Pontius Pilot.
So no, can't ever vote Tory.
If Reform get in at the GE they will implode within 2-3 years and we'll get some proper progressive Gov after that cluster. Time to look long term... decimate the Tories, put up with and ride out a 1 term racist Reform mess, then finally onto the some improvement.
Reform is a predicted winner
conservatives come close
no lib dem option from what i can tell
green in 3rd
and labour may as well be out playing golf
This is almost exactly the same for me. I clearly can't vote Reform, and I really don't want to vote Tory. But what's the alternative? Green to send a message I guess?
That's what I'm doing.
That's what I'm doing.
Libdems might be an option although they are sufficiently neutered after the orange book loons they can generally be ignored.
If Reform get in at the GE they will implode within 2-3 years and we'll get some proper progressive Gov after that cluster. Time to look long term... decimate the Tories, put up with and ride out a 1 term racist Reform mess, then finally onto the some improvement.
If history is any judge then Reform will get in, crash and burn wholly predictably, and then spin the narrative that they failed because they weren't allowed to be Reform-y enough and it's all really our fault for not believing in them harder. The government after them will be reclaiming the swastika and making small moustaches fashionable again.
For the first time I'm ok with a Tory as an msp. Means that the "right" vote will be split, SNP will get in thanks to this. They need a shake up but going any blue colour is not it.
Met a guy I know this morning and he was unapologetic about voting reform because "they're all liars". My vote hopefully just cancels his.
Third through the door just a wee detour on my morning dog walk.
so i had to do some research, i'm voting for ward councillor and county councillor, and what the implications of each are..
basically, in my area its primarily conservative.. and even if reform candidates win, it's unlikely to actually change much locally..
So i'm going to vote none tactically as it's more important to see the true support in this situation.
If it was a GE i definitely would be voting tactically if required.
We’re predicted a substantial Labour win with a few more RUK seats and a couple of Tories. But I do worry that the predictions skew the end results.
Labour have stuck 5 or 6 leaflets through the door, RUK 1, none of the others have bothered at all, part of me would like to see more effort from the greens, it’s a diverse area in a diverse town. My sister is near Portsmouth and RUK have been spamming their letterbox…
Lib Dem in my ward - TBH they are the only party that is really active locally. Ward next to us could go Reform and my brother in law is standing as a Reform candidate. God help them if he get's in. He'll be taking back handers !
Additionally, the Tories are the only party to send any literature and, I hate to admit it, the only party to have come out against the diabolical Walshaw Moor Saudi Arabian wind farm.
It was the Tory govt in 2023, and more specifically Michael Gove who relaxed the 2015 local council planning rules that enabled on-shore windfarms like this one to become more a practical proposition by overturning the rule that could block development with just a single vote.
Plus from memory - (used to live in Northwell Heptonstall) there are locally already established wind farms (off the top of my head) - Crook Hill and Hill Top in Tod, Coal Clough along the long causeway from Burnely, and Ovenden Moor, which is literally right next door to the proposed site. It's not like the whole valley isn't already covered in them, get to any high point, and you can see them in every direction
You'll have to enlighten me how a wind farm is diabolical, I agree I don't see how Saudi money needs to be involved but weaning off fossil fuels is surely a primary objective now.
Agreed, I think hes referring to the Calderdale Energy Park, that had loads of nimbys complaining and theyve scaled back the benefits it would bring.
Project Evolution - Calderdale Energy Park
Full nimby syndrome going on. Everyone wants clean energy generated somewhere else. The number of dubious rare critters opponents seem to find as part of these planning processes is vast. We had it round us when an application went in for 1500 homes that are now being built. The number of special interest groups suddenly claiming alsorts of critters were living in the farmed fields was hilarious.
I don’t understand why uk investors aren’t willing to invest rather than overseas investors
It's not just tactical voting we also get tactical naming.
We have a proportional system up here that I'm generally quite happy with but I noticed this morning that our list ballot paper (the proportional bit) has a far right party called Independent Green Voice whose logo is a leaf (I think it even had the word organic somewhere). Generally I'd say that, if you haven't worked out who you are voting for before you get to the polling station, you probably shouldn't be voting at all but that's going to catch a few people out I'm sure.
Even though destroying the peat will release more CO2 than the windmills will save?
And even though it is saudi money?
And even though Bannister stands to make £500 million? This is nothing to do with clean power and all to do with money.
1. A pathetic argument used by NIMBYs. It's possible to lay roads over peat while protecting it, and you don't need to dig out the foundations and throw it away, the valuable bit of peat is in the top layer. Research into protecting peat has gone on for a long long time. Also, show your working, because even if you completely deglove the moor of the peat and literally burn it, you still don't come close to the CO2 saved.
2. Saudi money? So what? I'm sure they wouldn't object if you want to chip in.
3. No idea who he is. I hate to break it to you but EVERYTHING is about money.
It's only local elections, better to vote with who you actually believe in to make sure they see support worth getting behind come national election time, imo.
I'm also not sure it's a bad thing that reform continue to have the opportunity to show their incompetence at a local level to help people realise it will be the same at national level - how many county councils led by a teenager does it take before people realise reform are a joke?
It's only local elections, better to vote with who you actually believe in to make sure they see support worth getting behind come national election time, imo.
I'm also not sure it's a bad thing that reform continue to have the opportunity to show their incompetence at a local level to help people realise it will be the same at national level - how many county councils led by a teenager does it take before people realise reform are a joke?
Meh, not convinced that will work. For example Nigel Farage has been an utterly useless MP for Clacton yet Reform is looking like a landslide victory in the locals in that area.
I don't get it at all, but it is what it is. Therefore I'm voting tactically to try and keep them out of my own area.
Also that 'Tactical Voting' website linked earlier is telling me to vote Labour to keep out the Tories and Reform, despite polling showing both the Lib Dems and Greens are far more likely to get in.
It's not just tactical voting we also get tactical naming.
like David Paulden? (Former hypnotherapist and red-cross spokesman…)
My social media predicts big gains for the “Islamic Green Party”….. whatever that means.
like David Paulden?
Reclaiming his family name, after previous generations dropped it to avoid persecution. Good on him.
