Of all the political parties in the U.K., why can I only vote for one of five? I understand you have representatives of your area, but what if I want to vote for a totally different party to run the country. If a party wins who aren't in my constituency, that's not fair.

Is there a reason for this?

I suppose because you are meant to vote for party policies rather than personality!

Maybe?

Jay

Maybe I worded it wrong.

Say I want to vote for English Democrats to run the country. There's no candidate for my area. I can't vote them. But I want them to run the country.

Because someone has to stand in your constituency – minor parties don't have the funds or support to have representation in them all.

Maybe it was a silly question thinking about it.

because we don't have proportional representation……..yet

If they don't have a candidate in your area I doubt they're running the risk of ending up running the country

And you don't vote to get the party in, you vote for who will represent your constituency. The party with the most 'seats' takes power – get enough and have complete control as all the other parties' seats in Parliament can never vote your policies out. Technically the leader of a party could not have a seat but they ways represent guaranteed 'seats' so always get voted in.

you dont vote for a government, you vote for a member of parliament to represent your constituency. Just so happens that most candidates now come through the party machines so people think they are voting for organisations, not individuals.

The transferable vote systems proposed by the LibDems go some way to address that

I understand you have representatives of your area, but what if I want to vote for a totally different party to run the country.

Well how about, you vote for one party in the local elections, and another party in the national elections ?

If a party wins who aren't in my constituency, that's not fair.

I really don't know what that means.

EDIT just seen this : "Say I want to vote for English Democrats to run the country. There's no candidate for my area. I can't vote them. But I want them to run the country. "

Tough……either stand as a candidate yourself, or move.

And you don't vote to get the party in, you vote for who will represent your constituency.

Won't they just tow the party line anyway?

Crap FPTP system.

GG – I think he means that it is theoretically possible for, say the tories to form government of the UK, without offering up any candidates in Scottish constituencies, for example.

Precisely. Articulacy never was my strong point.

And you don't vote to get the party in, you vote for who will represent your constituency.

Won't they just tow the party line anyway?
Crap FPTP system.

I don't understand you – your constituency's MP could be Labour but it could be a Tory Government so they will (ordinarily) oppose anything they try to pass through Parliament. But as the Tories (in this theoretic case) have overall power, his vote generally won't make a difference.

And you toe a line, not tow 😉

You vote for who will represent your constituency.

It's a mixture of whether you think a candidate will represent you well, and how much you agree with their party's policies and leadership.

An example. My mate is not a natural Labour supporter, but will vote Labour this time because:
a) His standing Labour MP, Dan Norris, actually turns up to debates, often speaks, and tries to elevate local issues to national level.
b) The only viable alternative is the Conservative, Jacob Rees-Mogg, who's been parachuted in after a boundary change. Google him – his opinions are laughable!

I'm in a LibDem/Conservative marginal and will be voting to boot out the sitting Conservative, mainly because of his dodgy expenses. But also because I'm a intellectual bleeding heart Liberal in my bones and want the LibDems to a have a fair and proportionate voice in parliament. A hung parliament ticks my boxes.