How are you planning to vote?

[AronSearle]

I just want to repeat.

*YOU VOTE FOR YOUR MP - NOT THE PRIME MINISTER (who can only do what he does with the support of MP's).

Anyone who thinks they are voting for Cameron, Millibar or Farage is an idiot.

Every single person I know who says they don't vote cus they don't like the choices, has never actually been able to name their local candidates, says it all.

 

[Micilin]

If the choices on offer are all unappealing, I can't in conscience vote for any of them, because my vote will be interpreted as approval and support

Choose one:

Stalin
Hitler
Ghengis Kahn
Pol Pot

Genghis khan mostly killed foreigners, trusted his generals to run the army, left a successful empire, and united factions.

The other three killed as many of their own people as they did the 'enemy', tried disastrously to meddle in military matters (Hitler's meddling lost the war, and Stalin meddling resulted in hundreds of thousands of army deaths), they ruined the economy of their countries, and left no worthwhile legacy.

Apart from the reductio ad absurdumof your argument making it invalid, and the ignorance you display of the power of individual MP's (you know you vote for MP's and not dictators, right?), it was still easy to pick the least worst option.

Try harder.

Great keeper too.

 

[JohnD]

you know you vote for MP's and not dictators, right?

We vote for a candidate chosen by the Party, and the elected MP does what his Party tells him. The Party chooses the PM.

So if we vote for the candidate chosen by Oily Dave's party, we are voting for Oily Dave as PM.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Moin was not that great and Imran was not a wicket keeper.

 

[Micilin]

Moin was not that great and Imran was not a wicket keeper.

Oliver....

 

[AronSearle]

you know you vote for MP's and not dictators, right?

We vote for a candidate chosen by the Party, and the elected MP does what his Party tells him. The Party chooses the PM.

So if we vote for the candidate chosen by Oily Dave's party, we are voting for Oily Dave as PM.

Complete ignorant twaddle, the sort of simpleton understanding of our system I would expect of a daily mail reader.

You vote for an MP to represent your constituency. They will respond to demonstrated will of their constituents, if they make their will known (communications, demonstrations, pressure groups). More than enough examples of MP's voting against 'the party' to demonstrate this, or promoting causes.

He may be part of a party that elects a certain leader, that leader still only has the power granted to him by MP's, it is MP's that vote laws in and not the PM.

What people like you just can't stand is that most people vote for a load of Tory or Labour MP's, that act as they do and push the laws as they do. Rather than accepting that, actually, this is the will of the people, you cry about broken democracy and how they don't represent you.

People who don't bother to vote very typically don't bother to campaign either, or try to work with their MP. Then they wonder why those MP's only represent the few that vote for them.

It is an imperfect system, because it can't be perfect, accept it rather than throwing a childish tantrum and refusing to play ball.

 

[Micilin]

you know you vote for MP's and not dictators, right?

We vote for a candidate chosen by the Party, and the elected MP does what his Party tells him. The Party chooses the PM.

So if we vote for the candidate chosen by Oily Dave's party, we are voting for Oily Dave as PM.

Complete ignorant twaddle, the sort of simpleton understanding of our system I would expect of a daily mail reader.

You vote for an MP to represent your constituency. They will respond to demonstrated will of their constituents, if they make their will known (communications, demonstrations, pressure groups). More than enough examples of MP's voting against 'the party' to demonstrate this, or promoting causes.

He may be part of a party that elects a certain leader, that leader still only has the power granted to him by MP's, it is MP's that vote laws in and not the PM.

What people like you just can't stand is that most people vote for a load of Tory or Labour MP's, that act as they do and push the laws as they do. Rather than accepting that, actually, this is the will of the people, you cry about broken democracy and how they don't represent you.

People who don't bother to vote very typically don't bother to campaign either, or try to work with their MP. Then they wonder why those MP's only represent the few that vote for them.

It is an imperfect system, because it can't be perfect, accept it rather than throwing a childish tantrum and refusing to play ball.

My local MP is very good for his constituency work from personal experience , I have voted for him, but I would not vote for his party if it were another person.

 

[KenGMac]

I despair!

Up here in the far frozen North we have a system of PR for the Scottish Parliament.

there are numerous versions of PR but when I vote I have to state a preference of 1/2/3 against whichever Candidate who Represents Whatever party, My paper is then scored and the Candidate that has the most 1St. choices is the winner Etc. Etc. Etc.

We have winners and we also have so called list Candidates the are Scottish MPs these are a sort of consolation prize to represent the total number of votes cast for a particular political party.

This way appears to me to be a very fair way of achieving a uniform way of giving all of the Electors a definitive voice in the Scottish Parliament and gets rid of the FPTP [by 12 votes?] MP?

One exceptionally interesting point as regards PR was that when the Scottish Parliament was first introduced, it was to be set up on lines that in effect mimicked Westminster, and more importantly was specifically designed so as NOT to have one DOMINANT party?

What in effect occurred was hat so many Voters opted to go for SNP as either 1 OR 2 in preference that the SNP won a landslide majority?

The only UKIP Member of the European Parliament "Won" his Seat on the same PR principal, that being that so many of the Voters had voted UKIP someone had to be elected" and it was him. Unfortunately there was some issue a couple of week ago as regards his comments or something, problem that UKIP have up here is that they are in effect seen as an ENGLISH party?

Only thing I can say is that bring on PR in England, it has had a ground breaking effect up here, labour is nowhere near as Dominant as it was, and the Conservatives have only one Seat in Westminster from Scotland?

Go Nicola,

I suppose it could be argued that once again Scotland is leading the way, Free Prescriptions, Free bus passes [I have one] Free tuition and PR?

Could be if the SNP were to get into a truly three horse non-Binding Coalition, not tied into anyone or any ancient Dogma this country may prosper, just a thought

ken

 

[JohnD]

So if we vote for the candidate chosen by Oily Dave's party, we are voting for Oily Dave as PM.

Complete ignorant twaddle.

No, it's true.

Even if you don't like to say so.

 

[JBR]

I might vote, but since my constituency is a safe seat for one of the major national parties, it will achieve nothing. The majority of the voters will return whatever robotic clone the party selects.

That's one of the problems with the FPTP system.

Unless you happen to live in a marginal constituency, your vote is worthless.

Perfectly true.

The constituency where I live is always won by the LimpDems, although I can't for the life of me think why. As you say, until we obtain a Proportional Representation system we are doomed to swing back and forth between Red and Blue.

It won't stop me voting for UKIP, though. At least the numbers of votes are published which, I think, indicates the true support of each party.

 

[Dextraneous]

I wonder if the residents of white Wythenshawe will muster the strength to "do a Barking" and vote UKIP instead of Labour

 

[AronSearle]

Proportional Representation system we are doomed to swing back and forth between Red and Blue.

I am not against change to the system, but it is not the magic wand it is represented to be.

Under PR, you will still get most MP's being voted in with 50% or less of their constituents voting for them. And most people vote for the same things anyway, we will still have mostly Tory or Labour MP's. Maybe a few more Lib dems, not a huge change.

And as said earlier, constituents still have a large influence on their MP (if they choose to exert it), but only on their MP.

PR won't (and shouldn't) change this. It might be better, but it won't fix many of the 'problems' people think it will, because they are just features of an imperfect system.

'no *I* am right' -stamps foot-

Pretty much sums up your argument.

In that you don't have one.

 

[ntb]

I despair!

I suppose it could be argued that once again Scotland is leading the way, Free Prescriptions, Free bus passes [I have one] Free tuition and PR?

ken

They're not free. Someone is paying for them even if you are not.

 

[AronSearle]

I despair!

I suppose it could be argued that once again Scotland is leading the way, Free Prescriptions, Free bus passes [I have one] Free tuition and PR?

ken

They're not free. Someone is paying for them even if you are not.

You mean there isn't a magic money tree?

 

[ntb]

I despair!

I suppose it could be argued that once again Scotland is leading the way, Free Prescriptions, Free bus passes [I have one] Free tuition and PR?

ken

They're not free. Someone is paying for them even if you are not.

You mean there isn't a magic money tree?

Welcome to the very small club of people who seem to have realised this.