This is an unpopular opinion, but vote for who you believe in. If there is a party or candidate that backs your beliefs then you should vote for them. You only need to look at UKIP/Brexit/Reform to see that a small party can have a big impact, even if it’s backed by the media and run by bellends.
Wanting your vote to count by voting for a big party is like supporting Man City because you want your support to count…
But beyond genocide. One is planing to use culture war blaming and punishing disabled to fund tax cuts.
While the other just refuses to invest in a nation where voters are scared of spending.
There is a clear lesser of the evils. And refusing to vote also favours the incubant party.
I live in a constituency where labour is not the most likely way to remove a tory mp. So other bad options exist. At least one that a.so hates fptp in my area.
But unfortunately you are correct. Our fake democracy forces you to look at the history of your area. And avoid voting for the greater of multiple evils.
I said not voting favours the incumbent. Currently that is less true then in the past. The principle has always been. People in your area will be more likely to vote for consistency. It is just a human nature thing. We avoid change. So the MP you have now is more likely to win. Unless many people are motivated to change.
This election is pretty unique. Even compared to 97. We have many many voters thinking like you. But outright hate in many tory traditional safe seats. Add the huge change in many borders.
Things are a little less predicable then ever. I’m still not a fan of the don’t vote idea. But honestly have less data to challenge the logic.
I will concede the point that there are a lot of days and it would be impractical to avoid all of them for elections. However, there is a pretty massive outlier. Most of those countries that were colonies gained independence after WW2 (Iraq and Afghanistan being notable exceptions) due to a strong shift in public sentiment against imperialism. The US on the other hand gained independence 200 years before any of the other countries on that list in a war between colonists and what at the time was one of the most powerful empires in the world. Culturally speaking I’m sure that even if they don’t care too much, British citizens are much more aware of the history of American Independence than most of the other countries on the list since it was a much more dramatic affair. I will say Irish independence would likely be more relevant to British citizens and come with a higher level of historical awareness and even emotional attachment.
EDIT: I will add that the US also has massive cultural significance on a global scale. How many people in the UK watch shows, movies, and listen to music from Egypt compared to from the states? If you look at the music charts in the UK they’re dominated by American artists.
Yeah not really. The day means nothing to the average brit. No event that happened then is important enough to raise a single eye brow. As another poster pointed out much of the world celebrated something similar on some day in a year.
I guess the cultural significance likely isn’t too massive and I suppose that at first glance the date might not even stand out. I would put money though that more Brits know what happened on the 4th of July though than say the 16th of August. As I mentioned in another comment the events of American Independence happened far earlier than any of the other colonies and under massively different circumstances which were much less voluntary on the British side. How many of the other colonies successfully gained independence through a war with the British empire at the peak of its power rather than due to treaties passed in an era with massive public sentiment against imperialism.
Yeah we all know its significance in the US. Because US movies and media are a huge export.
It is just not considered significant when making any plans.
In the UK the whole US UK war was the act of a mad King. Our parliment at the time refused to fund it. And the war bankrupted the royal family. Sorta leading to our current odd funding. Where parliment profits from royal land. And funds the monarch in exchange.
So the events have more historical significance then average brits recognise. But we don’t tend to treat the date any differently beyond the odd. “Oh the yanks will be on holiday.”
Parliament will be dissolved on 30th May. When the Commons is dissolved all business is ended and MPs stop being MPs. When the Lords dissolves business ends but Lords still remain Lords.
The government still remains and ministers keep their positions, but is effectively only a caretaker for the pre-election period, and cannot enact new polices except in exceptional circumstances.
The campaign period proper starts once Parliament is dissolved. Parties will publish manifestos shortly after, TV debates may be organised etc.
Yeah you may have heard the term. Parliment is sovereign. It literally means there is never a true lame duck.
While parliment is dissolved. And technically the MPs are no longer MPs. Government can act but only in a clear emergency. The act they can always make. Is to request the king to make temporary laws.
Its never happened since the restoration. But technically the point of our constitutional Monarchy is the king passes power back and forth when parliment is opened and devolved.
In the event russia attacked or something else between 30th May and the end of the election count. Likely 5th or 6th. Sunak can operate government as normal. But would ask the king to enact any change in law. And parliment would be opened soonest once everything is sorted.
Sorry but that is a little unrealistic atm. We on the left just do not have the support for such a protest to be effective.
Even a weak labour win. Where left of centre mps could slow government function. We don’t have enough MPs with a rebellious streak to limit much. And no other opposition likely to have the numbers to help.
If we had a significant number of green MPs. Maybe. But honestly there are few places where urrent data dose not mean. Voting green is going to help tories rather then create a green mp.
Doubts about Starmer’s Labour aside, even if I had complete trust in an incoming Labour government, I’d be worried; it’s a lot easier to destroy than it is to build, and something I fear is if in 5 years, progress has been made, but the amount of readily visible progress is small enough that the Tories go “see, we told you that Labour couldn’t be trusted with the economy” and slide back into government.
Probably not helping is seeing the news from the US also gearing up for an election — it doesn’t feel like it’s been very long at all since we were all relieved that Biden won out over Trump, but now here we are again.
My worst fear is not a Tory comeback but a lurch in more radical and populist direction if Labour fail to start visibly turning things around after the first term. It’s unrelated to expect many if any first term miracles considering the state the country is in, but people are going to need to feel some sort of progress to stop the frustration boiling over.
This is going to be a real problem - because the Daily Mail and such will be screaming that all the problems are still there 6 months later - never mind that they've taken 14 years to put in place. People like my ignorant and racist sister in law, whose answer to the issue of migrants is to 'Just shoot them'. These people really do just open their mouths and let the bile pour out. She'd never vote Labour as they are too common. Unfortunately there are plenty like her about. Totally selfish and only concerned with themselves and showing off to their friends.
Your not alone. Even tory backbenchers were expecting autumn time.
Seems they think, the recent inflation news is the best chance they have. Especially given how desperate he is to claim the usual labour bad on econ. Dispite 14 years of failing to get it right.
Its not so much about trust. Its more a case of if I have to suffer a dick in my arse. I d like some variety, And a rapest who at least still thinks he should try to convince me I asked for it.
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