Topic: How will you be voting in the General Election on June 8th?

[reniformis]

Yeah but they were pretty much decided hundreds of years ago and anyway I like chocolate , presents and getting pissed

Well, that's St Paddy's day sorted especially if you don't like snakes. If you like saving women from vicious lizards, cheese on toast and anti-Westminster belligerence then we can have all of them.

[SP]

Yeah my area is solid Labour and to be fair Maria Eagle does a good job.

Maria Eagle is a pro-European is she not? Freed from the constraints of a Corbyn leadership on Brexit, would you trust her judgement? Given that vote for the person to represent you, not the national leader. Corbyn will not be PM, and Labour will lose lots of seats. Corbyn should not sway your judgement as the best person to be your MP.

[Alan_X]

They'll be voting Tory because the majority of people will do as theyre told by The Mail and The S*n.

Who makes them buy the papers in the first place? It seems like a very impractical way of controlling huge sections of the population when all the people have to do is not buy those papers.

Maybe people just want to vote Tory and those are the papers that match their world view? If I made you read a copy of the Mail would it make you vote Tory?

Or is it your upbringing, your social and personal circumstances and other factors like your age and income that are the major factors in who you vote for?

[Alan_X]

There goes Easter and Christmas then.

The spring and winter festivals were around long before Christianity. The church just tacked on the nativity and crucifixion stories.

[McrRed]

The spring and winter festivals were around long before Christianity. The church just tacked on the nativity and crucifixion stories.

Careful Alan, next you'll be saying that Jesus didn't really exist and was just a figurehead tacked on by a new religion. [emoji14]

[thejbs]

I voted UUP in 2015, the female candidate but she didn't win. England voters are lucky because you have a wide range of options.

You don't mean you're voting DUP?  There's as wide a range of options in most NI constituencies too, or do you mean unionist options? 

Alliance are a credible pro-union party in NI. They don't have the DUP's dodgy business links, nor their far-right Christian fundamentalist leanings.

The DUP are pro-brexit against the majority wishes of Northern Ireland. They're anti-marriage equality and have abused a petition of concern to block it passing (and many party members have been openly homophobic).  For years they blocked blood donations from gay men and challenged their ability to adopt children. They won't update archaic licensing laws, again against the wishes of the majority (according to polls).  They oppose women's rights, particularly when it comes to abortion. They want a conscience clause to give Christians legal protection to descriminate based on their beliefs. Ministers have asked for creationism to be taught in schools and exhibited in museums, alongside evolution. They've shown intolerance towards muslims and minorities - former leader Peter Robinson supported Pastor McConnell's tirade against muslims, and also backed protestors who forced a Nigerian out of his council house.  Robinson's wife said that homosexuality was an abomination and that gay people could pray the gay away and be cured of their sin, all the while she was grooming a teenager for sex and unlawfully got said teenager financial backing for his business venture . Sammy Wilson was caught on camera saying 'you're absolutely right' to a person on the street who said 'we need to get ethnics out.'

They consistently say and do things that would result in any other elected official in the UK finding their position untenable, yet they motor on without acknowledgement or apology.

The only reason UKIP hasn't taken a hold in Northern Ireland is that the DUP have that ground covered already. If anyone in the conscience can vote for such a despicable party when other less corrupt loyalist parties exist, then it's hard to think of them as anything more than a bigot.

[CornerFlag]

Just the UUP without a vote, and the Tories on the same as the Greens.

[Jake]

Just the UUP without a vote, and the Tories on the same as the Greens.

Depressing we've got the same amount of Tory c*nts as we do people who want to stop the world blowing up.

[Elmo!]

Depressing we've got the same amount of Tory c*nts as we do people who want to stop the world blowing up.

The SNP & PC also want to stop the world blowing up 

[Andy @ Allerton!]

Maria Eagle is a pro-European is she not? Freed from the constraints of a Corbyn leadership on Brexit, would you trust her judgement? Given that vote for the person to represent you, not the national leader. Corbyn will not be PM, and Labour will lose lots of seats. Corbyn should not sway your judgement as the best person to be your MP.

Yeah. I'd actually have her leading the Party personally.

I sometimes gripe and say I'm voting someone else then when it comes down to it, I always end up voting Labour anyway. Can't seem to bring myself to even protest vote.

Not that my vote counts for anything at all in this stupid system. Total non-entity of a thing. But I still do it.

[Jake]

The SNP & PC also want to stop the world blowing up 

Yep.

If someone with Sturgeon's charisma was an English  politician she'd be PM.

[thejbs]

Yep.

If someone with Sturgeon's charisma was an English  politician she'd be PM.

I've often said this. Also, Mhairi Black, as young as she is, would be a more credible leader than Corbyn.

[Red Beret]

If the SNP stood MPs south of the border, Labour really would be screwed.

[jillcwhomever]

I will probably vote for my Labour candidate Angela Eagle. I have no time for Corbyn or his pathetic leadership, and his stance on Brexit is still making me angry beyond reason. But in the end its down to stopping this abbhorent Tory party, and trying to stop them from getting a mandate to lead this country into disaster. But its an election I have no time or inclination for and considering how important it actually is, that tells you everything.

[classycarra]

If the SNP stood MPs south of the border, Labour really would be screwed.

If they did that, more people south of the border would be aware and hold them to account for their many deficiencies.

It's easy for them to be respected by non-Tory/UKIP voters south of the border when they're mostly out of sight out of mind, with them only being noted when they've done something we agree with (confirmation bias).

[CornerFlag]

Labour Party  123 (43.9%)
Liberal Democrats  77 (27.5%)
Conservative and Unionist Party 14 (5%)
Green Party   13 (4.6%)
Scottish National Party  8 (2.9%)
Sinn Fιin  5 (1.8%)
Plaid Cymru 2 (0.7%)
Social Democratic and Labour Party   2 (0.7%)
UK Independence Party   2 (0.7%)
Democratic Unionist Party  1 (0.4%)
Ulster Unionist Party   0 (0%)
Other   7 (2.5%)
I will spoil my vote   3 (1.1%)
I will not be voting    23 (8.2%)

Of the 254 of those who've voted for some kind of party, if the system was totally proportional representation this is (approximately) how things would look in the House of Commons if RAWK ran things:

Labour: 315
Lib Dem: 197
Conservative: 36
Green: 33
SNP: 20
OTHER: 18
Sinn Fιin: 13
Plaid Cymru: 5
SDLP: 5
UKIP: 5
DUP: 3

[Red-Soldier]

Labour Party  123 (43.9%)
Liberal Democrats  77 (27.5%)
Conservative and Unionist Party 14 (5%)
Green Party   13 (4.6%)
Scottish National Party  8 (2.9%)
Sinn Fιin  5 (1.8%)
Plaid Cymru 2 (0.7%)
Social Democratic and Labour Party   2 (0.7%)
UK Independence Party   2 (0.7%)
Democratic Unionist Party  1 (0.4%)
Ulster Unionist Party   0 (0%)
Other   7 (2.5%)
I will spoil my vote   3 (1.1%)
I will not be voting    23 (8.2%)

Of the 254 of those who've voted for some kind of party, if the system was totally proportional representation this is (approximately) how things would look in the House of Commons if RAWK ran things:

Labour: 315
Lib Dem: 197
Conservative: 36
Green: 33
SNP: 20
OTHER: 18
Sinn Fιin: 13
Plaid Cymru: 5
SDLP: 5
UKIP: 5
DUP: 3

I could live with that

[fudge]

Labour Party  123 (43.9%)
Liberal Democrats  77 (27.5%)
Conservative and Unionist Party 14 (5%)
Green Party   13 (4.6%)
Scottish National Party  8 (2.9%)
Sinn Fιin  5 (1.8%)
Plaid Cymru 2 (0.7%)
Social Democratic and Labour Party   2 (0.7%)
UK Independence Party   2 (0.7%)
Democratic Unionist Party  1 (0.4%)
Ulster Unionist Party   0 (0%)
Other   7 (2.5%)
I will spoil my vote   3 (1.1%)
I will not be voting    23 (8.2%)

Of the 254 of those who've voted for some kind of party, if the system was totally proportional representation this is (approximately) how things would look in the House of Commons if RAWK ran things:

Labour: 315
Lib Dem: 197
Conservative: 36
Green: 33
SNP: 20
OTHER: 18
Sinn Fιin: 13
Plaid Cymru: 5
SDLP: 5
UKIP: 5
DUP: 3

Fuck me we could achieve some shit with that

[Libertine]

Labour: 315
Lib Dem: 197
Conservative: 36
Green: 33
SNP: 20

A Labour-Green coalition with the Lib Dems as official opposition. Let's all move to Rawkland.....

[Red Beret]

Starting to think I may not even bother to vote.  It would be the first general election in 25 years I have never voted in.  But I'm in the safest (Labour) seat in the country, and Labour are going to take a pounding. 

I've booked my trip to Croatia for election week.  I might do a postal vote but I'm honestly wondering what the point would be.

[CornerFlag]

They've updated this site to the 2017 version by the way:

https://uk.isidewith.com/political-quiz

[Zeb]

Starting to think I may not even bother to vote.  It would be the first general election in 25 years I have never voted in.  But I'm in the safest (Labour) seat in the country, and Labour are going to take a pounding. 

I've booked my trip to Croatia for election week.  I might do a postal vote but I'm honestly wondering what the point would be.

I'm voting Green purely to register a vote for a strongly pro-European party. Lots of other things I like in the Green manifesto, a few huge 'hell nos' too. But it's that or not turn up and right now apathy seems equatable to acquiescence.

[Jake]

Starting to think I may not even bother to vote.  It would be the first general election in 25 years I have never voted in.  But I'm in the safest (Labour) seat in the country, and Labour are going to take a pounding. 

I've booked my trip to Croatia for election week.  I might do a postal vote but I'm honestly wondering what the point would be.

To give an extra nudge of support to the party that you believe in. Go vote.

Unless you're voting Tory then yeah don't bother

[Lush is the best medicine...]

They've updated this site to the 2017 version by the way:

https://uk.isidewith.com/political-quiz

labour/lib dem tied, pretty much nailed on centrist. Which makes sense to be honest.

[reniformis]

Starting to think I may not even bother to vote.  It would be the first general election in 25 years I have never voted in.  But I'm in the safest (Labour) seat in the country, and Labour are going to take a pounding. 

I've booked my trip to Croatia for election week.  I might do a postal vote but I'm honestly wondering what the point would be.

The point would be that you could honestly say in the years to come that you'd never deserted the Labour party, even in the bad times, I suppose. I know what you mean though, I've voted Labour in every GE since 1987 and since that first one I've not known such a bleak outlook. Every one since then it was expected to be a neck-and-neck fight, bar the Blair landslides when the Tories were an irrelevant ideological mess. Happier days.

The problem we've got is that a massive defeat for Labour can be interpreted in two conflicting ways, as a chance to rebuild without all those splitter Blairite centrists or as a chance to get the failed hijacking dinosaur left management out. It depends on your point of view. This catastrophic civil war between dreamers and pragmatists will continue and the worst thing is that they'll blame each other for the inevitable Tory devastation of the country and neither can win until a 'fourth way' between the two can knock their fucking heads together.

[Sangria]

The point would be that you could honestly say in the years to come that you'd never deserted the Labour party, even in the bad times, I suppose. I know what you mean though, I've voted Labour in every GE since 1987 and since that first one I've not known such a bleak outlook. Every one since then it was expected to be a neck-and-neck fight, bar the Blair landslides when the Tories were an irrelevant ideological mess. Happier days.

The problem we've got is that a massive defeat for Labour can be interpreted in two conflicting ways, as a chance to rebuild without all those splitter Blairite centrists or as a chance to get the failed hijacking dinosaur left management out. It depends on your point of view. This catastrophic civil war between dreamers and pragmatists will continue and the worst thing is that they'll blame each other for the inevitable Tory devastation of the country and neither can win until a 'fourth way' between the two can knock their fucking heads together.

Corbyn whipped the Labour party to vote with the Tories on the biggest issue of my lifetime, one that will affect me for the rest of my life. I accepted defeat in 2010 and 2015, and expected to continue to vote Labour. Even after Corbyn was elected, I expected to continue voting Labour. But not after Corbyn did his thing on Brexit.

[Sangria]

labour/lib dem tied, pretty much nailed on centrist. Which makes sense to be honest.

Lib Dem top with Labour and Green tied for second, probably because I accord Brexit maximum emphasis. BNP, DUP, UKIP, Tories from bottom up. Another of these surveys placed me economically level with Labour but slightly more internationalist, with Labour being the closest to my orientation.

[CornerFlag]

http://uk.isidewith.com/results/3130392054

77%   Green
Science • Healthcare • Education • Environmental • Criminal • Foreign Policy • Economic • Immigration • Domestic Policy • Social • Transportation • Electoral • National Security

74%   SNP
Science • Healthcare • Education • Environmental • Foreign Policy • Economic • Immigration • Domestic Policy • Social • Transportation • Electoral • National Security

74%   Labour
Healthcare • Education • Environmental • Foreign Policy • Criminal • Economic • Immigration • Social • Domestic Policy • Transportation • Electoral • National Security

67%   Liberal Democrat
Science • Education • Environmental • Foreign Policy • Criminal • Immigration • Domestic Policy • Social • Transportation • Electoral • National Security   

65%   Plaid Cymru
Science • Healthcare • Education • Environmental • Foreign Policy • Economic • Immigration • Domestic Policy • Social • Transportation • Electoral • National Security

51%   Sinn Fιin
Science • Healthcare • Education • Environmental • Criminal • Social • Electoral • National Security

32%   UKIP
Science • Immigration • Domestic Policy • Social

32%   Conservative
Science • Immigration • Social

24%   British National
Science • Transportation

22%   Democratic Unionist
Science • Transportation

About how I expected it.

[Lush is the best medicine...]

The BNP have a science policy???

[sms1986]

78% Green
Foreign Policy • National Security • Criminal • Electoral • Transportation • Education • Domestic Policy • Immigration • Science • Environmental • Social • Healthcare • Economic


77% Labour
Foreign Policy • Economic • Healthcare • Social • Environmental • Immigration • Domestic Policy • Education • Transportation • National Security


75% SNP
Economic • Foreign Policy • Healthcare • Social • Environmental • Science • Immigration • Domestic Policy • Education • Transportation • Electoral • National Security


72% Liberal Democrat
Criminal • National Security • Foreign Policy • Economic • Healthcare • Social • Environmental • Immigration • Domestic Policy • Education • Transportation • Electoral


64% Plaid Cymru
National Security • Electoral • Transportation • Education • Domestic Policy • Science • Environmental • Social • Healthcare • Economic • Foreign Policy


49% Sinn Fιin
Education • Healthcare • Social • Environmental • Science • Electoral • National Security


39% UKIP
Domestic Policy • Environmental • Social


35% Conservative
Transportation • Environmental • Social


24% British National
Healthcare • Education • Transportation


22% Democratic Unionist
Healthcare • Transportation

The test also says that I have a left-wing ideology, which is accurate.

88% Tender (versus Tough)
84% Socialism (versus Capitalism)
72% Progressive (versus Traditional) - I would put it at more like 90/10 in favour of progressivism
70% Multiculturalism (versus Assimilation)
66% Multilaterism (via Unilateralism)
60% Pacifism (versus Militarism)
58% Regulation (versus Deregulation)
54% Collectivism (versus Individualism)
50% Secular (versus Religious) - no idea why this one is so equal, I would put it at 80/20 in favour of secularism
50% Big Government (versus Small Government)
50% Populism (versus Elitism)
38% Keynesian (versus Laissez-Faire)
8% Protectionism (versus Globalisation)

[Mr Mingebag Squid]

Liberal Democrat
81%Liberal Democrat
Foreign Policy • Economic • Electoral • Transportation • Immigration • Science • Environmental • Healthcare • Domestic Policy • Education • SocialVote for


SNP
77%SNP
Foreign Policy • Electoral • Economic • Transportation • Domestic Policy • Immigration • Environmental • Healthcare • SocialVote for


Plaid Cymru
75%Plaid Cymru
Foreign Policy • Economic • Electoral • Environmental • Immigration • Domestic Policy • Healthcare • SocialVote for


Green
69%Green
Foreign Policy • Economic • Electoral • Environmental • Domestic Policy • Immigration • SocialVote for


Labour
69%Labour
Foreign Policy • Economic • Transportation • Domestic Policy • Immigration • Environmental • Healthcare • Education • SocialVote for


Sinn Fιin
67%Sinn Fιin
Foreign Policy • Economic • Environmental • Immigration • Healthcare • Transportation • Domestic Policy • Education • SocialVote for


Democratic Unionist
54%Democratic Unionist
Criminal • Economic • Environmental • Healthcare • Domestic Policy • Transportation • Science • Immigration • EducationVote for


UKIP
52%UKIP
Criminal • Economic • Immigration • Transportation • Domestic Policy • Environmental • Science • SocialVote for


Conservative
47%Conservative
Criminal • Transportation • Environmental • Science • Immigration • Healthcare • Education • SocialVote for


British National
44%British National
Criminal • Economic • Healthcare • Immigration •


Surprised me - thought I'd be more Labour and then Lib Dem.

[Lfsea]

They've updated this site to the 2017 version by the way:

https://uk.isidewith.com/political-quiz

I feel very proud having done this. The Test got very close to my true personality.

Bit weird that a lad from Wrexham has most in common with Sinn Fein, but there you go

You side strongly towards “Secular”, meaning you strongly support policies that reflect a separation of church and state. This theme is most important to you.

You side extremely towards “Progressive”, meaning you very strongly believe we should be a nation that values personal freedom, expression, and diversity. This theme is most important to you.

You side extremely towards “Multilateralism”, meaning you very strongly believe policy decisions should be made collectively with support of everyone who may be affected by the outcome of the decision. This theme is most important to you.

You side extremely towards “Tender”, meaning you very strongly believe in showing compassion, empathy, and rehabilitation for small-time criminals or those struggling with addiction. This theme is more important to you.

You are a centrist on Collectivism and Individualism issues. This theme is more important to you.

83%   Sinn Fιin
Foreign Policy • Social • Electoral • Healthcare • Domestic Policy • Transportation • Economic • Education • Immigration • Criminal • National Security
   
82%   Plaid Cymru
Social • Foreign Policy • Electoral • Healthcare • Transportation • Domestic Policy • Education • Economic • Immigration • National Security
   
82%   Liberal Democrat
Economic • Social • Foreign Policy • Electoral • Science • Healthcare • Domestic Policy • Education • Environmental • Immigration • Criminal • National Security

82%   Green
Economic • Criminal • Education • Foreign Policy • Environmental • Electoral • Immigration • National Security • Healthcare • Transportation • Social • Domestic Policy

SNP
79%   SNP
Economic • Education • Immigration • National Security • Social • Foreign Policy • Electoral • Healthcare • Domestic Policy 

76%   Labour
Social • Foreign Policy • Electoral • Healthcare • Domestic Policy • Education • Environmental • Economic • Immigration • National Security

48%   Democratic Unionist
Foreign Policy • Science • Healthcare • Domestic Policy • Economic • Immigration

44%   Conservative
Social • Science • Transportation • Environmental • Immigration

44%   UKIP
Social • Science • Transportation • Education • Immigration

31%   British National
Science • Domestic Policy • Economic • Immigration

There are some strange quirks to the test. I was slightly concerned that I aligned with the BNP on immigration - something that initially horrified me, as I feel I am as far away from them as it's possible to be, but I reviewed my answers and annoyingly it considered my general answer of 'deportation of immigrants convicted of serious offences (which I just thought was largely a norm around the world)' - 'Matters not much' with the general party policy in the BNP of deporting all foreign criminals regardless of offense. Sigh of relief breathed there. My other matching opinions were pro-internet privacy and being totally ambivalent to the Monarchy.

And finally:

Left-Wing
Your political beliefs would be considered strongly Left-Wing on an ideological scale, meaning you tend to support policies that promote social and economic equality.

Is right.

[Wabaloolah]

labour/lib dem tied, pretty much nailed on centrist. Which makes sense to be honest.

Left-Wing
Your political beliefs would be considered moderately Left-Wing on an ideological scale, meaning you tend to support policies that promote social and economic equality.

Think that's spot on

[Kenny's Jacket]

The spring and winter festivals were around long before Christianity. The church just tacked on the nativity and crucifixion stories.

Careful Alan, next you'll be saying that Jesus didn't really exist and was just a figurehead tacked on by a new religion. [emoji14]

Well yes that was my point. 


Anyway here's a funny video, sorry if its been posted before.

https://www.facebook.com/JonathanPieReporter/videos/vb.796085293847699/1215590158563875/?type=2&theater

[west_london_red]

The BNP have a science policy???

Racial Darwinism counts as science in some books I guess.

[CornerFlag]

Labour 330
Lib Dem 189
Conservative 34
Green 32
SNP 20
Sinn Fein 11
UKIP 7
Plaid Cymru 5
SDLP 5
DUP 2
Other 16

Using 650 seats and a PR method, this is how parliament would be based on RAWK's 289 party votes here.  Rounding errors leave it as 651.

[Wabaloolah]

Has the election just got interesting?

Latest You Gov with research conducted on Wednesday and Thursday, so after the cowardly murders in Manchester, show:

Con 43%
Lab 38%
LD 10%
UKIP 4%
Grn 1%

Also a TNS poll out that has the lead at 8% but the fieldwork was all conducted prior to the attrocity in Manchester

Con 42%
Lab 34%

Definitely a shift towards Labour still though

Surely the unthinkable can't happen again, can it?

[Lush is the best medicine...]

Corbyn still doing badly vs may in the who's the best PM though, reckon those who have said they'll vote labour to reduce the Tory majority may change soon if they think he may win

[BobOnATank]

You don't mean you're voting DUP?  There's as wide a range of options in most NI constituencies too, or do you mean unionist options? 

Alliance are a credible pro-union party in NI. They don't have the DUP's dodgy business links, nor their far-right Christian fundamentalist leanings.

The DUP are pro-brexit against the majority wishes of Northern Ireland. They're anti-marriage equality and have abused a petition of concern to block it passing (and many party members have been openly homophobic).  For years they blocked blood donations from gay men and challenged their ability to adopt children. They won't update archaic licensing laws, again against the wishes of the majority (according to polls).  They oppose women's rights, particularly when it comes to abortion. They want a conscience clause to give Christians legal protection to descriminate based on their beliefs. Ministers have asked for creationism to be taught in schools and exhibited in museums, alongside evolution. They've shown intolerance towards muslims and minorities - former leader Peter Robinson supported Pastor McConnell's tirade against muslims, and also backed protestors who forced a Nigerian out of his council house.  Robinson's wife said that homosexuality was an abomination and that gay people could pray the gay away and be cured of their sin, all the while she was grooming a teenager for sex and unlawfully got said teenager financial backing for his business venture . Sammy Wilson was caught on camera saying 'you're absolutely right' to a person on the street who said 'we need to get ethnics out.'

They consistently say and do things that would result in any other elected official in the UK finding their position untenable, yet they motor on without acknowledgement or apology.

The only reason UKIP hasn't taken a hold in Northern Ireland is that the DUP have that ground covered already. If anyone in the conscience can vote for such a despicable party when other less corrupt loyalist parties exist, then it's hard to think of them as anything more than a bigot.

Well yes, what else do you expect???

Very good post by the way. Unfortunately it a dire lack of leadership in the last 20 years with the DUP (and also british gov) that is causing a real problem. People are smarter than the politicians which is a good thing but others need to be lead.

[Trada]

Voted today and voted Labour really I should had done a tactical vote in this area and voted Lib Dems but I couldn't bring myself to do it.