I support everyone’s right to vote as seems best to them.
Having said that if you have the choice of a moderate Left government (vs a fascist Right) & you choose not to vote for them because you’re so angry with them for not being further to the Left… I reserve my right to find that reasoning silly
I am British and excited about our upcoming moderate Left government. There are things I disagree with them on! That’s OK, I can give my all to influencing them and they might actually pay attention, unlike a right wing government which definitely won’t.
How about the reasoning that labour are definitely going to win and are more likely to govern as a moderate left government if they see a sizeable drop in support on their left flank - a few extra Tory seats isn’t going to make much of a difference, but a few extra greens might.
I think if you're voting for a party you support that is never silly! If you have a good chance of getting an MP you like, then vote for them. I think it is probably silly to think that a government with a historic majority is going to be moved by the concerns of those who didn't vote for them tbh.
I really do support everyone's right to freedom of speech and freedom in voting. That's my top thought. If anyone isn't bothered (or even delighted) by my thinking they're silly then that's entirely understandable. What I have to offer is my analysis of how politics works.
this is my origin story. my experience and analysis is that you have a better chance of having influence when people perceive you as fundamentally on their side:
bsky.app/profile/naom...
Making arguments from the inside works. Showing that you understand exactly what the priorities of the organisation are works. Pointing out how they’re not living up to their own values works. Finding a parallel example of how to do it better works.
Huffing off does not, in fact, work.
I really want this to be the case so hard…but having seen how the current iteration of labour has dealt ruthlessly with those in the party who remind them of their values I’m sceptical.
While Mandleson’s “the left have nowhere to go” doctrine holds they will likely only look right for ideas 😢
Some people seem to genuinely hold onto the old revolutionary notion that if you give people half a loaf they’ll never hold out for the whole loaf of True Socialism.
I call these people “ironic fascists”.
Have a friend who was in Bercow’s constituency. I had no idea nobody puts up a candidate against the speaker, whilst the speaker doesn’t really represent constituents or even their own party. A whole electoral ward whose votes don’t actually count at all.
Well look at it another way : I live in what has been up to now a staunchly Conservative voting area, I've not had a vote be counted in 7 general elections. Everyone's fine with TPTP* as a form of representative government. I've never had an MP.
*They're not (inc. me), just making the point.
While the representation bit is obviously problematic I do like the fairness of that (I was aware it was a thing). Much like paired (not) voting in the Commons.
It is going to be nice to have someone I voted for actually represent me in Parliament. Will be the first time in the 32 years I've been able to vote that that's happened.
Esher and Walton here. Labour lost their deposit last time out. Big sad that Raab bottled running again. Was looking forward to watching his loser face losing on the night.
I would love a moderate left government. However, the Labour Party these days are a moderate right Party. That's still an improvement on the current shuts shitshow but...
