The Student Room Group

Six months on, do you stand by your vote?

It's a bit over six months now since the General Election. So I wonder... how do you find the new Government? Is it a disappointment, or is all going well? Has Labour become more appealing with a new leader in place? Or less so? Did you vote for one of the smaller parties? Do you regret this? If you voted for the SNP, how do you feel they are doing?

Lots of questions, I know, and I could have asked more about Wales and Northern Ireland, of course. What it comes down to, though, is do you stand by your vote?

For my own response:

Spoiler

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My vote was always meaningless anyway.
I regret it should of voted labour. Clear tories have no long term plan. Just another housing bubble and warmongering.
voted labour, should have voted green
Voted Lib Dem, would vote the same way again.
I voted Green. I definitely do not regret it. As you say I don't agree with everything, but show me someone who believes in everything their party stands for. Anyone who thinks they do, cannot know everything about that party, you'll always be split on something. So I went for whoever represented my views the best, most important to me was environment and socialist. The Greens are the only party who offered anything near a proactive stance on the environment, as much as the other parties made out like they cared, none of them are doing a fraction of what needs to be done. If we do not sort out environmental degradation and climate change, no strong economy or immigration stance is going to solve anything. On socialism I believe that the Greens again were the only party that offered anything here, the SNP too I guess, but I live south of the border.

Do I wish the Conservatives hadn't won? Of course I do, I think the Tory party are a direct representation of all the major problems that currently face our country - namely vilification of the poor whilst making sure life is cushey foe the elite, ignorance of the important of a healthy environment, inaccurate representation of constituents among many others. However I do not believe that Labour were offering a worthy alternative. Yes it would have been better, but very far from good. I guess without Labour's loss they wouldn't have elected Corbyn to lead, the first positive change in top level politics in several decades.

As for the Lib Dems. I genuinely feel for them. Looking at what the Conservatives are doing now it is a lot more apparent the role they played in the previous government by holding them at bay. However this was always going to happen, so I don't see how they thought this would pay off in the long run. What is the point in holding the Tories at bay for one term if they can then make you a scapegoat, get re-elected and usher in a depressing new era for British politics?? Don't regret not voting for them, but do kind of wish they had sold themselves a bit better.

Anyway another 4.5 years. Could be interesting, could be horrific. Be very interested to see where Corbyn is at in a few years.
The problem for the left is that it is too principled for its own good when it comes to elections. When it comes to elections, those on the right of the political spectrum hugely swing behind the tories. They may have lost a few to UKIP but nowhere near the amount people were predicting.

In fighting on the left has always been one of its major electoral downfalls. While the tories were happily and quietly hoovering up right wing votes, the left was split between Labour, Greens, SNP and even UKIP. It used to be said you could put a Labour badge on a pig and people would vote for it, now that is more true of the tories and the right.

A quote from the early 1900s sums it up well 'While the Labour and Liberal dogs were busy snarling and fighting with each other, the Conservative dog ran off with the bone'.
More true today than ever.
Reply 7
I voted lib dem and dont regret it .

Not like it really mattered anyway
Original post by Bornblue



A quote from the early 1900s sums it up well 'While the Labour and Liberal dogs were busy snarling and fighting with each other, the Conservative dog ran off with the bone'.
More true today than ever.


That might be better example if it were not for the fact the labour vote was a wasted vote and the libs were who you voted for to keep the tories out. Sounds familiar.

How things have changed. Lab are main opposition or government party and the liberal party no longer exists. :wink:
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by Kittiara
It's a bit over six months now since the General Election. So I wonder... how do you find the new Government? Is it a disappointment, or is all going well? Has Labour become more appealing with a new leader in place? Or less so? Did you vote for one of the smaller parties? Do you regret this? If you voted for the SNP, how do you feel they are doing?

Lots of questions, I know, and I could have asked more about Wales and Northern Ireland, of course. What it comes down to, though, is do you stand by your vote?

For my own response:

Spoiler



I voted tactically. I don't trust Labour to not bankrupt us again or that they wouldn't have yet another open door policy - the last one was 2 million immigrants prior to the 2010 general election because they were desperate for more votes. That means I voted for the only party that was likely to beat Labour, Conservative. Since Jeremy Corbyn became leader of the Labour party, I've been more and more certain that I did the right thing. He's weak and ineffectual and does more U turns than someone with a broken satnav. With all the current ructions and divisions going on inside Labour, As more time passes, I know more and more definitely that we've had a very lucky escape, especially with the recent events unfolding. David Cameron is decisive and determined - what country doesn't need those qualities in a leader?
Original post by ChaoticButterfly
That might be better example if it were not for the fact the labour vote was a wasted vote and the libs were who you voted for to keep the tories out.

How things have changed. Lab are main opposition or government party and the liberal party no longer exists. :wink:


Indeed.
The problem is the voting system. If most Green Voters would have all backed Labour for example, it would have been enough to take 12 seats off the tories and knock away their majority which would may have been significant.

Fair enough voting green in a tory or labour heartland. But if you're in a labour -tory marginal I can't really understand it.
Original post by Melonlemon
I voted tactically. I don't trust Labour to not bankrupt us again


When did Labour bankrupt us? Answer - never.
Seems some people don't tactfully know the meaning of the word 'bankrupt'.
Original post by Melonlemon
I voted tactically. I don't trust Labour to not bankrupt us again or that they wouldn't have yet another open door policy - the last one was 2 million immigrants prior to the 2010 general election because they were desperate for more votes. That means I voted for the only party that was likely to beat Labour, Conservative. Since Jeremy Corbyn became leader of the Labour party, I've been more and more certain that I did the right thing. He's weak and ineffectual and does more U turns than someone with a broken satnav. With all the current ructions and divisions going on inside Labour, As more time passes, I know more and more definitely that we've had a very lucky escape, especially with the recent events unfolding. David Cameron is decisive and determined - what country doesn't need those qualities in a leader?


Oh I agree that he is decisive and determined, it's just what he is decisive and determined about that scares the crap out of me!!!!

Labour did not bankrupt this country. The financial crisis was a global one, not a uk one. Did they play their part? Of course they did, but the Conservatives would not have fared better in the same situation. There were plenty of right wing governments that experienced a crash just like the UK, or stronger. This is simply a lie to encourage more people to vote Tory. "Come vote for us, we're the only ones who will give you a strong economy" - however it doesn't matter if you have a strong economy if you leave the country in a relative state of ruin, with more people living in poverty and the social net being ripped to shreds as everyone cheers it in.
Reply 13
Original post by Melonlemon
I voted tactically. I don't trust Labour to not bankrupt us again or that they wouldn't have yet another open door policy - the last one was 2 million immigrants prior to the 2010 general election because they were desperate for more votes. That means I voted for the only party that was likely to beat Labour, Conservative. Since Jeremy Corbyn became leader of the Labour party, I've been more and more certain that I did the right thing. He's weak and ineffectual and does more U turns than someone with a broken satnav. With all the current ructions and divisions going on inside Labour, As more time passes, I know more and more definitely that we've had a very lucky escape, especially with the recent events unfolding. David Cameron is decisive and determined - what country doesn't need those qualities in a leader?


Apart from David Cameron's general vileness, he is an awful leader. He has done nothing for the ordinary people of this country. He has vowed to cut tax credits when he promised not to, he's destroying the NHS by privatisation, he's bringing in tests for seven year old children that will be detrimental to their learning, cuts to local councils, cuts to the police and fire services, cuts to just about everything he can get his grubby hands on.

Jeremy Corbyn is brilliant. He is kind, which is in my opinion the best quality a leader (or anyone) can have. He is fair, and is genuinely trying to do his best for the most vulnerable in society. He may make mistakes. Of course he will, he's human. But he tries to make the fairest decision he can. He also listens to people and uses their opinions to inform the debate.

Posted from TSR Mobile
I don't regret my vote for labour but I regret canvassing and campaigning for Neil Coyle because he nominated Jeremy Corbyn.
Original post by redferry
I don't regret my vote for labour but I regret canvassing and campaigning for Neil Coyle because he nominated Jeremy Corbyn.




To be fair most of his nominations were from people who thought they were nominating an old dog about to be shot in the face with a shotgun. But then democracy happened :indiff: Labour parties have never like democracy that much. :-/

I'd blame the blandness and say nothing, offer nothing nature of anyone but Corbyn camp.
(edited 8 years ago)
I voted Labour, and would do so again. I'm actually quite happy with the result because a man like Corbyn as potential PM could do wonderful things for the country, much more so than the centrist Labour of the last few years or the centre-right Labour of the Blair years.
Reply 17
Voted UKIP. Glad I did given the mess Europe is at the moment.
Original post by Reue
Voted UKIP. Glad I did given the mess Europe is at the moment.


That 1MP dough
I regret voting labour

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