General Election 2015

[Ellis]

Interested to see the political views of RS246 users. Who are you voting for and if you are willing, discuss your answer...

[R56WUF]

Looks like a one horse race just now!

I'm really torn on this. I'm English but have lived in Aberdeenshire since 2005. I voted for independance as I believe that the more local the government, the fairer the society within. For example Aberdeen will not benefit from HS2 but yet my taxes will pay for it. Likewise I don't much care for Boris' island airport either. I would however have voted for independence if I lived in England or Wales, for the same reasons but would have provided different examples. I fully accept that there was potential for a financial downturn but if I had to go without my RS6 for my little boy to grow up in what I believed to be a fairer society then I would have done so in a heartbeat. Westminster, irrespective of the political party in government, milks the UK dry and always has.

My only concern of voting for the SNP general election is that I'm not really voting for an outcome. I may as well pick up a 'Take a Chance' card in a board game. With my left hand I want to vote conservatives as I feel we have gone too far down their road to simply change direction and undo the good aspects of what they have done - I fully accept there have been bad aspects too! With my right hand I want to vote SNP because I believe it will give Scotland better representation. What I don't want however is to see Milliband in No 10 as I don't rate him as a MP, nevermind as a PM. The wrong brother got the job in my opinion.

Just my 2ps worth and I will now wait to be flamed for my views, as are the merits of discussing politics in public!

On a side note I find it very sad that at the age of 34, I took part in what is likely to be the highest turned out vote in my lifetime on the 18th September 2014. The level of interest up here in the General Election now is like comparing the engine noise of a V8 to the mechanical noise of a pedal bike...

[Ellis]

Great reply and almost entirely echoes my thoughts. Whilst I like the thought of greater representation for Scotland in Westminster via SNP, I am worried about at the probable & likely coalition between SNP/Labour. I think it has the potential to end in tears.

You have the difficult decision, more so in the regions other than England in my opinion, whether to vote for the outcome at Westminster or to vote for a candidate to represent your local constituency. Decisions.

I am also saddened, yet to a degree understanding, at the level of support UKIP have had on the run up to this election. I personally feel that man is dangerous amongst the other issues I have such as his views on devolution, Scotland, etc.

[SchrickRS6]

We live in strange times. One can see a pattern emerging in Europe where the toxicity of the far right is infecting the wider public. Sweden, France, UK....
I've wondered many a time why now? Why the rise in public opinion for tougher laws on immigration with that ugly undertone of dislike for certain minorities? Is it a reflection of what is happening in other parts of the world? Whats driving the domestic politics? Is it the gloabl issues, Russia, ISIS, Yemen, Palestine?

I am British but living in Sweden, and have been here for twelve years now.
I miss living in England (especially the humour)... but I love it here also especially the social framework surrounding parental leave, education and employment laws. You just dont see this level of protection of the individual in other western nations, I believe France and Canada come close.

Anyway glad its Friday, and my RS6 awaits me....

[mustdash]

I'm torn, but have clicked the Conservative button.

While I despise what they are doing to the Police service (both the other half and I work for the Police), I do think that they are getting more right than wrong at the minute. We have one of the Worlds fastest growing economies, job creation is up etc. Ok, so they're not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but Labour had 13 years and screwed us royally. My whole voting life (I am now nearly 35) has practically been Labour so I have really only been aware of them (whie I grew up in Maggie T's time, I was more interested in playing in mud and eating flies than politics!). I do also think that 5 years is not long enough. Although, to their credit, I did have 2 Labour councillors come round to canvass the other day - the first time I can remember since being a kid that I've seen this. I was very open with them about why I'd not vote Labour, and while I think they were a bit disappointed, they engaged in conversation and were very pleasent.

The SNP are a strange one - the UKIP of the North!

[subtacex]

General Bits:
- We all know if you vote Labour, you will get the SNP in. There are several articles saying that if there is a Lab/SNP coalition - a vote of no confidence will be passed and another General Election will be called. Shows just how unstable the UK will be.

- Crime is down, standards in schools is improving and people are living much longer.

- Why are people listening to more promises from Labour when they've been "let down" by the failed promises of the Conservatives? I wouldn't call - getting a job, getting better NHS treatment and having a more prosperous country being "let down". The track record of the Conservatives hasn't been amazing, but at least they've achieved a lot more than Labour did with their last 5 years in power.

- The Help To Buy Scheme is meaning young families can buy a home, for a safe place for their families to develop and prosper in.


NHS:
- Everyone is moaning about NHS waiting times, when the actual standard of NHS care has improved dramatically and was classed as the best healthcare system in the world. Was that the same for Labour?

- On the topic of the NHS, Labour in their last few years of power privatised more of the NHS than the Conservatives did over the past 5 years.

- Labour were also in power when they actually cut the NHS budget. The Conservatives have invested into the NHS.


The Economy
- Some of the wealthiest people in the country, both supplying jobs and paying a lot of tax are threatening a mass exodus if Labour are voted in. That's more people unemployed, meaning more on benefits and then hard working families having to pay for the benefits on top of the increased tax rate to make up for the remaining amount left by the super-rich.

- International confidence in the UK is very strong, people are trading and feeling good about the UK. Think about those foreign companies with jobs here, millions of jobs down the drain simply because business owners have no faith with Labour.

- Everyone is moaning about the increased debt, but is that really affecting you? If the confidence in the UK is high, jobs are increasing and the deficit is being cut - what's the problem? The key is to get the deficit down and then the debt will be managed after.

- Hard working families are having tax cuts, to keep more money, and we should live in a country which rewards work. Not punishes it.

- Cuts are needed in public services. Why should the public fork out for the previous government's mistakes? The cuts overall will not affect front line services, but more bureaucracy will eliminated and they will be made much more efficient. People who shouldn't be on benefits will have their benefits cut, what gives them the right to have more for doing nothing? Only hard working people should be rewarded.

Just my opinion,but I will be voting Tory.

[Ellis]

The SNP are a strange one - the UKIP of the North!

I can't say I agree with that statement. They are nothing like UKIP. Yes nationalist but the similarities end there.

They couldn't be more different when you start looking at, for example, immigration - one of Nazi Farage's favourite topics.

[mustdash]

It was meant tongue in cheek! Although Sturgeon does look a lot like Jimmy Krankie.

[Ellis]

Although Sturgeon does look a lot like Jimmy Krankie.

I will no longer be able to take her seriously now you've pointed that out

[mustdash]

Although Sturgeon does look a lot like Jimmy Krankie.

I will no longer be able to take her seriously now you've pointed that out

I'll just leave this here....

[Ellis]

You're making it worse.

[Shinobi675]

General Bits:
- We all know if you vote Labour,

...lots of very well thought out and put stuff...

Just my opinion,but I will be voting Tory.

Absolutely spot on! Exactly what I've been thinking but out so much better.

[mustdash]

The cuts overall will not affect front line services, but more bureaucracy will eliminated and they will be made much more efficient..

While I agree with everything in your post, I don't agree with this. Front line services ARE being cut by the Tories (and I say this as someone who is voting Tory next week) - Policing is eing cut to the bone. The cynics might suggest it's being cut to the bone so that they can force through the privatisation of the Police (or certain areas of it) to G4S (who incidentally, Thresa May has a vested interest in as her husband I believe, is a share holder in G4S).....

[Shinobi675]

Agreed, I dislike the whole police cuts thing. It should be efficiency based and we need to start trusting out police again so they don't waste so much time writing! But.. Even with that, would I trust ed Miliband to do better; I just think it would be an even bigger balls up. Then weighed against the economic up turn and I end up thinking the police is a mistake that at the moment I can let them off with. They hopefully have another few years to get that right too!

[Ellis]

Everyone happy with the result so far?

As much as I am happy for Scotland, it is hard to argue against the Proportional Representation voting system now. Green Party receiving only ~1% less total votes than SNP yet have only a single seat in Westminster. Conversely, UKIP got a vast amount of total votes and only a single seat too.