Who are you going to vote for in 2015

[4v6]

Theres only one conservative I would ever now bother to vote for- Daniel Hannan, he really needs to join ukip.

[Bradgate]

Historically the UK has had a parliamentary system in which the centre/left vote has been split between Labour and the Libdems, but the centre/right vote has been united behind the Tories. The result of this was, until Tony Blair came along, mostly Tory governments. (Many on the left would argue that Blair was just another Tory anyway, but that's another debate....)

UKIP may change all that. If, and it's a very big if, their current level of opinion poll support turns into real votes next year, the centre/right vote will be significantly split for the first time. This can have only one result. A Labour government.

Right-wingers should be very careful what they wish for.

Edited by Bradgate on Saturday 11th January 23:28

[gaz1234]

Ukip 50%!

[anonymous-user]

Bradgate said:

Historically the UK has had a parliamentary system in which the centre/left vote has been split between Labour and the Libdems, but the centre/right vote has been united behind the Tories. The result of this was, until Tony Blair came along, mostly Tory governments. (Many on the left would argue that Blair was a Tory anyway, but that's another debate....)

UKIP may change all that. If, and it's a very big if, their current level of opinion poll support turns into real votes next year, the centre/right vote will be significantly split for the first time. This can have only one result. A Labour government.

Right-wingers should be very careful what they wish for.

Quite. To me UKIP has a lot in common with the Tea Party in the US in terms of consequences. It draws many right wingers to it yet alienates far more, dividing the right vote and opening the door to the centre/left. A LD/Lab collation would be the worst of all worlds, but as I said earlier I can't see who is going to vote LD at the next GE: Clegg has burnt too many bridges and not built new ones.

Enter our new PM: the adenoidal sixth former, complete with BallsUp, higher taxes, massive public spending, closer ties to the spendaholic EU and a one way ticket to join the PIIGS. Perhaps PIIGSUK. Or PSUKIIG. Who can say?

[eldar]

Bradgate said:

Historically the UK has had a parliamentary system in which the centre/left vote has been split between Labour and the Libdems, but the centre/right vote has been united behind the Tories. The result of this was, until Tony Blair came along, mostly Tory governments. (Many on the left would argue that Blair was just another Tory anyway, but that's another debate....)

UKIP may change all that. If, and it's a very big if, their current level of opinion poll support turns into real votes next year, the centre/right vote will be significantly split for the first time. This can have only one result. A Labour government.

Right-wingers should be very careful what they wish for.

Edited by Bradgate on Saturday 11th January 23:28

You are making the assumption that the right/left distinction is still important - as you say Blair/Cameron make that kind of irrelevant. Europe is a big issue that simmers behind the other important questions of immigration, benefits, integrity and accountability.

The mainstream parties are all broadly in favour of of Europe. They really don't want to leave, but at the same time are afraid of seeking a mandate to confirm or deny our membership, so we sit on the fence pissing away our long term benefits.

We need to decide if we are in or out of Europe, and need a referendum to decide that. I'd vote we stay, and accept that as being a minority view, probably. But decide one way or the other.

Until that is decided, which combination of mainstream parties governs us is largely irrelevant. A UKIP protest vote could be positive in the long run - Milliband might win, but would have no teeth.

[anonymous-user]

If Milliband wins, he either has a Parliamentary majority, or has the LDs in his back pocket, many of whom have even nuttier tax and spend ideas than Labour. How does that leave him him "no teeth"?

[eldar]

Greg66 said:

If Milliband wins, he either has a Parliamentary majority, or has the LDs in his back pocket, many of whom have even nuttier tax and spend ideas than Labour. How does that leave him him "no teeth"?

Every financial commitment will be examined, given his spending and borrowing powers will be limited. He'd have three years before cash, Europe and infighting toppled him.

[heppers75]

drivetrain said:

Morningside said:

Personally I would rather see the Tories disappear into the wilderness for 5 years and come back a stronger party than the wishy washy shower that I have seen lately.

I bet Cameron (who I don't really like) is kicking himself for not trying to go it alone rather than being held back by the Liberals at every turn.

I agree with this view. I've always been a Tory voter but this coming election My vote will go to UKIP.

If this means a Labour majority or a Lab/LibDem coalition then so be it, far better to have some bad medicine for 5 years followed by a Tory govt which will stick to their core beliefs, than more of the wishy-washy crap we're getting at the moment. Cameron is a disgrace in my view, a blue tie version of Blair.

^^ This, although I do not dislike Cameron. I just think he has been browbeaten.

This country needs to be driven to the sheer brink of idiocracy that only the true left can really do, post that - we might just get claw it back.

FWIW - I think this approach is a hell of a gamble, however we have fewer and fewer options being whittled away daily.

[dbdb]

I'm not surprised by this poll result; it confirms my long held feeling that Piston Heads (or at least the News Politics and Economics part of it) is very unrepresentative of the country as a whole. If the vote was restricted to PHers, we would have a UKIP government and a Tory opposition. I'm not sure Labour or the Liberal democrats would even have a seat in parliament.

No political party represents me now. I used to be a Conservative, but the party has swung so far to the right that I cannot consider voting for them. The Conservative's vision is overwhelmingly negative and I am not anti European Union. Cameron seems almost like a Quisling to Farage. Milliband? Christ.

Conservative or Labour? My choice is between the despicable and the invisible. Reluctantly I may vote Liberal Democrat. At least they want to stay in the EU. Prepare for the idiotic mansion tax!

[anonymous-user]

I don't want to see us leave the EU and I don't think the Labour Party have anything to offer me.

Conservatives it is then!

[pcvdriver]

As the OP 's musings go - I was correct in my assertion that indeed most PHers are of a right-wing persusion, which hardly leads to balanced discussion on any topic raised. But ho-hum I wasn't expecting anything less.:-)

[foreverdriving]

Bradgate said:

Historically the UK has had a parliamentary system in which the centre/left vote has been split between Labour and the Libdems, but the centre/right vote has been united behind the Tories. The result of this was, until Tony Blair came along, mostly Tory governments. (Many on the left would argue that Blair was just another Tory anyway, but that's another debate....)

UKIP may change all that. If, and it's a very big if, their current level of opinion poll support turns into real votes next year, the centre/right vote will be significantly split for the first time. This can have only one result. A Labour government.

Right-wingers should be very careful what they wish for.

If you're right wing, why on earth would you want to vote Tory?

[sooperscoop]

Victor McDade said:

Edited by Victor McDade on Saturday 11th January 21:42

BNP, really Victor? Tsk.

[Art0ir]

pcvdriver said:

As the OP 's musings go - I was correct in my assertion that indeed most PHers are of a right-wing persusion, which hardly leads to balanced discussion on any topic raised. But ho-hum I wasn't expecting anything less.:-)

Plenty of opportunity for anyone to contribute to any given topic.

[pcvdriver]

Due the viewpoints of most posters being right-wing,, most discussions are hardly balanced though are they? No matter how egalitarian you claim. Just because anyone can post, doesn't everyone mean does.. To claim otherwise is simply not factual.

[McClure]

plasticpig said:

I won't be voting. I am no longer convinced that democracy is the best form of government and think we should try something else. A benevolent dictatorship or anarcho-capitalism are both worth a try IMO.

Our form of democracy is deeply flawed and only promotes short-termism and "populist" fads. Not to mention far too many people vote one way or another due to dyed-in-the-wool allegiances, or being suckered by the propaganda spouted by their red-top of choice, rather than actually thinking for themselves.

Not to mention that the current party system promotes cretins who wouldn't know practical knowledge if it shouted "arr-rarr-rarr-rarr" at them in the commons.

[powerstroke]

dbdb said:

I'm not surprised by this poll result; it confirms my long held feeling that Piston Heads (or at least the News Politics and Economics part of it) is very unrepresentative of the country as a whole. If the vote was restricted to PHers, we would have a UKIP government and a Tory opposition. I'm not sure Labour or the Liberal democrats would even have a seat in parliament.

No political party represents me now. I used to be a Conservative, but the party has swung so far to the right that I cannot consider voting for them. The Conservative's vision is overwhelmingly negative and I am not anti European Union. Cameron seems almost like a Quisling to Farage. Milliband? Christ.

Conservative or Labour? My choice is between the despicable and the invisible. Reluctantly I may vote Liberal Democrat. At least they want to stay in the EU. Prepare for the idiotic mansion tax!

why the desperation to stay in the EU?? And waste a vote on cleggie

[powerstroke]

jogon said:

It's interesting reading the different reasons why people have ditched the Tories as to me I couldn't care less about austerity, I don't think it has affected me in one single way, it might be a slightly selfish viewpoint but immigration and cultural decay coupled with the failure to tackle vast Public Sector spending has been my major gripe.

My views too and the green crap..

[obob]

don4l said:

Did you read the manifestos before the last election?

I did, so I voted UKIP.

Eta- I intend voting UKIP at the next election.

Don
--

Yes I did so I voted Conservative for the first time. Still not sure how people have made their mind up without knowing what the plans are. You guys seem to laugh at the northern towns for voting labour every time just because its what they've always done but then do the same.

[anonymous-user]

I find it interesting that 50% of respondents are willing to vote for a party who have no current MPs and who have no idea who the party candidate in the their constituency would actually be. I have leaflets from party representatives from the three main candidates in my area on a quarterly basis so I know what they are doing with regards to local issues, I have no idea who my UKIP candidate will be and won't be voting for anyone based purely on a party basis.