This Is Something I Regret

So I have been thinking deeply about the forthcoming General Election. I live in a constituency (Gloucester) that has had a Conservative MP for some years- you have to go back to the early 2000’s to see a different colour.

But it is one of the seats that Labour might hope to win this time round (2024).

My question is … if I want to see a more progressive government, who will put the needs of the poorest first, and prioritise our The Climate Catastrophe, The NHS, Schools, Social Care and the Justice System (among others!) … how shall I vote ?

Possible answers … v

1. Vote with my heart and vote Green. Normally that might be seen as a wasted vote in our ‘First Past The Post’ system. But this time the Labour Party are likely to make the new government, so it might not matter what happens to Gloucester … so why not vote Green as the Tories are almost certainly out.

2. Vote Labour on the basis that you never know what will happen in an election, so play it safe.

3. Spoil the ballot paper – the whole system is rigged. So this is one way I can register a protest.

4..Don’t vote – for similar reasons, my Green vote won’t count anyway so why bother

We have a postal vote, and the papers arrived last week. At that point in time, I had decided on option 2, so I filled in the ballot paper and popped it in the post on Friday.

I was too hasty, on reflection. I think I should have gone with my heart. Much as I want to see the Conservative Party out of power, I actually don’t think it will be that different with Labour.

I’ve been reading a book by Ian Dunt – ‘How Westminster Works, And Why It Doesn’t.’ If even a fraction of it is a true reflection of our system of government, then we’re stuffed unless something radical happens.

By that I mean the first step being a reform of the electoral system to some version of PR.

Interestingly, this subject took up a fair bit of time on Radio 4 ‘Any Questions’ and ‘Any Answers’ programme. (But bearing in mind that only about 1 in 7 of people over 15 years of age listen to at least 15 minutes of Radio 4 in a week – (quite a low bar).

Added to that, as a supporter of Palestinian statehood, and incensed by the media coverage of the conflict in Gaza, I am discovering how deep a connection there is between the Labour Party and Israeli interests. That’s seriously worrying. See here

I wish I could take my vote back. No political party is perfect of course, but I believe that the Greens have it more right than the others.

Let me know what you think …