======= Date Modified 16 Apr 2010 16:42:43 =======
Having seen the Lovelock Beuatiful minds programme I am moved to keep voting Green, as I usually do - although it could be too late for all of that.

I think Gordon Brown did a good job during the financial crisis, and I have more faith in him than I did in Tony Blair; however, of the big three I think it would be Lib Dems for me, I'm so unimpressed with Labour, and feel quite betrayed by them over the last ten years or more. I can remember working pretty hard to get them in, as a youngster, and they did zilch of what they said they would, and then that war...

I would never in a million years vote Tory. Plus, Cameron is totallly plastic and clearly has no idea about life outside of the, top end, publc school fast-track.

I quite agree, "Keep_Calm". While I'm not from a council estate, my upbringing was hardly moneyed. I definitely agree in allowing and, indeed, facilitating excellence regardless of finance. So why is the Labour party so dead against grammar schools, which have always been the best way for youngsters with excellent minds to get the education they need, irrespective of money? People accuse the Tories of being "toffs", "public-school educated", and so on, but I would say that the majority of the Labour government went to public school, and the vast majority of their children most definitely do.

If you look at the way the current government has increased study of crap subjects at crap universities, encouraged the study of vacuous school subjects so that schools can look good on league tables and, in other areas, seems intent of treating with kid gloves those who make others' lives a misery, yet ignoring those who genuinely deserve help, it's not hard to come to the conclusion that they don't actually care about decent people, and are just using taxpayers' money to buy the votes of the undeserving.

@ 4matt

'The Labour government has shown that it pretty much despises people who try to make something of themselves, who excel at anything, and who try to escape from dependence on the state for money and lifestyle "advice". So why do so many people in academia align themselves with Labour?'

This is utter cobblers. I presume you never lived through the '80's. Most people who did try 'to make something of themselves' found it very tough going. Many small businesses couldn't survive the erratic changes in the interest rate (it went through a period of changing every day!). Unemployment went up from about 1million in 1979 to 3million throughout most of the eighties. Industry had to 'borrow' a lot of money. Inflation went up to 22%. The illusion of rampant economic growth was based on people obtaining vast amounts of credit, the results of which we are suffering now.:-s

All the reasons why I vote Lib Dem. They have committed to research funding (and respect the research process - for me, the best available balance between impact and academic freedom) so it's good for my future career. At the same time, I'm happy that if I get a decent salary, I should be taxed more: my background is working-class and I know that the first 10k tax-free policy would make a real difference to the people who need it most. And actually, give people an incentive to work that is lacking given the high taxation rate on even extremely low income wages that cripple people financially. They also recognise that the 50% in university goal is not a good idea, so would scrap that.

All in all I was very impressed with the Lib Dem manifesto. :-)

But realistically, what I am hoping for a Labour-Lib Dem coalition that brings in proportional representation. Then a potential Lib Dem - Green party coalition for the next election.

@Gingersnaps - Labour have been in power for 13 years now. If something that "allegedly" took place around 25 years ago hasn't been fixed, you can hardly say that it's not Labour's fault.

@Melsie - I agree with what you say, but there are three reasons I don't think I could bring myself to vote Lib Dem. (1) If there's a hung parliament, there's no way I want my vote going towards helping Labour stay in power. (2) Unilateral nuclear disarmament. (3) Amnesty on illegal immigrants.

Otherwise, I may reconsider...

@4matt

'If something that "allegedly" took place around 25 years ago hasn't been fixed, you can hardly say that it's not Labour's fault.'

Try reading a history book! I agree 13 years of New Labour has only exacerbated the problem. That's why I'd give the Lib Dems a go. Just to see if they can do anything better.

I'd like to see proportional representation too. It's worked well here in Scotland IMHO, and helps produce a much more collaborative parliament, and less slanging to and fro across a chamber.

People very much disagree over the capacity of grammar schools to A) select the best students to begin with B) to offer genuinely fair access to all classes (or to operate "regardless of finance" which is a very limited notion of class.) They also disagree with grammar schools because of the impact of academic selection on non-grammar schools in grammar school LEAs. I also question, and I imagine most people would, the idea that "excellence" in education should be the thing that is prioritised. I would prefer a system where the educational needs of the vast majority, not the minority, are the priority.

It is not a simple case of they are ignoring grammar schools when there is clear supporting evidence for them; there are genuine debates about the effectness and desirability of grammar schools.


Of course it is hard to come to any other conclusion. Your analysis of the empirical reality precludes any other viewpoint. Needless to say, there are many holes in your analysis of the empirical reality. Take for instance your assignation of "increasing crap subjects" and criminal sentencing to central government instead of to universities and the judicial system. And as for looking good on league tables.....league tables, and the ethos that is a result of such a move, were introduced by the last Tory government.

I can't comment on your view they ignore people who genuinely deserve help because I have absolutely no inkling as to what you are referring. Although I would question who you consider as "genuine" and "ingenuine", or "deserving" and "undeserving".

Another thing I've found surprising is that there is not more of a movement amongst university students to vote Lib Dem or Green seeing as they are both committed to phasing out tuition fees.

Yeah, KC, makes sense. I guess people are afraid of the other side getting in, so they vote tactically more than anything.

I was speaking to a family member about my green vote a while back and she couldn't understand it, saw it a wasted vote, and thought because the greens have no experience in government, they wouldn't be abe to do it; but who's to say any of them are ready, the tories and labour have both seriously blapped up, in my view, I can't see that they were ready.

It's a difficult one Eska. I've considered voting Green as I agree with almost all of their policies but something IS holding me back. At least if Lib Dems get in we would see proportional representation so there will be no such thing as a wasted voteat the next election.

I'm going to vote libdem -I always have because I have "loony liberal lefty" parents as my mother in law charmingly puts it (she does read the daily mail!) and I have been brought up in the west country - quite a lib dem area. Although I now live in a staunch Tory area. I don't think my vote is wasted, but is a tactical vote.

I can't stand the tories, I've always thought of voting tory as a selfish vote and a more leftwing vote as a vote for society in general. My hubs also works in whitehall where they are really worried about tories getting in, as they've said they're going to cut one third of jobs there. In my hubs' organsiation, that would be 10,000 jobs automatically gone! I also use the train a lot and am basically really annoyed that they privatised it, because it has meant that the companies are taking the pee with their charges to passengers (now 'customers'). I know they will never unprivatise it, but its made me HATE the tories! I also refuse to believe that David Cameron is running that party, I think there is someone pulling the strings and it concerns me!

I have spent this morning actually reading the manifestos of the main parties I would consider voting for. It's just made me even more confused as there are a couple of policies in each I really wouldn't want to be voting in favour of!

The current democratic system is obsolete anyway. Its been run like a civilian coup. Did Bliars listen to people's voices when staring wars that killed millions is still is on, wrecking infrastructure of a third world country and opting out without any conclusive result. Same is happening in other issues as well from nuclear missiles to tax systems. Its a shame that people earning less than 20K which is the majority of population feeding ones with already swollen stomachs. Banks, supermarkets, transportation, taxman all hit the poor. A true democracy will hear people voices not just at elections but all along the course. we are fooled by these politicians making all those petty promises which are even not fulfilled.

Sneaks I think you should start calling her a parsimonious, stick-in-the-mud, tory. Fair's fair!