Who Should You Vote For?

Those able to vote in the UK general election on 5 May might be interested in this site. It asks a bunch of questions on various policy issues, then tells you who you should vote for.

Here are my results:

Labour -14
Conservative -5
	Liberal Democrat 19
UK Independence Party -3
	Green 19

Although I voted for Labour in the last two elections, I was unsurprised to learn that they are now the last party I should support. Their dissembling over the Iraq war and their backing for the indefinite detention of terror suspects without trial have all but destroyed my trust in them and Tony Blair.

As I expected, the poll suggested I'd be best suited voting for the Liberal Democrats. They were the only one of the three main parties to speak out against the Iraq war and are in favour of relaxing laws on cannabis. However they're also in favour of banning smoking in public places and scrapping university tuition fees, policies about which I'm ambivalent.

My answers also suggested my ideology aligns with that of the Greens. For someone who doesn't consider himself much of a tree-hugging environmentalist, I found this a little disturbing. Apparently the Greens were also against the Iraq war and are in favour of a liberal line on cannabis use; moreover, it seems that I share their disdain for foxhunting.

Answering the questions and reading about the parties' policies provided a refreshing reminder that politics doesn't always have to be about scandal and race. As I've said before, however, I won't be voting in this election. I'm now affected by the policies of Bermuda's government, not those of the UK's.

Thanks to Paul for the link.

Comments

[Shark on 14.04.05 at 22:36]

i will be voting in both elections.

As to the parties Im vonting Labour.

My reason is that i dont like the extremest parties of either the right or left and GREEN is an extreme left wing group and will never form a goverment and will always re-main a pressure group.

The conservatives are just plain scary with what they have been saying. The Conservatives have moved even further to the right and are turning out the retoric you would expecct from Natinalists parties such as the BNP.

The libral Demacrats are a good party especily with there proposal for a local income tax were people would be taxed what they can afford so the rich would pay more in taxes then the poor. They will probally become the next opposion party with Labour still the majority party and the conservatives efectivly dead.

To Blair he wont server a full third term (How anybody can deal with the greif hes goten and still be sain is beyond me and to stay as leader will probally dammage his health from stress) and probally 2 years into the term he will step down and let Gordon Brown take over.

Labour are Centre Right or Centre left as its difficult to know anymore and they have done a good job of re-building the economy (there strongest achivment) after the shambles the conservatives left it in.

[Shark on 15.04.05 at 07:02]

i took there quiz thing on the site and the results were as i expected. I mostly agreed with Labour abd Lib Dem policys. on one subject i agreed with the Greens and that is against foxhunting.

[big bad wolf on 15.04.05 at 07:21]

EASY EASY VOTE FOR THE LIBERAL DEMOCRATS ^..^

[Stevie C on 15.04.05 at 09:01]

As a UK voter, I loved this site... strangely (or not, actually) I also came out as a Lib Dem supporter. I'm faced now with the same problem I'm sure many people face (The Limey included if he were voting) - should I vote based on my stance on the issues (Lib Dem) or should I vote for the party of the Big Two I hate the least?

I can't see Lib Dem having enough support to form a government; neither can I truly convince myself they're up to the task of governing, even if their ideals are sound.

Then there's the local issue - I can only vote for the best candidate in my constituency... which may be different from who I want to run the whole country. Only being able to vote for a party, and not separately for a Prime Minister (American Style) limits my ability to separate these issues and vote accordingly.

Local or National?
Sound Principles or The Lesser of Two Evils?

I'm sure I'm not the only one with this dilemna.

[Shark on 15.04.05 at 10:00]

the conservatives run Wandsworth where i am. Though the lib dems dont have enoufe support to form a goverment they do have enoufe to form the oposition to the majority party. Most likey Labour will win but with a reduched majority liminting there power they have. The conservatives are dead and are basicly take the postion of all oposite policys of Labour. They would re-introduce foxhunting to sercure the vote from the country side, they are turing into the BNP on Imergration and would actully pull out of the genva convention on humman rights.

[AP on 15.04.05 at 11:37]

Great link Phil. One point - in the section on policies explained, it states:

"Labour has pledged to reduce the number of asylum seekers and apply a points system to limit immigration though it has not committed to limiting immigration numbers to a specific figure (to do so would mean pulling out of the 1951 UN Convention on Refugees)."

But isn't this what countries such as Canada and Australia do with their immigration preocedure? Surely they haven't withdrawn from the UN Convention on Refugees? Anyone know more about this?

AP

[big bad wolf on 15.04.05 at 21:59]

I like this ACTION the Liberal Democrats are LOOKING GOOD ^..^

[big bad wolf on 16.04.05 at 09:46]

Help a friend ^..^ VOTE LIBERAL AND KEEP FOXES FOXY !!!!

[Shark on 16.04.05 at 11:14]

also badgers do you know Micial Howard actully said that he will kill bandgers if the conservitives get re-elected? all to do with the silly countryside traditon of culling badgers (badger baiting).

For some reason he seems to be playing to the extreme traditinial elements of the British that existed before Britian became multi-cultaral.

The way i see it is the Conservatives are just re-verting to the way they were before they started to take in left winged elements to make them more appealing to the majority of the country.

[Tenebratio on 17.04.05 at 15:43]

Did you notice how the quiz does not ask a single question about 'real' defence ie defence of the realm, the large umbrella under which we all shelter, and which is completely taken for granted. Doesn't it matter to anyone what Labour has done to the efficacy of the armed forces? Shouldn't we be thinking about this when choosing a government?

[Shark on 17.04.05 at 16:24]

Is this about Labour cre-organising the armed forces to make it more efficent?
Dont think people worry much about defense of the realm as it is unlikly any country would try to Invade Britian.
If in defense it is to terrosium well the army really would not play a part except if marshal law was declared and be called iin if the police were unable to contain riots.
If its defense to Britians intrests in the wrold such as its offshore territories most of them are in or near America so they wont be threatened and its unlikly the Falklands will be invaded by countries from South America.
though they have come under fire as the armed forces are being re-duched in size amd if the UK wants to contiue to use its forces in other countries they really cant re-duce it. t

[jake on 17.04.05 at 16:28]

Shark,

I am not saying this to be unfair, but you should consider using the spell-check feature as it will help some of your points, quite valid thoughts actually, to be better communicated.

Otherwise reading what you contribute becomes a staccato version as I try to discern what you are intending to write.

Just a suggestion.

[The Limey on 17.04.05 at 16:33]

Shark

Have to say, I was just thinking the same thing as jake. I know you like to type fast, but it can make your stuff very hard to read.

[Shark on 17.04.05 at 16:34]

i just forget to sometimes.

[Shark on 17.04.05 at 16:38]

re-post hope this makes it clear ;)

Is this about Labour re-organising the armed forces to make it more efficient?
Don’t think people worry much about defence of the realm, as it is unlikely any country would try to Invade Britain.
If in defence it were to terrorism well the army really would not play a part except if marshal law was declared and be called in if the police were unable to contain riots.
If its defence to Britain’s interests in the world such as its offshore territories most of them are in or near America so they wont be threatened and its unlikely the Falklands will be invaded by countries from South America.
Though they have come under fire as the armed forces are being made smaller in size and if the UK wants to continue to use its forces in other countries they really need numbers

[big bad wolf on 17.04.05 at 21:10]

Shark I Don't mind your Sharkenglish but most people like correct spelling...since I use Flinglish your words or lack of them make clear pictures in my Wolfy head....but in being a wild animal...what can I say my nose is wet and my instincts are sharp as mr big white teeth ^..^

[njegos on 17.04.05 at 21:40]

"The conservatives are dead and are basicly take the postion of all oposite policys of Labour."

I agree with the 1st half of this statement. Unfortunately the Tories were, with several honourable exceptions, more gung-ho on attaqing Irack than #10's War-Criminal-In-Resident. The best protest vote is no vote at all. Perhaps when fewer than 50% of the electorate cast their vote, people will wake up and see how democracy in Britain has become an empty ritual.

Still don't understand why no one saw through the Blur after Kosovo. Guess no news is good news, right?

[Shark on 18.04.05 at 05:40]

I hope more of the electorate turn out this time. Last was the bi-election for local election and were not that important. Now its really important as the general election is were they decide who will run the country and if they don’t vote then they will just let the extreme fringe parties of both the right and the left in.

[big bad wolf on 20.04.05 at 15:49]

On the BBC swingo meter the Liberal Democrats are swinging up---still not enough to over take the Conservatives...Speaking of the Conservatives I wish they would leave the Badgers ALONE...In apeal to the country vote they are supporting badger trapping...another reason to not VOTE Conservative. Yeah Baby!!! ^..^

[AP on 22.04.05 at 11:38]

Here's an amusing article on this type of web site:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,3604,1466088,00.html

[Ama Glug-Glug on 23.04.05 at 19:29]

Do you think Bermudians are turning into rich snobs? The pregnant 22-year-old mother of four goes to the RG for help finding a home - she bares her soul to the whole Island and what does she get for it? Ridicule and name-calling by people who should have helped her eight years ago by offering sex education and free condoms in schools on the Island. Who gives them the right to point fingers and think themselves better than this girl? My mom always said don't critisize the way someone lives until you've spent a day in their shoes - perhaps some of these name-callers should try that and see if they managed to cope as well as Diane McQueen.