Thursday, March 18, 2010

How the Labour Party Lost My Vote

I've always been a bit of an old lefty. I figure the world is a better place to live in when the the minimum standard of living is a bit higher than a cardboard box and a blind eye turned. So imagine my disgust when I saw the latest bit of direct marketing by the Labour Party.

"Lib Dem Leader: Thatcher was right!" declares the headline. Although it doesn't actually stoop to telling us why he thought that, or what about. Don't you love a lack of context? But wait! They've helpfully expanded this with an alleged newpaper headline - "My admiriation for Thatcher; by Clegg". Even more lack of context. It could have been admiration for her hair, or standing up to critics, or even suceeding in a mans world.

"But which newspaper is this from?" you ask, so you can have an informed opinion. Why, the Daily Mail of course. *head-desk*

If you trust this gutter rag to report fairly, and accurately, then I have a bridge you might like to buy.

The soon-to-be-recyling then goes on to say how the Lib Dems are more in line with the old Tories, than the new Conservative party is. I suppose that's because the new Conservatives are too busy trying to emulate the New Labour party policy of "Say what will get most votes from Middle England" rather than having some firm ideals or values?

After I'd torn the leaflet up I dicovered a wonderful nugget of scare-mongery on the back - "Only Labour can beat the Tories," it claims. "A vote for the Lib Dems or any other party wll let the Tories win!" If a party is reduced to advocating tactical voting, I think they've already lost.

I still can't forgive the Conservatives for snatching school milk, the miners strikes, and the Poll Tax, but if the opposition has sunk to this level (remember when the Consevatives created the New Labour - New Danger posters?) then we have nothing left to lose.

Personally I will be voting for the party I want to win*, not the one I hate less.

*=Certainly not the Conservatives or one of those single policy parties like UKIP or the BNP either!

3 comments:

Jenny said...

It's never been such a difficult choice, has it.

Con? I want to be ruled by One of Us, not One of Them

Lab? I joined Liberty because of ID cards, house arrest and the Police State, and I haven't even started on Iraq.

LibDem? My MP's LibDem. He's a rabid supporter of foxhunting. I'd rather spoil my vote...

Green? The Green councillors we've had have screwed up the city *so* badly.

Which leaves only the single issues and the utter scoundrels. Maybe spoiling my ballot with a "None of the above |X|" is about as useful as casting a vote.

Things were so much better in the '80s. You were either rabidly pro-Maggie or rabidly against her :)

Lynn Jones said...

I find it best not to read The Mail. I disagree with the headlines and opinions therein, that I have to think calm thoughts and look away :) Still, your post did make me chuckle.

A vote for the Lib Dems or any other party wll let the Tories win..

Well... ummm... if everyone voted for the LibDems, wouldn't they *win* and not the Tories? :) Pigs might also taxi directly from Heathrow, I might add. :D (I say that as someone who votes Liberal).

When in doubt, vote the against the party in power (unless the only choice is BNP of course :P ).

It takes a while for a party to get itself sorted and feel confident enough to toss the mannifesto to the fire and crank out the same old policies of yesteryear. With luck, they'll be just warming up to fiddling with the expenses (or so someone on a park bench told me; whose name I did not get :P) and it'll be time for another election and it's all change :)

Thing is, the above only works if the previous party hasn't really botched things up. Then you're in for ages :)

Ms.LizzyBeth said...

I could always use some more bridges, how much are they currently going for?