In my experience this is rarely the driver behind a voter’s choice though (unless the voting is an internal candidate selection event - but even then voting can be swayed by which ‘faction’ represent). The Party or the leader is more often than not the focus of those voting.
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And this is my point. People need to know the difference.
I remeber the first time I voted in the UK, I voted for the local Tory candidate as I had met him, and the candidates for the LibDems and Labour, and whilst I do tend to be a swing voter, I am more Labour leaning, but after meeting the 3 I felt the Labour and LibDem candidates were both clueless to the issues in the local area. The Tory candidate though was very on the ball to local issues and had a plan for how to move forward.
He didn’t get in, but was the 1 in my opinion was the best option for the area. At the last Local election, I voted 1 independant and 1 Labour as they were the 2 that had bothered to go around meeting local residents. Add to that, the Independant has been a local councillor since before I moved in and is often found walking around the area speaking to residents and looking at issues that get raised, so I know he is active in doing his best for the community. That is how everyone should be voting, but sadly too many simply vote for the party/party leader rather than thinking about the individual that will be representing them
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I have to say that in local elections I would more often than not vote for independent candidates for the reasons that you stated. This was much easier in Scotland because of the transferable vote system.
Obviously MPs also represent local constituents but the party whip system is an overriding factor for major issues.
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You are dead to me.
And national policy.
The last election saw a lot of Tory MPs get voted in to constituencies in the North of England with the promise of big spending from Central Government. They didn’t see Labour getting in so voted Conservative as they were sick of not seeing investment into their communities. That money hasn’t materialised and the Tories are expected to retain only one of those seats at the next election.
Trust me, had you met the other 2 options you would have done the same
In the German system you get two votes, one for a direct candidate and one for a party (who then has a list system), the combination make up the members of the Bundestag. I have occasionally split votes, mostly for tactical reasons. When it comes to individual members of parliament - if you’re really lucky they’ll do a decent job in a particular field on whichever commitee they end up (say health or home security), that’s where the actual work is done - but on anything else they will most often just toe the party line, so individual competence/incompetence unfortunately plays a minor role.
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The Scottish Parliament has an almost identical system. It does give a more balanced representation although it gives accusations that the list MSPs aren’t equivalent. Most people tend to go straight to their constituency MSPs if they have a specific matter that needs raising regardless of who they voted for.
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I went local as opposed to national.
Last election, I voted for Lib dems, purely to try and get SNP out of my constituency.
The alternative of voting for Conservative or Corbyn repulsed me
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Let’s just say there were some interesting dynamics in play that lead to that swing vote. I agree on the lack of investment angle but we should also be clear as to why that was and who took the blame for it.
Basket case Britain.
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It’s NEU on strike, and not all teachers are in that. So they have enough to cover year 11 and 13, while everyone else is at home.
My biggest disappointment is no-one seems to be able to tell me if there is a picket line that we can go and support.
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Was just about to post that. Wasn’t there a discussion about this about 12 months ago how the UK was still stellar in comparison to other countries due to this index? UK keeping great company with Myanmar, Qatar, Azerbaijan and Oman as the only countries to fall 5 points or more in a year.
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If the spectre of Boris Johnson lurking in the wings and plotting a comeback already fills you with angst , then this will really chill your blood ;
When I see stuff like this and then think that the US was the first nation to put someone on the moon I do start to think if there’s some truth in those hoax moon landing theories.
Then again i suppose you have to be special to decide that sitting on top of the biggest firecracker ever built was a good idea.
I know you take striking and unions very seriously. Most people voted for a day off and will have a lie-in then go shopping. That was exactly the topic of conversation in a primary school staffroom on Monday. Mrs was only ever in a union for the legal support and protection which was absolutely fuck all use when she needed it.
Buzz would punch you for that 
We went, no question.
Of course we did but you do wonde if it was actually more than building the biggest rocket possible and pointing it in the moon’s general direction.
I can’t help if republicans thinking Truss knows her onions makes me think this way. How many voted for Trump again? He wouldn’t know, he couldn’t count beyond 18
This could be interesting.
red all day long.
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