How To Vote in the 2017 General Election (sort of)
I’ve seen sooo many people say that they’re not voting in the UK’s last minute general election on the 8th of June this year simply because they don’t know how to, or have any idea who they would vote for. It’s suuuuper important to vote, so I’m gonna try my best to make a fairly unbiased masterpost w plenty of sneaky links.
where the fuck did this all come from ????
19 April 2017: the House of Commons voted to allow a General Election to take place in June, despite the existence of a Fixed Term Parliament Act which would have prevented an election until 2020.
No one is 100% sure why this is happening. The Prime Minister has stated about 2304923049 times that it’s an attempt to ensure “strong and stable leadership” throughout the Brexit process, while some opposition has suggested it’s an attempt from the Tories to distract from other things going on.
However, it is pretty significant because it’s super short notice and unexpected (Theresa May actually said a few times that she definitely wouldn’t do this) and because everything is a bit weird and messy rn because of Brexit and uncertainty. For a lot of people, this is seen as a vital opportunity to make a change, whether your priority is Brexit, public spending and cuts, or something else.
how do I vote ????
Before you can vote, you need to register !! It’s real easy to do, like you can literally do it online in 5 minutes here.
Even if you’re not sure who you will vote for yet, or whether you will even vote, the deadline to register is the 22nd of May. Registering before the deadline allows you to change your mind, even on the day of the election.
Most people vote at a polling station on the day of the election and you can find your local polling station here. You can also choose to vote by post, or proxy, depending on your situation or preference.
why should I vote ????
Your vote counts!!!!! Here is a super cheesy infographic highlighting the impact that those who vote could have
Voting is the most straightforward way to make a change and have your voice heard. Obvs, a lot of people think otherwise, but events like the EU referendum are useful in showcasing the power of your vote as many voted the way they did because they thought it wouldn’t make a difference.
Hate all politicians and/or think it just isn’t a big deal because it doesn’t make a difference to you personally? Please remember that there are people in this country who rely on a government who will care for them and support them. The NHS, education system, and welfare spending, are all dependent on government decisions. While these things might not play a huge part in your life, your decision to vote can make a huge difference to the people it does matter to. Compassion is cool yo <3
so... who the fuck do I vote for ????
This is where it’s really hard for me to stay balanced :( In this election, I totally recommend voting for Labour in an attempt to stop us from having another Tory government. If this sounds like a good idea to you, here’s a spreadsheet detailing how to vote if you wanna kick the Tories out !!!!
We don’t vote for Prime Minister or a party directly, but instead we vote for a local candidate of a party to represent our local area in parliament. The leader of the party with the most representatives in parliament becomes our Prime Minister. Your local area is called a constituency, and you can find out which one you live in here. Candidates for election will usually send leaflets through your door or something to let you know who they are and what they intend to do if elected, but if not, you can usually find out who they are through a quick Google search. If they have Twitter accounts or Facebook pages, I totally recommend following those to learn more about them to help you make your decision.
Because this election was so unexpected, none of the parties really have an official manifesto (a collection of their intentions/aims if given a place in parliament) out yet, but should do around the middle of May. Until then, you can base your decision on the fundamental beliefs of the party and the pledges already set out in the media.
The Conservative Party
Currently in government, and have been since 2010
Their leader is Theresa May
Traditionally right wing: believe if you have more money, you should get to keep it, business should be less regulated, and the money they earn is more beneficial to the country than public spending such as the NHS etc
They don’t really have a lot on offer currently when it comes to their aims if they win the election (other than a strong and stable leadership apparently), so keep an eye out for their manifesto and have a Google and a read about their past endeavours
The Labour Party
Their leader is Jeremy Corbyn
They’ve kind of been everywhere from left to centre, but are pretty left wing under Corbyn: believe in protecting women and minorities against discrimination, regulate business, tax the rich more to provide services for those without
Here is a list of the policies Corbyn has already presented in the media, but also make sure you keep an eye out for their manifesto etc
Other Parties
The Liberal Democrats: part of a coalition government with the Tories from 2010-2015, current leader is Tim Farron, a liberal party with sort of a mix of left and right wing beliefs
The Scottish National Party: current leader is Nicola Sturgeon, they have 56 out of 59 of Scotland’s seats on parliament, fairly left wing with a focus on gaining Scottish Independence, you can only really vote for them if you’re in Scotland though
The Green Party: co-lead by Caroline Lucas and Jonathan Bartley, have had one MP since 2010, super left wing with a focus on environmental policies
Plaid Cymru: Welsh independence party, leader is Leanne Wood, left wing, again can only really vote for them if you’re in Wales
a list of other political parties in the UK, which you can vote for if they have a candidate standing in your constituency
There’s soooo much information available online, but always remember that news sites can be biased and manipulate information to try and support their agenda and beliefs.
If you’re not sure how you align politically (whether you’re more right or left wing) you can do a political compass test. You don’t have to base your decision on this at all, but it’s kinda fun to do the test anyway.
I recommend following BBC News on Twitter to get sort of basic updates on what’s going on, as well as any random politically interested people you might come across who can give you insight into aspects not really discussed in mainstream media. I also personally think that Buzzfeed is a fairly useful news source to use if you’re looking for easy to understand updates and information (don’t hate me). Lastly, talk to your friends, family, etc!! Find out what matters to them and how they feel, and while you shouldn’t let others directly influence who you should vote for, their concerns might help you see things differently and help your decision.
I think that’s everything I have to offer, so PLEaSe pleEEasE remember to vote on the 8th of June 2017, your vote COUNTS !!!! <3