On Monday 28 Feb 2005 06:26, adam@thebowery.co.uk wrote:

In preparation for the next general election I don't know if I can bring myself to vote for any of the parties because they all suck, just some more than others. If in effect I could vote for all the parties who were crap instead of the ones that were totally crap then it wouldn't be a total disaster.

Which was precisely my point, don't vote for, vote against. (Or write on your ballot paper what you think of the Candidates, they all have to personally read 'spoilt papers. I think one of my best, years ago in a Borough Council Election was, "offered a choice between two crooks and an idiot, I choose not to vote for any of them"), With proportional voting we at least had the opportunity to take votes away from those we disapproved of. However, (for those who wonder why I start so many sentences with 'However', when I was at school, starting a sentence with 'But ' was a terrible sin), even with the first past the post method, voting for fringe party's sends a message, especially if like me you then send all the other party's an email telling them why you didn't vote for them, and that they can't make assumptions as to why their share of the vote was what it was, as there were lots of voters who did exactly the same as I/you, (just don't tell them which party you did vote for).