How do you intend to vote in the General Election?

[AlexJames]

The forthcoming poll looks set to be the most competitive election since 1992 and indeed the closest result since 1974, with a hung parliament looking likely.

Wondering how people are intending to cast their vote and which party has the 'best' policies?

[AlexJames]

I'm voting Labour btw because the Tories are not credible on the economy and seem to be extremely confused on the few policies they have already unveiled

[marshlander]

I don't yet know who the candidates are in this constituency. We've had a conservative as our Member of Parliament nearly for ever, although I've never voted for him, on account of his party's policies. I've always found him a decent and approachable man and he doesn't even get a mention in the list of MPs' expenses repayments.

[fredv3b]

Its a very good question. I am genuinely not sure. I one sense it doesn't matter the result is sure to be the same. I can't see the Lib Dems overturning a majority of, in excess of, 9,000 to oust the Labour incumbent, Tony Lloyd. The best I could hope for in my vote is that it 'sends a message', the only trouble is I am doubtful that the only I would like to send is the one that pollsters and party strategists with think they heard. On the one hand I am appreciative of the progress the Labour Government has made on gay rights and my MP has voted with his party on such matters. However I am not aware of him being a particular agitator in favour of the gay rights agenda. The Lib Dems were in favour of these measures at the time, and the Tories certainly claim to be in favour of them now. If I vote Labour will the Tories understand that I voting to reward past achievement in gay rights and that a similar reward could be in line for them in 5 years time? Or will they reckon that they were too extreme about cutting the public deficit? One particular issue I have been flat-out opposed to Labour policies is the extension of detention without charge or trial under the anti-terrorism laws, I am happy to say that my MP rebelled against his party to oppose such measures. I could write to him to tell him he that secured my vote because of his rebellion, but would anyone else read that my vote for Labour was actually a vote against the policies of the Labour Government?

I frankly no nothing about the beliefs and opinions of the Tory and Lib Dem Candidates. So all I really have to go on is party policies. I am not too concerned about specific actual policies put forward by parties at the time of the election, because the great majority of specific policies carried out by whoever forms the next government over the course of the next parliament will be decided upon at the time. I am more concerned by more general political philosophy and what priorities the party leadership holds, it gives an indication of how they would approach policy decisions if in government. To be honest I am not sure what the Lib Dems actually believe in nowadays. As for the Tories I know what they want me to think that they believe in, I am just not sure how close to the truth that is.

[colinmackay]

I'm voting Labour btw because the Tories are not credible on the economy and seem to be extremely confused on the few policies they have already unveiled

I'm tempted to just scroll "None of the above" across the ballot paper.

You could say, why not just abstain? However, I believe that spoiling the paper sends a much bigger message than abstaining. If I just abstained a lot of people would just say I was too lazy to vote. I want to make a statement.

Here's my reasoning.

I don't trust Labour. They have severely mismanaged the economy. Gordon Brown is a liability. They are control freaks. (If you have spotify, this sums up NuLabour perfectly for me: http :// open.spotify.com/track/3YEU5zq93Hs9dUpq4Q8QAP - I'm still too new, you'll have to copy and paste then remove the spaces. If you don't have Spotify, it was the Pet Shop Boys, Album:Fundamental, Track:Integral)

After reading David Cameron's interview in Attitude, I don't trust him either. On Gay rights the Tories are starting to move in the right direction, but I feel it is because people in the LGBTory group are pushing for it internally rather than any natural shift as far as I can see. I may be wrong, but that's how it looks to me. However, on the economy, I don't see that the Tories could do any worse than Labour right now.

The Lib Dems always present themselves as the cleanest of the clean. And while Vince Cable seems to have his head screwed on, I was living in Dunfermline and witnessed one of the dirtiest by-election campaigns waged by the Lib Dems and as a result I saw their true colours. I used to be sympathetic to them, no longer.

And as for the SNP (Since I'm in Scotland they enter the equation up here) - They cosy up to religions too much in my opinion. I don't mind people being religious if that's what they want, but I don't want them to have a say in how I run my life if I am not.

In short, I don't trust polititians. I will vote, but for who I don't know. If it is for anyone, it will be a tactical vote to oust my current Labour MP because right now I'm feeling more along the lines of "anyone but Labour"

[colinmackay]

Okay - Just done some research on my choices. It seems that my current MP is standing down. The Labour party candidiate replacing him is his son. (I wonder if that was on actual merit or it was just handing down the crown). Luckily it isn't the son that was convicted of fraud a few years ago.

On the other hand the SNP and LibDems were running almost head-to-head for 2nd/3rd place in 2005. The SNP are tactically putting forward a Muslim candidate - The constituency contains a high Muslim population that, I'm guessing, the SNP think just block vote on mass for Labour because that's the only Muslim candidate on offer.

Assuming the SNP are right, the logical tactical vote here would be the SNP as any Muslims disillusioned with Labour will want a change.

The interesting thing is that this contituency also contains Glasgow's "Gayborhood" (to use an Americanism) and Islam is hardly tolerant towards the LGBT community.

[fredv3b]

Just playing devils advocate, feel free do to the same to my post.

I'm tempted to just scroll "None of the above" across the ballot paper.

First of all I am not sure that records are kept of the different ways in which ballot papers are spoiled. I am doubt that the people that matter will know that you wrote 'None of the Above' rather than obscenities about that sassenach Cameron.

Second, I am not in favour of the none of the above option in general. If people don't like any of the candidates they should stand themselves, if they are not prepared to do that, they should make the best choice they can among those who were prepared to stand.

I don't disagree that Labour are control freaks, although I wonder how long the Tories would resist following the same route with the spooks whispering in their ear?

I have always believed that politicians take far too much credit for the economy doing well but on the other hand take too much blame for it doing badly. I don't know any government in the world that forsaw the global financial meltdown that took place and many financial regulators failed to see the poor risk management of the big banks. Britain certainly has done significantly worse than other countries, but then financial services are a large section of our economy.

I don't disagree with your assessment of the Tories and gay rights, however, how would the Tories view your vote for or against them, would a vote for prove to traditionalists that there really are votes in gay rights or would a vote against show strengthen the traditionalists and weaken the modernisers?

Would a vote against the Lib Dems be seen as a protest against their campaign in a previous election in a different constituency?

Would a vote against the SNP be seen as a reflection of your views on Scots independence rather than on their particular political habits.

[fredv3b]

So that is where you live! The Muslim SNP candidate is a very interesting one. Migrants from the Indian Subcontinent have traditionally voted Labour in respect for Labour's immigration policies when they entered the UK (or rather their parent's did more often than not), but that is fragmenting. Labour's current tough position on immigration is causing problems for extended family who wish to join them in the UK and the SNP is, I understand, in favour of immigration for Scotland. On the other hand, would they be in favour of an independent Scotland where ethnic minorities would be a smaller fraction of the population than in the UK as a whole?

Personally, I would not vote for a Muslim (or evangelical Christian) candidate who had not made some clear public statement about the separation of church and state and of religious and political belief. Without that I just wouldn't trust them not to be a disaster on gay rights, but perhaps I am being prejudiced.

[marshlander]

I think there are more pressing problems to deal with than the gay ones, but I would be lying if I said it didn't matter to me. Labour has made extraordinary changes over the past very few years and our world is very different from the one Labour inherited. I thought it interesting that the Tories' equality spokesman in the House of Lords, Baroness Morris of Bolton, spoke against lifting the ban on civil partnership ceremonies in churches and other religious premises last night and then abstained in the vote. The nays lost and the vote was carried, but despite Cameron's insistence otherwise, some attitudes obviously haven't changed. As for an equality spokesperson voting against equality ... shades of Ruth Kelly? Catholics again :frown:

Peers vote for church civil partnership ceremonies -Times Online

[colinmackay]

So that is where you live!

I take it the SNP are not fielding many Muslim candidates.

The Muslim SNP candidate is a very interesting one. Migrants from the Indian Subcontinent have traditionally voted Labour in respect for Labour's immigration policies when they entered the UK (or rather their parent's did more often than not), but that is fragmenting. Labour's current tough position on immigration is causing problems for extended family who wish to join them in the UK and the SNP is, I understand, in favour of immigration for Scotland. On the other hand, would they be in favour of an independent Scotland where ethnic minorities would be a smaller fraction of the population than in the UK as a whole?

Indeed, the SNP are trying to stop the population decline up here. Too many bright young people get educated in Scotland then head south where they perceive that there are more opportunities.

Immigration is a short term solution. Increasing the number of good quality jobs is another aspect. I was going to say education is a further part of it, but the problem there is that education is also part of the problem. Too many educated people realise they have options and need not be tied to the locale where they grew up.

While ethnic minorities may make up a smaller fraction of the population in Scotland there are some very dense populations of ethnic minorities, especially in parts of Glasgow.

Personally, I would not vote for a Muslim (or evangelical Christian) candidate who had not made some clear public statement about the separation of church and state and of religious and political belief. Without that I just wouldn't trust them not to be a disaster on gay rights, but perhaps I am being prejudiced.

It does concern me that the SNP candidate may not be as open to LGBT rights as I'd like. I might have to quiz him about that.

...

Just visited his website to see where he stands on things. Didn't read it. It is written in Comic Sans. I can't vote for anybody that writes in Comic-Bloody-Sans!

That settles that then... I'm voting for the Lib Dems!

UPDATE:
I've just sent Osama Saeed an email as his website contains no reference to LGBT issues at all. Considering he wants to represent Glasgow's Gay Neighbourhood I think it is important enough to ask. I kept it simple:

Hello Osama,

I've been reading your website with interest due to the upcoming election, but there is little if any reference to gay rights or other LGBT issues. Considering your contituency contains Glasgow's "Gayborhood" (to use an american portmanteau) where do you stand on these issues?

Regards,
Colin Mackay.

UPDATE 2:
Got a reply:

Hi Colin,

Thanks for your message. I of course stand firmly for the rights of all and that includes LGBT communities. I admittedly haven't visited the 'gayborhood' though. If there are any groups or individuals that would be up for meeting and having a chat, I'd be very happy to do so.

Yours,
Osama

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Sent from a handheld device

Non-specific (but then neither was my original email - I really wanted to see what he might mention) but a reasonably fast (67 minutes) reply.