Old McDonald
Member
- Location
- Harray, Orkney
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-manchester-39885399
I have always had an idea that sufficient correctly placed votes against a particular candidate could succeed, and is a valid use of a vote, but this seems such an odd way to go about it. Why put up a candidate, with all the expense involved, who then tells his party faithfulls to vote for someone else? I assume the Liberal Party is putting up the £500. If I was a party supporter I would be more than miffed at the "candidate".
I can understand some parties not contesting all seats - obviously there are some that simply cannot be won, yet the major parties are still rather obliged to put forward a candidate, but the minor ones can see the sense in not losing £500 a shot. In this case surely it would have been more sensible for the LibDems to not put up the £500 and spend it on canvassing for the Labour candidate? Again, it might not go down well with LibDems in the constituency, but knowing they would lose anyway, and determined to canvass against the Tories, why not leave their suppoters to choose between whether to vote for another candidate or not to vote on this occasion?
If I was in the constituency and a LibDem supporter, I would feel honour bound to vote for the LibDem candidate despite his obvious shortcomings. Thankfully I am neither.
On reflection, if I was a LibDem in that constituency I would cancel my membership and let the party know why I did it.
I have always had an idea that sufficient correctly placed votes against a particular candidate could succeed, and is a valid use of a vote, but this seems such an odd way to go about it. Why put up a candidate, with all the expense involved, who then tells his party faithfulls to vote for someone else? I assume the Liberal Party is putting up the £500. If I was a party supporter I would be more than miffed at the "candidate".
I can understand some parties not contesting all seats - obviously there are some that simply cannot be won, yet the major parties are still rather obliged to put forward a candidate, but the minor ones can see the sense in not losing £500 a shot. In this case surely it would have been more sensible for the LibDems to not put up the £500 and spend it on canvassing for the Labour candidate? Again, it might not go down well with LibDems in the constituency, but knowing they would lose anyway, and determined to canvass against the Tories, why not leave their suppoters to choose between whether to vote for another candidate or not to vote on this occasion?
If I was in the constituency and a LibDem supporter, I would feel honour bound to vote for the LibDem candidate despite his obvious shortcomings. Thankfully I am neither.
On reflection, if I was a LibDem in that constituency I would cancel my membership and let the party know why I did it.
