I am off to vote . Every vote counts

I would, but was a little distracted by moving countries. I found our polling cards a couple of days ago, but nipping back poses logistical issues. Shame, because for once, I feel that an "anyone but UKIP" might actually be useful.

Still waiting for a legally binding 'none of the above' to appear on voting sheets, but I will be voting.

The only time in my life I have not voted when I had the ability to was for the police commissioners.

I filled in my postal vote, but have I put it in the post? Nope, forgotten to do it Still, I did vote for the Roman party

What's the deal with ukip then? I've not really put any thought in to vote and didn't do my registration card.

I voted a couple of weeks ago by postal vote, for UKIP. They are the only party who will break up the LibLabCon monopoly we've had for years, and will try to do what's best for Britain rather than continue to sell us out to the EU/Brussels who amongst many other negative things are responsible for inflating the cost of living for us.

Jim, if you choose to vote for 'anyone but UKIP' does that mean none of the other parties appeal strongly to you? I expect so, as the other parties don't really have anything going for them do they.

Seems the vote rigging has started though, so much for living in a UK democracy!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8083435.stm

Dan, without resurrecting the previous discussion, I do indeed find that none of the other parties offer anything that appeals to me; a state of affairs that is lamentable but not new. This should go some way to demonstrating just how much UKIP repels me, that I would consider (almost) any other party in preference. As I say, I'm not attempting to recommence this particular debate; you have your point of view and I have mine.

Edited to add: I'd have thought being able to unfold a single piece of paper might be regarded as within the skill-set of anyone wielding their democratic right to vote. But you can call it ballot-rigging if you like...

^^ That BBC link is from 2009.

I've never voted and won't be today, but if it was compulsory I'd vote UKIP as a protest vote.

Jim, the papers are not meant to be given out folded. The fact that some polling stations are carefully folding the bottom section back on itself is ballot-rigging no matter how trivial it might seem to you or I.

Well spotted Graham. This link highlights the same thing is happening again in 2014: http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/05/22/ukip-ballot-paper-elections_n_5370711.html

I voted in the European elections.

I spoiled my ballot paper in the local elections with the words "none of the above" and yes, there was a UKIP candidate standing.

Are UKIP actually suggesting that some people who may vote for them won't do so because they don't immediately see their name on the ballot paper?

How do they think the thought process of their voters plays out?

"Right, I'm a hard working white British person who doesn't want to live next door to Romanians so I'm going to vote UKIP. Oh, that's odd. They don't appear to be on the ballot paper at first glance. I won't bother checking under this fold at the bottom, I'll just assume they've pulled out of the election."

If voting is meant to be a secret ballot why does the voting slip and counter foil have a serial number! Which can be traced back to the voter

Indeed, I've wondered that for years and it's one of the reasons I don't vote.

The UK security services have admitted in the past to compiling lists of people who voted for "undesirable" political parties by checking ballot papers after an election.

It does seem an odd thing to have, but it is there to deter electoral fraud.

Part of the count process reconciles the number of votes put in the ballot box against voting papers issued and if there is a discrepancy the serial numbers can be used to identify any illegitimate ballots which can be investigated further.

No, they're not.

The Green's are the only party that not only has the potential to break up the current 3 party system, but actually effect real change in terms of economic policy.

UKIP are just as neoliberal in terms of economic and monetary policy as the Conservatives, if not more so (hard to provide evidence as UKIP seem unable to produce any policies in hard copy). Hardly surprising for a party run and funded by ex-Tories.

Do you realise your "best for Britain" hopes are in the hands of neoliberal extremists who have the worst attendance record of ANY political party in the EU parliament?

Surely we can do better.

Sources:
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/where-have-ukips-absent-meps-really-been-8160595.html
http://www.hopenothate.org.uk//news/home...nations-to-ukip
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/jan/23/nigel-farage-ukip-2010-election-manifesto

Thank you the Huffington Post!

Never going to happen . In the mid 1990 they were electable to a certain extent but not now . All they want to do is put up taxes and stop everyone from driving their cars on the road . For now the green party are finished and are no a treat to any of the 4 main parties . Roll on 24 hours and Farage will be grinning like a cat ,Dave and Millibland will put on a brave face and Clegg will go missing (preferably up his own backside ). Anything can happen


[/quote]

I think with that Clarkonesque nonsense you've just summed up better than I could why the Green's won't be getting anywhere, sadly.

The Greens have a perfectly accessible and well laid out manifesto, that you would probably find most agreeable if you actually read it.

What I am trying to put across, is that your faith in UKIP and how its somehow a real alternative to the LibLabCon status quo is utterly misplaced.

Dismiss the Green's all you want, many do, but don't insult yourself by believing that a vote for UKIP is a vote for change.

EDIT: Just re-read my post and will apologise for the tone.

No offence intended, although I stand by my points

So what is on the manifesto fit ukip then?
And the greens for that matter.
I'll go look.....

Full Green Party manifesto: http://greenparty.org.uk/assets/files/European%20Manifesto%202014.pdf

Full UKIP manifesto: http://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/the....pdf?1398167812

Let the people decide and come back tomorrow and see what percent of votes the green party have got . I dont think you get it . We have had labour and tories/liberals in power same old same old . Nothing new . What UKIP does is give people a better chance of deciding if they want to remain a part of europe or not .Whether its good or bad i dont know . You seem to think i have voted for UKIP . I was merely predicting the outcome of the election tomorrow
The only green point i would agree with "is turning the minimum wage into a living wage "

UKIP Head of policy Tim Aker last night warned voters not to believe Labour’s misinformation and lies about the party.

Mr Aker confirmed UKIP’s commitment to the NHS free at the point of delivery – despite groups linked to Labour claiming the opposite.

Polls out last weekend have shown that more black and ethnic minority voters are going to turn out and vote UKIP today than the Lib Dems and Tories put together, so I still find it amusing when people think UKIP is a white-only party. We have the hugely bias media to thank for that.

barnacle, it's amusing the lengths other parties will go to in order to smear UKIP in order to attempt to safeguard the bubble they've enjoyed for too long now. There are numerous lies thrown about by Labour et. al about UKIP wanting to end maternity pay etc. They don't want this, yet people blindly believe the slurs generated by other parties. There are people out there who are determined to stop UKIP, because we have had a 2.5 party system for 100 years and UKIP are posing a threat to the establishment.

What I like about UKIP, is they talk about themselves, what they are going to do and why you should vote for them. The other parties, it seems, prefer to talk about why you shouldn't vote UKIP.

one4seven - a party run and funded by ex-Tories? Not quite. Just one example - http://www.economicvoice.com/leading-member-of-labour-finance-and-industry-group-joins-ukip/

As for the poor attendance in the EU parliament, a lot of MEPs emigrate and live in Strasbourg/Brussels, hence why their attendance is higher.

I have no doubt that UKIP will beat the Green's when the results are announced.

I would again simply make the point that voting for UKIP on the basis that they represent "real change" is a fallacy. This is what I think you don't get.

I like the part about animals but this party is pro EU and does not want to stop migration from outside the EU . Which in my opinion is crazy . Plus i reckon they would put green taxes on everything .

DTM, I doubt you're going to convince me. I dislike pretty much all the parties - in fact, I detest the party system - but I dislike Farage and his merry men more.

When a 'did not vote' means 'a vote against everyone' then I might have some faith in politics.

UKIP and the mainstream parties are all playing the same game - the leading three mudslinging and discrediting UKIP and the UKIP tin-foil-hat conspiracists seeing skulduggery at every turn.

To my mind, the rise of UKIP is just another symptom of the wretchedness of the state of UK politics. The disengagement and disenchantment of voters is an appalling situation for a supposedly mature democracy to find itself in. In such circumstances, UKIP has unsurprisingly found fertile ground to promote its "common sense/common man" message and it will undoubtedly do very well at these elections, managing to encourage turnout higher than in recent times, I wouldn't wonder.

But.

As one4seven eloquently said, if you are looking for a party to "break the mould" (ha, remember the SDP?!) and bring hope of genuinely fresh thinking or a new era to British politics, UKIP is categorically NOT it. Whatever it claims, (and it's manifesto and spokespeople fail to counter the accusation), it's a single-issue party. The clue is in the name and the sequestration of the £ logo and it is a fundamentally negative issue at that. It's basically saying "Oi, Europe, NOOOOO!" And that's it.

Like Barnacle, I don't want what ANY of them are selling and "none of the above" as a legitimate political statement is long overdue.

It's probably fair to say that the Green Party do offer the only radical manifesto in UK politics, but its message won't be clearly heard because it's not sexy enough for the media. I disagree with enough of their policies to rule them out too, anyway.

Fararge doesn't seem to come from the "oxford" background and wasn't a member of the

"Bullingdon club"

Members of the outrageously filthy rich can get in.
Hence David Cameron, George Osborne and Boris Johnson were all members.

It's been alleged that initiation into the club involved the burning of a fifty pound note in front of a homeless person.

I never knew that Osborne was "tite" with the Rothschilds.

Clearing up the mess will of course be left to the real politicians after UKIP get in, get us out of Europe then realise writing some policies and employing one or two people with a degree in economics might have been a good idea.

To semi-quote the fantastic Stewart Lee on the subject, a protest vote for UKIP is like complaining about the service at a hotel by shitting all over the sheets. Then realising you have to spend the night in a shitty bed.