Thoughts on politics and life from a liberal perspective

Tuesday 4 May 2010

Labour are all over the place on tactical voting

So Peter Hain wants voters to "vote with their heads", code surely for Labour supporters voting Lib Dem in seats where Labour cannot win with the quid pro quo being that Lib Dem supporters should vote Labour in a vice-versa situation. Ed Balls seems to agree.


And yet Gordon Brown keeps screeching about how a vote for the Lib Dems could "let the Tories in" and Tony Blair has been banging a similar drum today.

What on earth is the electorate supposed to make of such hopelessly mixed messages?

I also think this exposes how out of control Labour's campaign is and how they are individually thrashing around trying anything in a desperate rage against the dying of the light. I was on the paper review on 5 Live yesterday and Tony Blair's former aide Lance Price made a similar point (although couched in more diplomatic language!).

For anybody who wants to see electoral reform, this election perhaps above any other is the one where the vote share for the Lib Dems will be vitally important. Imagine what a difference the Lib Dems coming second (or even first) in terms of share of the vote could make for that argument.

Lib Dem inclined voters should reject the overtures of Hain and Balls and instead follow their instincts.

2 comments:

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Hugh said...

I think the evidence of 1983 and 2005 is that vote share absurdities are quickly forgotten- the realities of seats won will decide what happens. To that end Lib Dems should be:
1- Pursuing every vote in seats where the LDs are first, second or a close third.
2- Voting Tory in Lab-Con micromarginals to make clear to Labour that they have had their last Commons majority.
3- Voting Labour in Lab-Con marginals where Labour start 10%+ ahead to block a Tory majority