Wednesday 8 January 2014

Why not vote based on your values in Reading East #rdguk

Reading East is not being targeted nationally by the Labour Party so why not take the controversial opportunity to vote for a party whose values and policies actually match yours?

Political parties maximise their limited resources by analysing each constituency, working out which ones they can win most easily, and targeting their limited resources at these areas. This allows them to focus their money, advertisements, media attention, visits from high ranking ministers etc. on the areas which will be the most rewarding in terms of gaining new MP’s.

Labour publishes this on line. Their National Target Seats List can be found here:

http://labourlist.org/2013/01/labours-106-battleground-target-seats-for-2015/

These one hundred and six constituencies will get the lion’s share of Labour’s resources in the next General Election. Labour hopes to hold its current MPs and win these additional seats.

It is illuminating that Reading West will be targeted, but NOT Reading East. This is clearly a combination of Labour’s third place in 2010, the Green stronghold in Reading East and the lack of a Labour presence in Woodley.

Tactically, it looks as though Labour have abandoned Reading East in favour of more winnable seats.

So what are people disillusioned with the Tory led Coalition and unimpressed by Labour’s closeness to them on so many issues to do?

This may be controversial, but I think people should vote for the party whose values and policies most closely match theirs. As Green Party leader Natalie Bennett says why not make this your New Year’s resolution?

At the last general election the Vote for Policies Not Personalities website was set up. You complete a short survey online choosing policies which most closely match your views, but without knowing which party they belong to. Then you get a party match at the end.

Why not give it a go and let me know how you get on.

And if you come out Green Party, why not get involved or join?

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