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Do political conferences influence the way you vote?
miss_astrid
Posts: 1,808 Forum Member
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I've recently been paying more attention to politics and the different political views held by different parties (well, I say different parties, I've only looked [so far] at Labour and Conservative). I think last time I voted Liberal Democrat (more fool me!) because I was young and I didn't really pay attention/understand politics (I will be the first to say I still don't really understand politics to this date, but I am trying!)
With everything that's going on recently (ISIS, welfare reforms, the economy, etc) I've been paying more attention to politics and am now starting to decide who to vote for next year (I won't lie, it's between Labour and Conservative).
I was going to vote Labour, because of their policies and their attitudes towards the poorer in society (my parents are both disabled and on benefits), and their attitudes towards the NHS. But, after seeing the Conservative conference yesterday, and David Cameron's stunning speech, I'm now not so sure.
I was bought up to believe that all parties are really the same side of the coin, and they're all out for themselves and don't care about society. Obviously this is a view that has stuck with me, and I don't believe 100% that the politicians and parties can keep their promises. But I think that the Conservatives have done an okay job so far in parliament.
So anyway, do conferences and speeches make a difference to you? Or are you firmly stuck in your ways and vote for one party, and one party only?
With everything that's going on recently (ISIS, welfare reforms, the economy, etc) I've been paying more attention to politics and am now starting to decide who to vote for next year (I won't lie, it's between Labour and Conservative).
I was going to vote Labour, because of their policies and their attitudes towards the poorer in society (my parents are both disabled and on benefits), and their attitudes towards the NHS. But, after seeing the Conservative conference yesterday, and David Cameron's stunning speech, I'm now not so sure.
I was bought up to believe that all parties are really the same side of the coin, and they're all out for themselves and don't care about society. Obviously this is a view that has stuck with me, and I don't believe 100% that the politicians and parties can keep their promises. But I think that the Conservatives have done an okay job so far in parliament.
So anyway, do conferences and speeches make a difference to you? Or are you firmly stuck in your ways and vote for one party, and one party only?
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The Tories are unbeliavably cruel to the poor and the dispossessed and this latest conference has done nothing to make me change my opinion.
Me personally I don't fit into any "target demographic" that they fit headline policies around so overall i'm relatively unaffected by whoever is in power anyway.
This year, the Labour Conference underlined, emboldened and put in italics my belief that they are completely and utterly unfit for office, and that Miliband would be a complete disaster as PM. If a single DNA in me thought it might be tempted to give them the benefit of the doubt, it was comprehensively extinguished by their farce of a conference.
I had reached an accommodation with my conscience that I would vote Tory for the first time in my life, then Cameron goes and makes a dick of himself with ludicrous tax cut promises. And we get the rare annual glimpse of the party at large.
What a poverty of choice.
Will be voting for UKIP next year as my first vote.
Conferences are a total waste of money.
They come across as a bit echo-chmaberish, with a bunch smiley faces clapping along and nodding their heads, all congratulating themselves as to how correct their choice of party and policy is. They tend to all look a bit smug to me.
Edit: Hadn't read the replies before typing one of my own. Looks like I think almost the exact same way as alan29 on this issue.