Do I?

Well it seems pretty clear cut to me.  Five years is a long time to assess the political parties and where they are.  What can a government do in a few months that would make you switch your vote, never mind a few weeks!

If after five years you're thinking, "hmmm, Labour, Tory, Lib Dem, UKIP, Green, I still can't decide" then either you're not really well up on things or (less likely) you're in a position where it doesn't really matter to you who runs the country and are Price Harry or living on a trust fund or something.  Either of those make you a poor person to to decide what the next government will be.

We don't get to vote on which party will govern,I wish we did tbh,their decisions affect us every which way yet we're not gave the opportunity to choose .

I thought a floating voter was one of the most clued up and looking after their own interests.

What do I know.

My view as well.

Where's the rule that says you should be indoctrinated into one party and never look at the others again to see if they would suit? Maybe for some, politics is like religion, but not me.

It's above Kats 

It's Celtic Rangers as one of my travelling pals said to the cops.

He had Man City tattoed into his inside lip and I loved him.

1988.

But it's not rocket science.  The definition of a floating voter is someone who hasn't decided and is therefore open to spin and perhaps votes on more superficial issues.  They may also be in a position where whoever's in power doesn't have much impact on them.  There's no virtue in being undecided about things. 

But if you haven't made your mind up after almost five years then it's fair to say that you don't really keep up with current affairs because they aren't of interest to you or it makes little difference to you.  Do I like the government being decided by people who think and say "politics is boring" and need a poster or sound bite to encapsulate why they should vote in a certain way?  Not really!

Carnelian.

I'm a floating voter.

I won't disrespect you by saying you're clueless but you are far out.

And I am quite happy with Salmond.

I think lots of people think that, but there's no reason why that should be the case at all.  If you can flit from party to party on a whim then you probably aren't very clued up at all.  You don't like a leader's tie or an accent or you like some guff about what great family blokes they are in a party election broadcast.

and looking after their own interests.  But if you don't even know what your own interests are after almost five years, then you can't been paying attention!

Let's take the current and last government.  If you were happy about the Iraq war then your choice would be Tory or Labour.  If Iraq was a big deal to you, then Lib Dems would be your choice.  If your big thing is cutting immigration then UKIP is probably for you.  If you prefer worker rights, then Labour should be your choice.  If on the other hand you see worker rights as a burden on business, you'll want to vote Tory.  Over five years it's quite easy to see which party does the most for you or is likely to do the most things that you approve of.  I really don't get the floating voter thing.

I voted labour in in - when was it I forget  97?

Am I ignorant?

I rejoiced at the Tory defeat.

Then...

Blind faith doesn't cut it anymore.

Why? What's to float on? 

If you approve of the government, vote for it, if you don't then vote Labour or UKIP or whatever best suits your own politics.  I just don't get it.  What are you 'floating' on?  The economy?  Law and Order?  The welfare state and immigration? International policy?  They're the big ones.

Floating voters aren't all clueless, but the idea of putting them on a pedestal of being more clued up is ridiculous.  Floating voters are also less likely to be clobbered or benefit from a change in policy so they can afford to stay indifferent.  However, if it doesn't matter that much to you which government is in office, then it's unfortunate for the nation that it's probably your vote that decides the government!

I don't get it, sorry.

Thanks for telling me what the big ones are 

Shall we agree to disagree on friendly terms?

Till the election?

I voted Lib Dem in the last election.  Big mistake!!  So do I consider myself a 'floating voter' as I previously voted Labour?  No I don't. I still voted for the same things (in principle) but felt that Lib Dems had better policies.  It's not my fault that the Lib Dems are venal liars.  I consider myself to be a lefty socialist so I'll vote for the party that wants to deliver more lefty socialism, which was the Lib Dems at the last election - IMO.  It's not my fault that the Lib Dems are venal liars.  If you're the type who changes their vote at every election, then you are probably ignorant of current affairs.

I'm a lefty.

But Labour can't take it for granted,

That's what I resent.

I can't think of any other bigger issues!  Some would say the environment and energy policy, but if that were so, the Green Party would be more important to political debate.  I think law and order, the economy, the welfare state, immigration, foreign policy just about covers it for the main ones.  You might disagree and think animal rights are the number one issue but I doubt many others would. 

Fair enough, and I totally agree that Labour were pretty right wing (and still are) and took (and still take) their support for granted.  However, you're unlikely to get lefty policies from the Tories or UKIP!

Dinnae disagree with any of that.

We might still be on speaking terms then...

IMHYCO the democratic process exists nearby.

I posted elsewhere that peeps shouldn't view politics as something that happens to them. Rather than complain after the event I wonder why more people don't become involved in their local parties?

One can (sort of) direct policy, interview candidates, and even stand for office.

We all have a local Labour or Conservative party, I don't care which, but give it a go. Suddenly, rather than sitting in front of the tellybox watching deadwood shieght like Cowell, Ant and Dec, you can have some kind of productive life back. 

Well I voted labour because I dislike spud heid salmond and the SNP,Labour were the the only party that came to my door and spoke to me,I did get a flyer from the Scottish Socialist party.

As if by magic........

(I don't buy Sunder papers. Instead I buy an extra paper on Saturder. Murdoch's Times, 'cos it's a great read)

The excellent Caitlin Moran wrote an article about democracy. Too long to go into here but.....

Point 3. Regard any election - national, council, mayoral - as a day of hoodallaly and feasting, NEVER renege on your duty to vote and ALWAYS do so with great festivity and flamboyance. To paraphrase Peter Pan, every time an adult votes, a dictator dies. Clap your hands and shout, "I do believe in democracy, I do!"

Point 5. REPEL the lazy peasant notion that "All politicians are the same - out for themselves" by researching annd and compiling a list of your favourite ever MPs.

I voted SNP because I'm not keen on wee Johanne Krankie 

and the Labour  council leader happily drags up the old " Tartan Tory" label during elections while doing deals with the Tories so they control the council. 

Tartan Tory seems increasingly apt as Salmond snuggles up to Murdoch who must be sizing Scotland up to be the next Irish Republic.

I'd say SNP policy ( and practice) is to the left of Labour  . Tartan Tory fits Scottish Labour better these days - from " no truck with the Tories" to "coalition " councils with them. Bit grim.