Election
The Sunday Times last week reported that Nick Clegg, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, is Britain's most popular party leader since Winston Churchill following his performance on the first televised election debate between the three main party leaders.
I watched the debate, but it didn't change my views of any of the parties. The polls that followed the debate, though, made me think twice about my voting intention.
I have never voted tactically before, only ideologically, on the basis that if I vote for the Green Party, it is a clear statement that I am anti-war, anti-privatisation, pro-distribution and pro-environment. The policies of the Lib Dems are superior to those of Labour and the Tories on these, but not consistently, and not as far as, say, the Green Party. In fact, The Sunday Telegraph's interesting "How Should I Vote?" quiz placed me at 71% Green Party, 62% SNP (which is where my constituency vote, but not my list vote, in Scottish Elections, goes) and 61% Liberal Democrat.
My seat is the safe Labour seat (nearly 9,000 majority) of Glasgow Central, currently held by Mohammed Sarwar and to be contested for Labour this time by his son Anas. Sarwar is one of the better Labour MPs, voting against the Iraq War and the replacement of Trident, but his record on the environment, civil liberties and gay rights is less admirable. I'm not as fussed as most people seem to be about the expenses saga, but Mr Sarwar claimed £192,987 in expenses in 2008/2009, more than any other MP in that year.
Why vote tactically now? The Liberal Democrats have, for the first time, a serious chance of wielding some real power. Although a Labour victory seems very likely in my seat, if the Liberal Democrats can point to a large share of the national vote it will mean a lot more than it has in the past.
However you intend to vote, please do it, and please do it as an informed citizen: read the manifestos, check www.theyworkforyou.com , where you can enter your postcode and see your MPs voting record.
Glasgow, 2010.
Election
The Sunday Times last week reported that Nick Clegg, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, is Britain's most popular party leader since Winston Churchill following his performance on the first televised election debate between the three main party leaders.
I watched the debate, but it didn't change my views of any of the parties. The polls that followed the debate, though, made me think twice about my voting intention.
I have never voted tactically before, only ideologically, on the basis that if I vote for the Green Party, it is a clear statement that I am anti-war, anti-privatisation, pro-distribution and pro-environment. The policies of the Lib Dems are superior to those of Labour and the Tories on these, but not consistently, and not as far as, say, the Green Party. In fact, The Sunday Telegraph's interesting "How Should I Vote?" quiz placed me at 71% Green Party, 62% SNP (which is where my constituency vote, but not my list vote, in Scottish Elections, goes) and 61% Liberal Democrat.
My seat is the safe Labour seat (nearly 9,000 majority) of Glasgow Central, currently held by Mohammed Sarwar and to be contested for Labour this time by his son Anas. Sarwar is one of the better Labour MPs, voting against the Iraq War and the replacement of Trident, but his record on the environment, civil liberties and gay rights is less admirable. I'm not as fussed as most people seem to be about the expenses saga, but Mr Sarwar claimed £192,987 in expenses in 2008/2009, more than any other MP in that year.
Why vote tactically now? The Liberal Democrats have, for the first time, a serious chance of wielding some real power. Although a Labour victory seems very likely in my seat, if the Liberal Democrats can point to a large share of the national vote it will mean a lot more than it has in the past.
However you intend to vote, please do it, and please do it as an informed citizen: read the manifestos, check www.theyworkforyou.com , where you can enter your postcode and see your MPs voting record.
Glasgow, 2010.