The TFF General Election

Brown resigns.

John, I believe.

It wasn't me. Honest!

It doesn't actually matter which way I vote in General Elections as in the constituency I live in the Conservatives could put a chimpanzee up as their candidate and he would get in!

European and local elections are more interesting and as fewer tend to vote in them an individual can feel that their vote can make a difference.

Well it's all over now (although probably only until next Autumn or Spring for the next election) so let's archive this thread and move on to the Summer Carnival of Football in South Africa ;D

After voting Labour in various parts of the country between 1979 and 1987, I carried on voting the same way when I was in Taunton in 1992, 1997 and 2001. Then, in 2005, I finally decided to vote tactically in favour of the Lib Dems given that Taunton is always a lost cause for Labour. This time, living in Exeter, the obvious and natural thing for me was to vote Labour.

So I can’t answer Merse’s question directly but, had I still been living in Taunton and voted tactically again, I’d be absolutely bloody livid with myself. Furthermore I would be vowing – as I am anyway – never to ever contemplate voting Lib Dem again for whatever reason.

But who would be to blame for my rage – me or them? The truth is that it’s a three-party system which, in reality, resembles a three-legged stool. The inclination is to see the Lib Dems in the middle but, clearly, they can also be seen in their own corner of the triangle. Then it’s probably further complicated by there being at least three types of Liberal voter: the anti-Labour; the anti-Tory and the actual Liberal. And, amongst the core Liberals, there’s probably a further three categories of those who – when the chips are down – would veer towards the Tories, Labour or neither.

That’s the nature of the beast and I’ve always been fascinated by Westcountry Liberalism. On the one hand, you can see it is part of a regional tradition that goes back several centuries and is a force in itself. On the other, there is the curious business of how Labour politics never quite took off in these parts in the early 20th century. Matters such as class and industrialisation clearly played a part (and explain Labour’s strength in Plymouth) but I’ve always sensed a local dislike for Labourism as a grubby, upcountry form of politics. Could this be part of a resistance towards class-based politics? A barmy theory of mine says the references to “working people” (or similar) you may hear in some parts of the country are replaced by mention of “locals” in many Westcountry conversations of a similar nature. Yes, politics is less classed-based as parties strive to be seen as “classless” – and we’re now being advised not to be so tribal – but I imagine there’s a fair number of anti-Labour Liberal voters in the South West who might not be quite as devastated by the news as we may assume. Also many “purer” Liberals who will welcome the opportunity of involvement at long last?

How the Liberal vote divides in places such as Torbay and Taunton is a matter of conjecture. I sensed an anti-Tory Liberalism amongst the generally professional/public sector types I knew in Taunton. But looking back to growing up in 1960s and 1970s Torquay – my only real experience of the town as a resident – I sensed a strong anti-Labourism at school, at home and in our social circle: Labour wasn’t really for the likes of us in cul-de-sacs on the English Riviera. Then I choose to go to a northern university and my political views changed within months. Has Torbay changed as well and, to rephrase the original question, how are Liberal voters responding there?

It was, quite simply, the only viable option based on the results of the election. If anyone can provide a compelling argument otherwise, I would be interested to hear it.