Who I Am Voting For And Why

It probably won’t take a rub of your mystic ball to work out who I am going to vote for today.

It certainly is not the party of deficit, the party of reckless spending, the anti-business party, the party of the Iraq war.  It isn’t the one who promised Education, Education, Education and failed the young, with exceptionally high numbers of NEETs, and now wants to reduce tuition fees to subsidise the rich.

It isn’t the party that positively encouraged the reckless boom which led to the greatest recession for 80 years, and the subsequent crunch in living standards for all.  It isn’t the party that taxed the rich at a lower amount for the whole of their time in charge (except for one month), than every single month under this government.

It isn’t the party that poured money into the NHS, gave us record numbers of hospital infections, and the absolutely horrific disgrace of what happened at Mid Staffs.  Look it up if you don’t know.  Nor is it the party that runs the very poorly-performing NHS in Wales.

It isn’t the party that predicted 13,000 eastern European immigrants, or who sold our gold at market lows.  Or the party that left unemployment higher at the end of their reign than at the beginning – by the way that has happened in every single Labour government – EVERY.

Nor is it the party that built less council housing in 13 years than Thatcher did in just her last year.

I read a comment on Facebook from someone yesterday saying that they’d love to give David Cameron a punch in the face.  Well, I don’t have such animosity towards Ed Miliband.  He worries me.  I am exceptionally concerned about the future of the country under him and the likely bed-sharing with the SNP, and my future somewhat.  I really don’t want to be unemployed again.

I don’t have any animosity towards him.  I don’t believe that he or any politician is inherently evil.  But his policies will damage business.  They will damage the economy.  They will unsettle markets – whom we need to borrow vast sums from to fund the NHS, public sector wages, pensions, etc.

Don’t forget, it isn’t just the deficit we need to borrow for.  We also have to refinance our current debt stock when the bonds come due.  The more unsettled the markets are, the higher interest rates we have to pay, and the less we have to spend on what you want a government to be spending on.

I didn’t really want to get into negatives but my imaginary pen has got carried away like Labour’s imaginary money tree.

Briefly on the other parties.

UKIP have two policies.  Both I think are wrong.  I love immigration – we do need immigrants for our economy.  They are good for our economy.  If there are not enough houses, schools, etc in a certain area, this is not the fault of immigration.  Also withdrawing from the European Union would be very short-sighted and very likely cause problems to our economy.  The EU needs reform – and we need to be in it, and leading it.  Because as our biggest export market, we are bound by its rules whether we like it or not, so we might as well be able to shape them.

The Greens are actually more economically incompetent than Labour.  Which is really saying something.

If it were only a choice between Labour and the Lib Dems, then the Lib Dems would get my vote as a sensible middle-ground party that actually gets the economy.  I fear that if Nick Clegg loses his seat, they will lurch to the left under Tim Farron.

I can also vote for the Roman party, led by a relative nutcase who cannot spell but can drive a bus.  I feel a bit sorry for him so I might offer to make him a website for next time he runs, out of the goodness of my heart.  He does want double-decker trains.

Likewise I could vote for some guy called Neil, who is an anti-austerity trade union candidate and looks like a thug.  He possibly used to manage Norwich City, but I am not sure.

But of course, you worked it out 5 years before I wrote this post, I am voting for the Conservative Party.

Because pretty much everything about government comes down to having a strong economy.  And a “long-term-economic-plan”.  I had to get that in there just in case I ever get chance to work for the Conservative Party.

On some social matters I am closer to the Liberal Democrats than the Conservatives.

I did give a full critique of the coalition government yesterday so I am not going to repeat myself.

The Conservative Party have an excellent record on education, a good record on health and a very good record on the economy.

For the next 5 years, I want a government that will take the necessary decisions to keep employment at record levels, to increase productivity in the workforce, to continue the very promising education reforms and to give the NHS the extra money it requires but not be afraid to make reforms necessary to control costs or improve the service we receive.

I want the government to trust businesses to get on with what they does best, and trust individuals to make the best decisions for themselves.  Labour want to control and tax you and your business.  The Conservatives give you freedom to choose.

I value living in a country that can look after those most in need, the sick, the disabled, those that have temporarily fallen on hard times.  I desire a country that gives generous benefits to those really in need – and none to those who simply want, want, want.  A country that values responsibility.  Only the Conservative party will provide the strong economy to be able to pay to look after those in need.

I want a government that thinks ahead for the future of the people of this country, and doesn’t rack up debt that we cannot afford.  I want a government that saves when the sun is shining so we have recourse for when recession hits.  Labour always increase the deficit.  The Conservatives always reduce the deficit.

House-building must be a priority in my view, which I have to admit I have no faith in any party prioritising.  But Miliband’s proposed rent controls are the surest way of guaranteeing a failed housing market.  I would also like to see drug policy reform, which will not happen under the Conservatives.  But it could happen under a Conservative-Liberal coalition.

The European question needs putting to bed.  Only the Conservative party offer a referendum.  Let’s get it done and won, so we can continue in Europe without this question ever-after.

We need a government that makes important investment decisions on infrastructure.  We need to get building a new runway or two near London.  We need more road and rail capacity.  We urgently need more power plants.  Labour didn’t like taking these decisions.  The Conservatives have, and will do much more over the next 5 years.

Finally, I want a government that does the right thing for the future of our country, and not just what makes it popular.

I don’t vote for my personal interests.  I vote what I believe will be the best for the whole of the United Kingdom.

This is why I want a Conservative majority government.