# BritDopers (and nosy foreigners) - The general election 2010 **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [April 6, 2010, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britdopers-and-nosy-foreigners-the-general-election-2010/535133 "2010-04-06T11:13:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britdopers-and-nosy-foreigners-the-general-election-2010/535133/81 "2010-04-08T04:38:35Z")
Australian’s don’t have to produce more than that either. But you are only enrolled in a single electorate (for each tier Federal, State or local), and while you could turn up to any number of polling booths within that electorate, the Australian Electoral Commission do check. And all the major parties have scrutineers that cross-check. The level of fraud is substantially below the counting margin for error and if you aren’t going to have a substantive influence on the total vote, why would you bother? ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britdopers-and-nosy-foreigners-the-general-election-2010/535133/82 "2010-04-08T05:42:59Z")
> [@Angry Lurker](#): > > You may also be amused to learn we don’t need any kind of ID to vote either. Just turn up and rattle off yer name and address and they cross it off a paper list. I’m an American and the closest I’ve ever come to having to show ID to vote is signing my name beside my name in the big book of all the precinct’s voters. ---
**Author:** ![One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/838e76/32.png) [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/One_And_Only_Wanderers)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britdopers-and-nosy-foreigners-the-general-election-2010/535133/83 "2010-04-08T06:30:19Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > I was using hyperbole. One only has to look at the likes of Margaret Moran, my erstwhile MP, to see serious lapses of character. and poor character is a problem across teh full spectrum of politics. When I say I support the Labour Party, this is not the same as saying I blindly trust every MP in it to be a shining paragon of virtue. One of the reasons I have just joined the Party is to have more info, and a better understanding, but when it comes down to ideals etc, Labour is where I am at. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 9:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britdopers-and-nosy-foreigners-the-general-election-2010/535133/84 "2010-04-08T09:31:56Z")
> [@Scougs](#): > > I’m in Alistair Darling’s constituency (Edinburgh South West) which looks a fairly safe Labour seat. I would rather help keep it that way. Ah, so he’s _your_ fault then. \ They showed a clip of one of his early speeches on telly the other day. There’s a certain wry comedy in seeing the current lot in power as they were in the days when they addressed each other as “comrade”. (Yes, US viewers, Labour politicians really did this in the 1980s.) ---
**Author:** ![Electric\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9de0a6/32.png) [@Electric\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electric_Sky)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britdopers-and-nosy-foreigners-the-general-election-2010/535133/85 "2010-04-08T10:04:30Z")
This is my first time as an eligible voter pretty much anywhere (not a youngster, just expatriate most of my life), and I’m somewhere between excited and dismayed. Excited because, well, first time voting. Dismayed because none of my choices seem all that appealing. I like a lot of the Greens’ policies, but completely disagree with some. Same with the Lib Dems. So, I don’t know, I’ll flip a coin? ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britdopers-and-nosy-foreigners-the-general-election-2010/535133/86 "2010-04-08T10:12:56Z")
Any vote for anyone other than Labour, is a vote for the Conservatives. Why not make it official and just put your X in their box? At least all those votes might make them feel loved and a little more likely to make policy compassionately\*! - And who knows, we might even see a squadron of flying pigs heralding their victory afterwards. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britdopers-and-nosy-foreigners-the-general-election-2010/535133/87 "2010-04-08T10:30:00Z")
> [@ivan\_astikov](#): > > Any vote for anyone other than Labour, is a vote for the Conservatives. Why not make it official and just put your X in their box? I always find that kind of argument rather patronising and arrogant. Maybe people who vote, say, Lib Dem know that the election result is going to be either a Tory majority or a hung parliament, have taken that into account, but are not going to vote Labour because, you know, they don’t like Labour’s policies or its leadership? ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britdopers-and-nosy-foreigners-the-general-election-2010/535133/88 "2010-04-08T10:49:46Z")
Here’s a good policy matching site: [http://www.votematch.org.uk/](http://www.votematch.org.uk/) (not sure if it has any inherent bias). Apparently I’m 55% Lib Dem, 46% Tory, and 28% Labour. Quite surprised at my toriness… Anyone fancy bashing an oik with me this weekend, rah rah? ---
**Author:** ![Wallenstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5a626/32.png) [@Wallenstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallenstein)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britdopers-and-nosy-foreigners-the-general-election-2010/535133/89 "2010-04-08T10:53:50Z")
My local MP is a Tory. He’s not bad as a constituency MP, but he’s frustratingly inconistent in his voting records. He tends to be loyal to the whips, but voted against the Tories to support the Human-Animal Hybrid Bill recently which earns him respect in my eyes. He voted in favour of the smoking ban (good thing IMO), but then signed an early day motion supporting homeopathy in the NHS (d’oh!). In some ways I wish he was an old skool “hang 'em, flog 'em” shire Tory, so I would have no problem voting for someone else, but he does seem quite close to my own views in certain areas, yet utterly opposite in others. Plus he came out of the expenses row pretty clean, and did reply to me when I wrote asking him to oppose the (abandoned) bill to prevent expenses being released. The Labour chap is a total non-entity who used to be the MP until 2005 and now wants to get back in, but he’s so far been pretty anonymous. ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britdopers-and-nosy-foreigners-the-general-election-2010/535133/90 "2010-04-08T10:53:57Z")
> [@Ximenean](#): > > I always find that kind of argument rather patronising and arrogant. Maybe people who vote, say, Lib Dem know that the election result is going to be either a Tory majority or a hung parliament, have taken that into account, but are not going to vote Labour because, you know, they don’t like Labour’s policies or its leadership? Think what you want; I disagree, but only on the basis of my own experience. ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britdopers-and-nosy-foreigners-the-general-election-2010/535133/91 "2010-04-08T11:04:07Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > Here’s a good policy matching site: [http://www.votematch.org.uk/](http://www.votematch.org.uk/) (not sure if it has any inherent bias). > > Apparently I’m 55% Lib Dem, 46% Tory, and 28% Labour. > > Quite surprised at my toriness… Anyone fancy bashing an oik with me this weekend, rah rah? 59% Labour, 51% Lib Dem, 31% Conservative. _Put 'em up, put 'em up!_ ---
**Author:** ![Wallenstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5a626/32.png) [@Wallenstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallenstein)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britdopers-and-nosy-foreigners-the-general-election-2010/535133/92 "2010-04-08T11:13:45Z")
> [@Ximenean](#): > > I always find that kind of argument rather patronising and arrogant. Maybe people who vote, say, Lib Dem know that the election result is going to be either a Tory majority or a hung parliament, have taken that into account, but are not going to vote Labour because, you know, they don’t like Labour’s policies or its leadership? In local elections I’ll sometimes vote for one of the real fringe or single-interest parties. Overall my vote won’t make a difference to the result, but local democracy relies on having keen people pushing local causes… even getting 150 votes can give them the sense that people believe in what they are doing, and keeps 'em fighting the good fight. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britdopers-and-nosy-foreigners-the-general-election-2010/535133/93 "2010-04-08T11:20:28Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > Here’s a good policy matching site: [http://www.votematch.org.uk/](http://www.votematch.org.uk/) (not sure if it has any inherent bias). > > Apparently I’m 55% Lib Dem, 46% Tory, and 28% Labour. > > Quite surprised at my toriness… Anyone fancy bashing an oik with me this weekend, rah rah? Bloody hell…I’m 56% Green Party. How did that happen? Apparently they have policies other than environmental ones. Who knew? Also 49% Lib Dem (which is about what I expected), 46% Labour and 30% UKIP (!). ---
**Author:** ![scareyfaerie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scareyfaerie/32/3135_2.png) [@scareyfaerie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scareyfaerie)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britdopers-and-nosy-foreigners-the-general-election-2010/535133/94 "2010-04-08T11:34:07Z")
I am, apparently, 55% UKIP and 49% BNP. I’m 46% Tory and LibDem, 45% Labour and 22% Green. Yes, I asked it to compare all of the parties. Hmm…better get my tin hat on now. My local MP is a Labour man through and through. He has never voted against the party ever, not once, not even in a free vote. If you want a “Yes” man, he’s the one for you. ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britdopers-and-nosy-foreigners-the-general-election-2010/535133/95 "2010-04-08T11:37:20Z")
> [@ScareyFaerie](#): > > I am, apparently, 55% UKIP and 49% BNP. I’m 46% Tory and LibDem, 45% Labour and 22% Green. Yes, I asked it to compare all of the parties. Hmm…better get my tin hat on now. > > My local MP is a Labour man through and through. He has never voted against the party ever, not once, not even in a free vote. If you want a “Yes” man, he’s the one for you. Maybe he’s just decided to stick with the devil he knows? ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britdopers-and-nosy-foreigners-the-general-election-2010/535133/96 "2010-04-08T11:48:54Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > Here’s a good policy matching site: [http://www.votematch.org.uk/](http://www.votematch.org.uk/) (not sure if it has any inherent bias). > > Apparently I’m 55% Lib Dem, 46% Tory, and 28% Labour. > > Quite surprised at my toriness… Anyone fancy bashing an oik with me this weekend, rah rah? My top two are the Tories and Lib Dems. The Lib Dems need an 8% swing to dislodge the current Labour embarrassment in my ward, whereas the Tories need 15%. I think that’s settled who I’ll vote for! ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britdopers-and-nosy-foreigners-the-general-election-2010/535133/97 "2010-04-08T11:50:52Z")
Not surprisingly, I’m not a good match for any of the big 3. 30%s for two and much lower for the third. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britdopers-and-nosy-foreigners-the-general-election-2010/535133/98 "2010-04-08T11:53:59Z")
> [@Wallenstein](#): > > My local MP is a Tory. He’s not bad as a constituency MP, but he’s frustratingly inconistent in his voting records. Has he justified his voting? Because if done for good reason, he sounds like a good MP regardless of party; if done because of financial interest, he sounds like someone who should be given the boot. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britdopers-and-nosy-foreigners-the-general-election-2010/535133/99 "2010-04-08T12:13:49Z")
SNP 65% Green 63% Labour 62% Lib Dems 56% Conservative 44% It’s kind of flawed, seeing as I fundamentally disagree with the entire premise of the SNP. ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britdopers-and-nosy-foreigners-the-general-election-2010/535133/100 "2010-04-08T12:30:54Z")
70% Conservative, 54% Labour, 48% UKIP, 36% LibDem, 34% BNP, 14% Green. That’s pretty much as I expected although I thought my COnservative score would be a little lower. As a 13-year ex-Pat, I am clearly not up to speed on everything going on “back home”. SATs for 11-year olds? What’s that and whose stupid idea is it? I thought that sort of thing died out with the 11-plus and the demise of the grammar schools. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britdopers-and-nosy-foreigners-the-general-election-2010/535133.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britdopers-and-nosy-foreigners-the-general-election-2010/535133.md?page=6)