[Closed] Local elections

#dogsatpollingstations
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Tories attempting to buy the vote round here. Entire 4 outside pages of the local paper bought today with an ad deliberately designed to look like editorial, including the paper's header etc. Small grey on black text to let you know its actually a paid advert.

Democracy in action. Wonder if they've accounted for it non-fraudulently this time?

Think it said something about strong, sta.... no I've forgotten the rest sorry.

I always vote though I sometimes wonder why I bother. I'm not at all sure there is a point to a Greater Manchester mayor but I've gone along with it by voting. In my view there should have been an option "Let's not have one".

I voted only because I think (hope?) we'll see the direct results.

The Greens also obviously see the island as a swing vote, so have a good presence, and a good local MP candidate.

Interestingly the Tory councillor hopeful was at my polling station describing how he expects Remain-voting Tories to go Lib, which is rather ironic as he himself voted Remain (and the incumbent MP that's just stepped down – for being an idiot – was very pro-Brexit. But not very pro-LBGT). Not sure how he's going to vote in the general...

Just back from a very quiet Birmingham poll station - the tory chap had big pictures of him and Karren Brady, lots of football references in the official blurb. Shame, I used to think she was sound. 🙁

Was torn between green, lib dem and labour - put the green chap first as he was the only one with tangible pledges ("will only take average wage of 28k for the region , fixed prices on publuc transport for yoof, etc"*) rather than sweeping "get the local economy going" balls. Good luck to him. 🙂

* There were others of a more substantial nature but the leaflet's in the other room, so those two are for illustrative purposes only.

I spoilt my ballot.

We had 3 flyers through the door, all of which gave no actual indication of what they would do. I decided that none of them would have my vote.

Grum - I saw that today and thought it had Lynton Crosby written all over it. [url= http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/local-elections-2017-conservative-tory-advert-newspapers-front-page-polling-day-mansfield-chad-bury-a7718041.html ]It's very clever[/url], and has been published in quite a few. Local rags.

I know they're short of cash, and that must have been big money, but if was the editor I'd have told them to eff right off. Because once you've done that, even though it's an advert, it's so overtly political, not to mention very very dodgy, that it totally destroys any idea of editorial impartiality, and will ultimately turn a large chunk of your readership against you, and ultimately lose you sales. Social meedya is full of people cancelling subscriptions.

They've allowed themselves to be used as a political mouthpiece, and it'll end up costing them money, and shredding their credibility. Idiots!