luckly i will be able to vote green where i live, i rather vote RESPECT but they are not standing. But it would be a gut renching experience to have no choice but to vote liberals. The liberals want to ban strikes in the public sector, they support the occupation of iraq and kenedy has even advocated for more troops to be sent into iraq. where is political representation?

Tariq Ali is advocating a vote for Respect, or Green, where it is possible. Hence his speech on Saturday about the importance of getting George Galloway elected, and the fact that he'll be speaking at the London Respect electoral launch on April 6th.

He is only advocating a Lib Dem vote where no credible anti-war option exists.

Lib Dems [+SDP] have always been in favour of Proportional Representation, statistically this is the fairest method of electing a government since it most accurately reflects the mindset of the general population (BNP, Greens, Commies and all). The current "First past the post" method is less representative and statistically it favours a two party state[1].

Hopefully if it comes to a hung Parliment, Labour will mooch up to the Libs and hopefully Charlie boy will demand PR.

However, I admit there are a lot of "hopefully's" in my argument. While in opposition Tony Blair said he was in favour of PR but once in power he, like Stalin, decided it wasn't in *his* best interest to impliment a higher form of democracy.



[1] http://www.fairvote.org/pr/whatis.htm

For those of us in the business of seeking radical change in society - and especially for those who saw the status quo all over the world being given a real shaking in 1968 - it can seem pretty feeble to say "Smash the state, I'm voting Liberal Democrat at the next election - all power to the workers!".

But it can make some sense. Look at the present gruesome election campaign which has seen the Conservatives repeatedly try to shift the debate to the right, while the Labour Party scrambles to catch up. We have a Labour Prime Minister who declares the "liberal social consensus" of the 1960s dead (The WHAT social consensus? The liberal WHAT? THAT was a liberal social consensus? 'Yep, and now it's gone - don't dream it's over')

There is widespread alienation from political parties - no bad thing - but it is the far right that seems to be exploiting this most successfully with parties like the BNP and UKIP scoring hits. We seem to be hearing less from Kilroy lately (good) - but he has proven the potential viability the right-wing snake-oil salesman.

There is a lot of progressive sentiment in this country - but it completely fails to register at elections.

To vote, you don't have to believe in the essential fairness of Britain's plutocracy, or beleive that Charles Kennedy will deliver us - it's a matter of using what rights you do have to nudge things in a decent direction.

I think one of the best ways of breaking the reactionary social consensus in Britain is to try and give some election successes to candidates with progressive views. We need to keep the Conservative Party not only out, but keep it very small until we hear a lot less from the not-so-silent not-really-a-majority. We also need to give right-wing or submissive Labour candidates a hard time.

Voting Lib Dem can be one way of doing this - if the Lib Dems could replace the Tories as Britain's second party, the right could really fragment in Britain. There are also the Greens, maybe Respect and some decent independents. It depends on your local situation.

An election outcome that shifts British politics away from immigrant-baiting, trigger happy sleazeballs, at least enough that they have to notice, could do a lot help activists get the left going again.

I spoiled my ballot paper last time. But this time i'm going to vote for someone (just don't know who yet). Its activism that really counts, but your vote can be another tool.

the truth is that a hung parliament with the Lib Dems holding the balance of power is the closest thing to representation the anti-war vote will receive, which is exactly why voting will never bring about true progress.

Tariq Ali can vote for whoever he likes. I respect him for making an effort in trying to come up with a good way of getting his point across, but there's much more to politics than voting. True progress is made on the streets, in squats, in communities and through boycotts, strikes, industrial sabotage and sometimes armed resistance.

so... vote if you feel it'll make a difference, but don't get distracted from the real work of organising a revolution.

(p.s. If I'm honest I'm voting for someone as well, but don't tell anyone)

We would be much better off without party politics, genuine local representation, answerable only to the electorate (rather than big business, the corporate media and the party whips as now) would be ideal. But a pipe dream in the short term.

With regard to the Election we know the issues (Iraq War, the attacks on our civil liberties, the privatisation of public services) but do we know what our MP's are doing with regard to this in our names. The local mainstream media is a joke with no attempts to hold our MPs accountable or even to let us know what they're doing. Now you can find out for yourselves and be the media yourself by publishing what you find.

How has your MP voted? What parliamentary questions has he asked? What speeches has he made? What Early Day Motions has he signed? Has your MP blindly followed the Party Whip, doing as he is told or does he rebel? Is he a Blairite sycophant? How does your MP represent you? Does he work for you or big business? To get the facts with which to Hold 'Em To Account!! Use the link below

Once you have the facts of your MP's (probably poor) representation - Name & Shame. Post what you find to Power to the People and to your local Indymedia. Help empower other constituents, be the media! With the General Election looming it could have a real impact, especially if enough of us get involved.

Blair and the Government may feel beyond your reach but your local MP is not. Representative Democracy is far from perfect, but let's at least try and make it represent us rather than big business and the tabloids.

Help reclaim Democracy. Power To The People!!

# Hierarchy : The newswire is designed to generate a news resource, not a notice-board for political parties or any other hierarchically structured organizations.

Is it just me or are all the above posts trying to endorse their own particular party? Please remove, if I want party politics I don't come to Indymedia!

Out of context? Judge for yourself...

 http://www.redpepper.org.uk/brit/x-apr05-ali.htm

in response to oi!
even if you don't agree with the hierarchical nonsense of party politics, isn't it worth knowing what the movement's self-appointed leaders are thinking?

I think we know enough of what 'they' are thinking through mainstream media. I was pointing out editorial guidelines, not here to debate who is the biggest wanker and which party they seek to gain POWER through

"Is it just me or are all the above posts trying to endorse their own particular party? Please remove, if I want party politics I don't come to Indymedia!"

Oi, i don't think you read some of us correctly. Hold 'em to account doesn't ask people to support any particular political party. Neither did i - i'm not in a political party and don't actually believe in the idea of political parties. I just think it's probably a good idea for activists to use their vote, however they think best, and see if they can try and shift the political landscape away from the right a bit more.

Vote LIBDEM for the following reasons:
IRAQ WAR=BLAIR AND HOWARDS decision:

CIVILIAN CASUALTIES

The government has failed to count how many Iraqis have died but independent organisations estimate that tens of thousands of civilians have been killed.
sum say up to 1/2 million civilian deaths!

MILITARY CASULATIES

There have been over 1,700 fatalities of coalition military personnel, including 86 British servicemen.[4]

790 British soldiers have been seriously wounded in Iraq.[5]

12,022 US troops have been wounded in Iraq. [6]

MILITARY FATALITIES FROM 5 APRIL 2005

There have been at least 27 fatalities of coalition personnel from 5 April.[7]

EVACUATIONS

2,937 UK military personnel have been medically evacuated from Iraq.[8]

There have been over 18,000 US military evacuations.[9]

INSURGENT ATTACKS

In March 2005 there were a reported 1,400 attacks on coalition forces, averaging 45 attacks a day.[10] On this basis there may have been over 750 attacks from 5 April.

ATTACKS ON BRITISH TROOPS

There have been over 1,000 attacks on British troops since June 2003.[11]

COST

So far the war and occupation has cost at least £3.5 billion of British taxpayers' money; the UK Government is set to spend an extra £1.2 billion in the coming months.[12]

US spending on Iraq has exceeded $100 billion and the total cost is expected to be over $200 billion.



AID

Assessments carried out in 2003 indicated that a total of US $56 billion would be needed for reconstruction (including for the oil and security sectors) up to 2007.[13]

Of the $18 billion promised by the Americans for reconstruction, less than 25% has been spent.

The UK has made a total financial commitment towards Iraq's reconstruction of £544 million for the three years from April 2003 (including EU funds).[14]

FOOD

According to the IMF, 60% of Iraqis are living off food hand-outs.[15]

The Public Distribution System (PDS) for food is vast, but according to the World Food Programme, last September, "roughly 2.6 million people, are extremely poor and food insecure despite the PDS."[16]

HEALTH

At least 110 primary health centres have been rehabilitated. 18 hospitals and 84 primary healthcare centres are currently under rehabilitation.[17]

EDUCATION

School attendance is back to pre-conflict levels of 3.6m primary and 1.6m secondary students.[18]

SANITATION

1.5 million Iraqis frequently suffer sewage flooding.

"1.5 million residents frequently endure flooding of raw sewage into their streets and homes increasing public health risks from water-borne diseases. The overflows occur because of inadequate or blocked sewer lines, and because inoperable pump stations cannot convey sewage from homes and mains to sewage treatment plants."[19]

ELECTRICITY

Power supplies are below pre-conflict levels and have fallen by at least 15% over the last 6 months.

Average pre-conflict power was 4,400MW; in September 2004, it was 4,750MW. (According to the US government in August production exceeded 5,300MW.) The average for March 2005, however, was 4000MW.

Iraq now has an average of just 8 hours of electricity a day, with some provinces getting as little as 5 hours. [20]

REFUGEE RETURN

14,000 Iraqis who had left the country under Saddam Hussein's regime have returned.[21]

ECONOMY

Iraq's economy is predicted to grow by over 50% in 2004.[22]

OIL

Iraq is currently producing 20% less oil than before the conflict.

In January 2003 production was at 2.6 million barrels per day but has fallen to approximately 2.1 million bpd today.[23]