This week I submitted my postal vote for the UK election. The campaign has been marred by the negativity of some candidates and parties as they prefer to attack each other’s policies rather than highlight their own. Social Media is full of inaccurate and irrelevant information, making it harder than ever for voters to make an informed decision.  My advice to those intending to vote is:

1.       Think local. Vote for a person not a party.  You are electing an MP to represent you and your interests in the next Parliament. Think about which candidate is best equipped to do that. You may be better off with a capable person from a bad party than an incapable person from a good party.

2.       Believe in better. Vote for the best, not against the worst. This is probably the widest range of options ever put before the electorate.  Think about who can make things better and give them a chance, rather than voting tactically for Stalin ahead of Hitler.

3.       Ignore predictions. Opinion polls consult with a very small percentage of the electorate. Some of those people lie to the pollsters and others will change their mind before the election. Don’t be fooled into thinking that someone is guaranteed to lose or that they will win without your vote.

The most important rule is that you respect other people’s choices and opinions. You are free to vote as you see fit, so please allow others to do the same.