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Going to vote tactically. I wish I didn’t have to as I really am not on board with the Labour Party right now but as you can see my vote against the Tories actually matters here. #ukpolitics
@CatherineFlick I mean, Tories are set for an absolute wipeout, so I wouldn't worry, unless you are committed to making sure they get as close to zero MPs as possible.
@CatherineFlick until/if we ever get a proper PR voting system these awful tactical vote choices will be our 'only choices' won't they... in fact as it stands, even if you voted for a party that nationally came second you aren't really represented. The 'loyal opposition' being a toothless waste of hot air no matter who they are. Similar here in Maidstone, only the incumbent Tory has the edge if opinion poll is correct. I will seriously celebrate if Maidstone's 123 years of blue gets busted!
@nigelharpur yeah, extremely frustrating- especially as an ex-pat Aussie where we’ve had all that sorted out for a while!
@nigelharpur @CatherineFlick Unfortunately the last time you had a chance to get it it got rejected as 'too complicated'
@ariaflame @nigelharpur @CatherineFlick
Not helped by Dominic Cummings and his friends using it as a trial run for how to nobble a referendum …
@ariaflame @CatherineFlick yes, I guess with LibDems in a coalition with the Tories (as the minor partner) it was always doomed. When I tried to explain it in simple terms to others it wasn't easy, I expect the Tories had a hand in making sure of that.
@nigelharpur (also PR is only one side of it - what we need is a preferential system for the vote itself!)
@CatherineFlick exactly so. Sadly the only time a system was put to a referendum it was the LidDem's AV plan which even long time supporters of PR/PV had a hard time understanding (or worse, explaining to others). That coupled with a massive 'fear' campaign from Con and Lab meant it was doomed... one day...
@nigelharpur yep :( I arrived in the country just after that vote! I was very cross! 
@CatherineFlick Are tactical voting sites trustworthy? I would be very suspicious
Your vote, your choice , but
Personally i consider an increase in votes for the greens or independents would have a far greater affect on politics than the possibility of one more or less tory MP
@OliverNoble I mean I look at a few of them! This just had a useful screenshot. But if you think FPTP rewards anything other than seats you’re sadly mistaken. I mean sure they can trumpet about vote share but when it comes to it, it’s yeas and nays that count.
@CatherineFlick FPTP only cares about votes cast for the top two candidates, but parties care about what is happening to their support base
UKIP never won a seat but profoundly changed politics and had a huge influence on the tory party policies
They internally split the tory party and threatened to take many Tory votes - to the extent that Cameron promised a referendum to try and defang them
A third party is not necessarily powerless, a vote for the party you actually want isnt wasted
@OliverNoble @CatherineFlick FWIW, there are several of them - see, e.g., https://inglesp.github.io/apogee/tactical-voting/ for a comparator - and they don't always agree with each other. In some ways that muddies the waters, in other ways it suggests you should be able to find at least _one_ that you can believe in.
@chrisd
Thanks chris, i expect next time (hopefully not yet) there will be bogus tactical voting sites just as there have been bogus "fact checking" and "tax checking" sites
Although the aim of Tactical voting is admirable, it does (imho) open another vector to mislead voters, reinforces a two party system (though *which* two parties may vary by constituency), perpetuates the idea of a "wasted vote" and normalises voting for a party that you maybe despise
FPTP is the curse that delivers this
@OliverNoble 100% agree.