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A call to all young voters - Trevor Maroney (4th Jun 2017 - 09:07:15) I would ask all readers to encourage the younger generation to turn out and vote in the general election this Thursday. Everyone should make their views known by voting for the party whose policies best reflect their wishes. It would be a great shame if we allow the pollsters and the pundits to decry the election result – as happened following the EU referendum. This time let’s have an result that truly reflects the wishes of all generations!

Re: A call to all young voters - Jonathan (4th Jun 2017 - 09:54:27) Well said Trevor! Even if your vote is for a party/candidate that isn't elected in this constituency, it is worth casting it as numbers of votes are released and a picture can be seen countrywide. That said, there are a couple of campaigns which look at which candidate to vote for for the best chance of changing the status quo if you are that way inclined and want to vote tactically.

Re: A call to all young voters - oldie (4th Jun 2017 - 13:15:28) Sorry Jonathan but you're talking nonsense. All but one Hampshire seat is safe Tory. The First Past the Post system means most votes cast don't count! In the final analysis, nobody cares how much the second candidate in an area got, even if your party came a close second in every seat, you get no representation. In 2015 UKIP got 14% of the national vote, but no MPs, so they became an irrelevance, they’re hardly even standing this time. With the 90 MPs they deserved, it would have been a different story. Even the Liberals with 7.9% of votes got 8 MPs! In 2010 and again in 2015 the Tories got 36% of the vote and 51% of all seats, giving them an outright majority, whilst in 2005 Labour got 35% of the vote and won 55% of seats (403 seats)! The Electoral Reform Society called it ""bad for voters, bad for government and bad for democracy" You are correct to encourage young people to vote (if they choose to, that's the whole point of democracy), so please let's give them the facts and let them decide whether to support or boycott this process. Consider this: to encourage/lead young people to vote for a party they don't support and therefore may disagree with, instead of the one they like which they mustn't vote for, in the hope that perhaps by doing so the one they like even less won't get in (Tactical Voting!), neatly sums up both what is wrong with the FPTP system and in the eyes of the young, wrong with adults! The very concept of tactical voting is an admission the system is broken and at best is a sticky plaster to cover a gaping wound. There should be a better choice than that. In fact there should be a box to tick 'None of the Above' but they won't allow it because they're scared 'None of the Above' would win! Democracy would involve parties being allocated a number of representatives based on proportionality of votes cast (Proportional Representation). Votes would no longer be wasted votes and people in 'safe seats' like here, wouldn't be disillusioned disenfranchised from the democratic process or appear to be supporting a corrupt system. In the meantime, may I offer my congratulations to the soon to be re-elected Tory MP, just like you’re leader, you didn’t even need to turn up...

Re: A call to all young voters - D (4th Jun 2017 - 13:24:38) Totally agree that all that can should vote. If you don't vote you have absolutely no right to complain at any Government as you haven't used your hard fought right to make your voice heard. One thing I would say is that although voting for what is good for you is understandable a thought should be given, especially at this moment in time, at what is best for the country we all live in and love. Brexit negotiations, the economy, the deficit and the threat of extremism are just some of the important considerations to be taken into account for who ever is in power for possibly the next 5 years. Think long and hard at who would be best to lead the UK through the difficult times ahead and then make your choice.

Re: A call to all young voters - Jonathan (4th Jun 2017 - 14:12:28) Thanks oldie for calling my post nonsense, perhaps it's oldies like you which disenfranchise the young! You have no idea how old (or young) I am. I was merely drawing attention to the options available and the possibilities that many folk are looking at across the country. I truly think that the more folk believe that we are a safe tory seat then the more folk who just won't bother to go out and vote for any other option. If all those people did vote for their preferred option (or tactically, their choice) then perhaps there is another way - if that is what people want. Over the border in Waverley it looks like folk from different sides are getting behind a tactical vote to oust Jeremy Hunt from his safe tory seat in favour of a pro-NHS candidate - I say good luck to them! Maybe voting for your chosen candidate does mean that you are not represented in Westminster, but the fact that you've posted some statistics of how people voted (even if not winning seats) proves that the data is out there. It may well be useful information for campaigns and policies in the future - maybe it can be seen that a seat isn't so safe next time...

Re: A call to all young voters - Keith (4th Jun 2017 - 16:33:11) On the point of their not being a 'None of the above' box, while this is true, there is nothing to stop you writing None of the Above on the ballot paper. It does mean your vote will be void but all such ballot papers are shown to all of the candidates and agents so they do get to read each one - so if you want to register a protest, doing this by writing your message on the ballot paper is a much more effective method than not bothering to vote at all.

Re: A call to all young voters - oldie (4th Jun 2017 - 16:53:41) Hi Jonathan, I did say sorry! I agree with tactical voting in the current system, but it's such a poor system that it makes a mockery of the word democracy. I gave an example of UKIP getting 14% of the vote in 2015 that should have given them plenty of seats, but because they didn’t win a single seat outright they got no representation. But in truth, lots of people who wanted to vote UKIP were forced to tactically vote Tory in order to keep out Labour or v.v. (which may have worked), but meant UKIP's vote was in fact a lot lower than it's real number of supporters. In a PR system where every vote truly counts, they might have doubled their vote, who knows. So FPTP keeps out the smaller parties in favour of the status quo, who become lazy, entitled and listen less and less to the electorate. It's a closed shop. So, let’s hope young people do get out and vote as this election will truly change the future of Britain, but I hope they fight for a more representative system in the future. PS the Tories of course only got 47% of seats in 2010, statistics was never my strong point, they are time consuming to compile and soon forgotten!

Re: A call to all young voters - oldie (8th Jun 2017 - 20:32:21) I'm not young, except in my mind, but I just voted! You still have time, get down the Millennium Hall now!

Re: A call to all young voters - Anon (9th Jun 2017 - 13:56:36) Congratulations you remainders with your tactical voting, we are now in a mess!

Re: A call to all young voters - H (9th Jun 2017 - 15:40:22) The above posting made no sense to me at all? The tories In East hants increased their majority if you lived in a marginal constituency your posting would make more sense!

Re: A call to all young voters - Jonathan (9th Jun 2017 - 15:43:19) Didn't make any difference in this constituency! Interesting that Labour overtook the Lib Dems though to come second - didn't see that coming!

Re: A call to all young voters - Katie (9th Jun 2017 - 23:58:50) The blame for this mess lays squarely at the feet of Theresa May. She called an unwanted election for political self-service, not for the good of the country as she keeps claiming and is now forced to align with the DUP. She warned we could end up with a coalition of chaos, lead by a terrorist sympathiser. I didn't realise she meant herself.

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