The trouble is a lot of us in the UK are in safe seats, so our votes are irrelevant to the result. My whole life I've been in safe Conservative seats, so all I can do is vote appropriate to my ideology and my vote will be counted in analysis of the popular vote, which is not likely to change anything. — Punshhh
Yes there probably is something in what you say. Although I think that UKIP is an exception to the rule. The issue of Europe has resulted in a groundswell of opinion among the population since we entered the common market in 1973. Something which would become expressed one way or the other. However in the case of UKIP, it was essentially a splinter group of the Conservatives which divisively influenced their policies and resulted in the referendum itself.I think this thesis is well disproved by the overwhelming influence of UKIP despite their abysmal showing in elections. Rather, it is the folks that always vote the same way and thus create safe seats that have no influence. Things change when people change, and Conservatives are hyper sensitive to who is slicing a few votes off their majorities, and who is dividing 'their' votes in the places they lose.
The Greens are more inline with the rule, I can see no evidence of the three main parties adopting green policies. Indeed the conservatives did try to court some green voters during the early years of the 21st century. However they didn't alter their policies in that direction, while claiming they were by claiming their actions (so called green initiative) to reduce CO2 production were a Green minded issue, which they weren't. Since the Credit Crunch they have been ditching them wherever they get the opportunity and green issues are well off the agenda at the moment. Despite the swelling of Green supporters over the last few years. I have voted Green for a long time now anyway, as I want to encourage our local Green candidate to continue standing.Likewise, the more people vote green, the more the other parties will adopt green policies, even if the greens get no seats, because those are the votes they need to get next time.
The Greens are more inline with the rule, I can see no evidence of the three main parties adopting green policies. Indeed the conservatives did try to court some green voters during the early years of the 21st century. — Punshhh
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