Just because the Conservatives are set to lose power nationally, they are still able to hang on to seats where the progressive vote is split and/or ambiguous, thanks to our anachronistic and undemocratic first-past-the-post system (shared only by Belarus…) Fortunately, we can turn to the big aggregator sites like www.stopthetories.vote and Best for Britain’s www.getvoting.org to help ensure our votes are not wasted or, worse, facilitate an unintended Conservative win. We’ve listed the seats in our region and advised people where they might most usefully help, depending on their usual party preference. It is possible that the advice for any one seat shifts in response to unforeseen events, so please be sure to sign up with the sites above to receive any updates.
So, in alphabetical order, here are the seats in Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset where you could really make a difference if you use your vote! Please, please do! We want turnout to be massive in order to send an unequivocal message that we are united in our rejection of this incarnation of the Conservative party. If you are not sure of your constituency, go on to the StopTheTories.vote website and punch in your postcode. B0undary changes mean some names might be unfamiliar. In any event, do go and check the detail on the website for more insights.
DO HELP IF YOU CAN!
All these constituencies will be very keen to have help with leafleting, canvassing (talking to people on the door), helping to publicise the candidate most likely to defeat the Conservative with window, car and garden posters and getting the vote out on July 4, so do get involved! If your preferred party is not the tactical choice, you can always lend your vote but help elsewhere..in a neighbouring seat, for example. Anything to prevent splitting the vote and letting the Cs squeak in. Win-win! You can also use www.swapmyvote.uk if it really pains you to vote for a party other than your own. This is a matching service for people in your position. It will be live soon.
Rust background = Labour (sorry, no true red in the palette!)
Yellow background = Lib Dem.
Grey = vote with your heart or no info yet.
Bournemouth East: Labour, Tom Hayes
Bournemouth West: Labour, Jessica Toale
Bridgwater: Labour, Leigh Redman
Camborne and Redruth: Labour, Perran Moon
Central Devon: Labour, Ollie Pearson
Christchurch: Unclear. Probably Labour 0n balance
Exeter: Labour hold. Tories can’t win here. You can vote with your heart.
Exmouth and Exeter East: unclear. Probably Labour on balance.
Frome and East Somerset: Lib Dem, Anna Sabine
Honiton and Sidmouth: Lib Dem, Richard Foord
Glastonbury and Somerton: Libe Dem, Sarah Joanne Dyke
Melksham and Devizes: Lib Dem, Brian Mathew
Mid Dorset and North Poole: Lib Dem, Vikki Slade.
Newton Abbot: Lib Dem, Martin Wrigley
North Cornwall: Lib Dem, Ben Maguire.
North Devon: Lib Dem, Ian Roome.
North Dorset: Lib Dem, Gary Jackson
North East Somerset and Hanham: Labour, Dan Norris.
North Somerset: Labour Sadik Al-Hassan
Plymouth Moor View: Labour, Fred Thomas.
Plymouth Sutton and Devonport: Labour hold. Safe to vote with your heart.
Poole: Labour, Neil John Duncan-Jordan.
South Devon: Lib Dem, Caroline Voaden
South Dorset, Labour, Lloyd Hatton
South East Cornwall: Labour, Anna Gelderd.
South West Devon: Labour, Sarah Allen.
St Austell and Newquay: Labour, Noah Law
St Ives: Lib Dem, Andrew George.
Taunton and Wellington: Lib Dem, Gideon Amos.
Tiverton and Minehead: Lib Dem, Rachel Gilmour.
Torbay: Lib Dem, Steve Darling
Torridge and Tavistock: Unclear. Sorry.
Truro and Falmouth: Labour, Jayne Kirkham.
Wells and Mendip Hills: Lib Dem, Tessa Munt.
West Dorset: Lib Dem, Ed Morello.
Weston-Super-Mare: Labour, Dan Aldridge.
Yeovil: Lib Dem, Adam Dance
The South-West was almost entirely blue. We can all help change that and then many of us will pivot to campaign to get electoral reform. Then we can stop having to play games and vote FOR, not against. We don’t want to have to vote tactically, but it’s the only way to game a broken system. Are you in?
