Do We Vote For Our Mps Or For The Party They Represent

[lankeela]

- and if you voted for Christian Wakeford as a Conservative would you be miffed that you now had a Labour MP?

[Boto]

I would be more than miffed. I vote for the party, particularly in general elections. In local elections I sometimes consider other parties.

[ichkeria]

Some do some don’t some vote tactically

As for Christian Wakeford, some will be cross but maybe traditional Labour voters who switched to the stories last time will be less bothered.

[ichkeria]

If you no longer support the party you voted for last time then you might be less “miffed”
The “Red Wall” seats are almost all running an 11% average poll lead for Labour just now. Tho Bury South isn’t a classic diehard Labour seat by any means

[douglas9401]

'Miffed' is a reserved state on Answerbank. :-)

[andy-hughes]

I vote for the Party, because i would expect the candidate to follow the policies and ideals of the Party.

Since, in my forty-nine years of voting I have never once met a candidate from any Party asking me what I think, or if I would vote for them, the notion of voting for an individual seems a pointless exercise, since none of them bother to knock on my door and do me the courtesy of asking for my vote.

[tomus42]

Pretty much everyone votes for a party. Most people couldn't tell you the name of the person they voted for but they'll know which party they were in.

When an MP crosses the floor, it should always trigger a by election.

[lankeela]

AH it also grates on me that it is only when they want your vote that they bother to go door knocking anyway! Why are they not doing it during their term of office, to see if you have any issues that need addressing which might just sway your vote at the next election?

[Ken4155]

Many of the 'Red Wall' voters had voted for Brexit in the referendum and, since the Tories were the only party to guarantee Brexit, their party was the only vote palatable. I doubt whether too many in Bury South will be that miffed though the ones that are will probably be the loudest voices we hear.

[THECORBYLOON]

Do you e-mail your MP with your opinions or questions?

How often would you expect your MP to canvass your opinion by going door-to-door?

Would you expect your MP to canvass each constituent rather than only the person answering the door?

[andy-hughes]

Surely if the constituents had wanted a Labour Mp they would have voted for the Labour candidate.

They didn't, and it is an act of colossal arrogance for the MP to assume that he can cross the floor because he sees fit to do so, and they will gave to accept it.

Such action should immediately trigger a by-election.

If the MP is as vital as he clearly believes himself to be, then he will have no trouble winning again.

Will he?

[Ellipsis]

Generally I vote for the party unless their local representative is such a prat that I can't bear to.

The Red Wall voters, however, were traditionally Labour voters who voted for Labour Maps (hence "Red Wall"), and voted Tory to "Get Brexit Done". Well, Brexit is now done apparently (???), so presumably those Red Wallers are happy to now have a Labour MP back in there ... they got to have their cake and eat it.

[andy-hughes]

Corby - I email my MP regularly regarding a neighbouring housing estate being built against vociferous local opposition.

[Ellipsis]

MPs ... auto-correct. :(

[pat2604]

Absolutely yes. Very miffed.

[lankeela]

I have emailed my MP on several occasions and he has helped me with an idea that I had which came to fruition regarding a sort of countryside neighbourhood watch utilising mounted police on their horses in rural areas to search for stolen goods/animals. I also emailed him today to let him know I support Boris, as I suspect he will have received a few emails to the contrary.

[tomus42]

There's obviously some reason why MPs think the current state of affairs benefits them personally, otherwise they would have changed it long ago.

[Gromit]

Winston Churchill was first elected as a Tory.
He changed allegiance to the Liberals in 1904.
In 1924 he became an Independent.
Later (1939 I think) he became a Conservative again.

Are you saying he betrayed his electors each time he change his mind?

[ladybirder]

Lankeela MPs have what they call Surgeries at their constituency offices. I have to make an appointment if I want to see mine but yours may be different. Googling should get you the info you need.

[tomus42]

It depends on when these 'changes of mind' occurre Gromit. If they were after he'd been elected under a certain party and he changed to a different one then yes he betrayed the people that voted for him.

If they occurred just before the election, then no, he didn't.

[Gromit]

Things change. Sometimes very quickly.
In 2019 the voters elected a Tory to get Brexit done, and for strong leadership.
Brexit was done. But strong leadership never came.
The elected MP is undoubtedly please Brexit has been accomplished, but embarrassed by the Omnishambles that is in Downing Street. So he has walked.
Remains to be seen what the voters of Bury South make of that.