General election - party’s manifestos published this week starting 10th june

Labour manifesto highlights (whole pages posted for context):

for those located in wales I’ll give the highlighter screenshot for Plaid Cymru manifesto either later tonight or 1st thing tomorrow

I am also keeping my eye out for snp’s and reform’s manifestos

thank you for your thanks - it’s much appreciated

That labour manifesto was a particular beast to highlight

I have some thoughts on the Tory vs labour manifestos but I probably won’t have time to post in length till the weekend

I do get the impression that both the big 2 parties see the disabled as an inconvenience at best - the Tory plan for us is more explicit with little room to be misanalysised - but labour plan is vague, looks like their own reforms may be as big as the tories plan but we have no idea if they will be fairer on the disabled or even one up the tories (though I noticed on the financial breakdown no extra money is being assigned to welfare/disability so it’s probably not best case). Also some of the ‘language’ used in labour manifesto is downright aggressive and an insulting read for a non working disabled person

In conclusion (in terms of a sales pitch from the big 2 to the disabled)

• the tories are selling a difficult future for the disabled (no way to spin that otherwise)
• Labour are vague on what they are offering (you’re basically buying based on faith and hope only, no facts, one of those mystery boxes essentially) - there’s very little on whether things could be getting better or worse for this community…..only that a large shake up will happen under them pretty soon

are labour a better opinion than the tories - even with the vagueness, yes

Is it a good idea to risk giving a labour a mega majority by only voting them to get the tories out - no………sorry I don’t trust starmer with a mega majority but a small majority I’m significantly calmer about

from what I’ve read of the smaller party manifesto’s (excluding reform) is that it will be vital to get Lib Dem’s/greens/snp/some independents as many seats as possible (using research + tactical voting) so their are at least some mps around to hold labour to account the next 5 years (Tory and reform unlikely to be up to that task imo)

summary of all manifestos so far from the work and benefits forum - always an excellent read:

https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/news/labour-party-election-manifesto-welfare-benefits-promises

https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/news/conservative-party-election-manifesto-welfare-benefits-promises

https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/news/liberal-democrats-election-manifesto-welfare-benefits-promises

https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/news/green-party-election-manifesto-welfare-benefits-promises

I for one will miss Lucas as an mp

I’m having so much trouble trying to understand why labour thought language like this and other snippets for their manifestos and press interviews are vote winners?

Is empathy considered that big a flaw these days?

I know a lot of you are so scared of the tories pulling off the biggest election upset in many of our lifetimes (esp with the daily Tory implosions) so will bury your fears, vote labour whatever and pray

But I can’t be the only one scared of the consequences of starmer & co potentially getting a mega majority……esp as we have very little clue of what they’d do with it

(I noticed they were very careful to not make many promises in their manifesto about disability and welfare as they can’t be accused of u turns - in a weird way I’m kind of appreciate the Tory’s bluntly saying in their manifesto that they plan to continue being jackass’s…..I know where I stand with them and I feel 100% comfortable with not voting for them)

Would anyone with doubts over their current labour vote (and their labour mp/candidate isn’t a clear disability ally) consider a protest tactical vote for the smaller party best placed to take on both tories and labour (3rd placed or higher)?

I know many of you still hold a grudge with the Lib Dem’s (even though as of may 2024 only 3 Lib Dem mps remained in parliament from the 2010-15 coalition class - just saying by default different party) and the greens realistically don’t have the support numbers to get more than a handful (though please provide me proof if I’m understating the green movement for certain seats) and snp & plaid Clyde only cater for Scotland and wales respectively (plus there are a few strong looking independents)

If only the smaller parties could of come up with a tactical voting alliance/agreement as I’m looking around disability sites & social media and there’s so much differing opinion on whether to hope for the best with labour or to put in a ‘protest’ vote and if so for who

I wish the disabled community could all get together and agree on a voting strategy for the whole bloc - could you imagine the voting power we’d weld if we were organised (and yes I saw a unicorn in the distance as I was typing that😝)

firstly there is next to zero chance of a hung Parliament - every party has agreed out loud that labour already have tied up the majority, its now a question of how big (I will retract that previous statement if labour/starmer have the scandal to end all scandals but considering their ming vase election strategy I’ll eat my hat if that happens)

Second everyone aged 79 or younger has only experienced one coalition in their lifetime and that one lasted the full 4-5 years and I think the tories would argue it ended well for them as voters were angry at the Lib Dem’s not them and they got a majority the following election

I know you in particular Meg are particularly scared of the tories having another 5 years to enact their plans as it would muddy many disabled ppl futures so I understand why you are most likely voting labour and I respect that

But as someone who believed in starmer till a year back I’m actually very upset I’ve had to come to the conclusion I have. As someone else on this forum mentioned a large number of ppl in this country has a friend or loved one that will be negatively affected by any changes to disability/long term sickness benefits so it makes no sense that being an election winner and I’ve been asking myself the same question

For some reason far right voters are being seen as more ludicrous to labour than the sick, disabled and unpaid carers (which is the bigger minority) - even so starmer doesn’t have to talk nicely about us to gain these these far right voters (which reform are significantly better placed to attract the far right - no party has officially tried to attract disabled voter….we’re free agents) he could just ignore us

Instead starmer and the labour top brass have used a lot of intimidating language towards us which if nothing else is totally unnecessary

Even if all of this is an act and starmer still has all his socialist morals that means he’s been lying through his teeth and I question anyone willing to push their moral asid or hid their true nature to gain power

I believe the simpler explanation is that if it quacks like a duck and waddles like a duck, it’s a duck!

Hope can be a dangerous - from personal experience it can completely destroy you if you lose it or if it’s taken from you (if labour under starmer did continue down the Tory path it would probably be the biggest betrayal since Cameron as both should be disability allies - I have no expectation of sunak & stride actually acting like compassionate human)

I really really hope you’re right Meg I really do because if my gut is right then the only ppl that may be able to still 100% relax are those not far off state pension age (which is the ‘safety net’ we all hope to get to one day) - finally please note that it’s a labour mega majority that worries me……………a 40-60 seat majority would be a significantly better outcome

for all those based in wales

https://assets.nationbuilder.com/plaid2016/pages/10962/attachments/original/1718214059/Plaid_Cymru_Maniffesto_2024_ENGLISH.pdf?1718214059

Plaid Cymru manifesto highlights (whole pages posted for context):

thank you for appreciation

As I said previously on this forum I was really tempted to compile a spreadsheet doc on the tactical vote and the protest tactical vote of all 650 seat constituencies (as well as the individual candidates that seemed to be disability allies) but no one seemed interested and it would be a huge undertaking esp if no one looked at it

I noticed that many of the tactical voting sites have only used data from the previous general election (2019 and prehaps 2017)…………….when corbyn was in charge of labour (labour are very much a different party to corbyn era attracting different types of voters to each other though there is some crossover) - tactical voting on ‘ground zero’ (talk in communities) is also being ignored

(Note to scope forum mod - delete the next part if it’s inappropriate to offer)

If any voters want help looking into in depth data for their constituencies (in terms of past election result, more info on candidates and tactical vote/a viable protest vote) then I’m happy for any member to private message (PM) me with their consistency name and I’ll look into it (I hope long term forum members know me to be a good researcher), I’ll only give personal recommendations if asked and will stay as unbiased as possible - I only want members to make the most informed decision possible and one they are comfortable with