Still undecided?

I was hoping to find a website where I could tick individual policies I liked and then find out which party might fulfill most of them, if not all of them. For instance I like some but not all Green Party policies, I like a lot but not all Lib Dem policies, I hate a lot of New Labour policies but like some of them...

I found a site that comes close to what I was asking for: www.votematch.org.uk.

It's a lot simpler and much quicker than the Vote For Policies website which Marmoset has linked to in the previous post. VoteMatch gives you individual policies to choose from – rather than the headache-inducing group of policies in the Vote For Policies poll – from unidentified parties, and you find out at the end who you are closest to.

The Vote For Policies site isn't working very well at the moment, possibly a victim of its own success on the very night it may be needed most. The link to it was sent to Crosswhatfields by the Green Party, and we found it strange that almost everyone who's done it comes up 'mostly Green'.

However, I also came up 'mostly Green' on the VoteMatch site, and that is sponsored by the weird combination of the Daily Telegraph, Goldsmiths College, and the Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust.

Of course, that doesn't mean that's what I'll vote...

If the Greens get in, my MP will be the first Green in parliament and be swanning off round the country being a mascot for most of the time. If Joan gets in again along with her party, she'll be in Europe doing Junior Cabinet minister business on climate change most of the time. If her party doesn't get in, one wonders what she'll do...(possibly Shadow Cabinet Minister for Climate Change?) If the LibDems get in, we'll have a young novice, but also female, who will maybe stick around, and this may be the right tactical vote to keep the Tories out...or not...

However, who gets in as MP is of little importance to local matters compared to who is running Lewisham Council. Here I am tempted to vote ALL of the PeopleBeforeProfit folk in as councillors – or shall I do a smattering of Green, LibDem and PeopleBeforeProfit? Or do a three-hander of Lib Dems? Then again, Cllr Padmore (Labour and one of the few black candidates) has worked hard in our little area this year, even against his own party. (PeopleBeforeProfit also have a black candidate in our ward, Barbara Raymond; the LibDems have Duwayne Brooks in Downham; David Michael is an Independent in Catford).

As for Mayor, I love the idea that John Hamilton will do it for £24K instead of the normal mayor's salary of £80K (plus probably enormous expenses since that's less than half what the top execs at the council get) and then abolish the role. But I've met him and he has a permatan and he's quite posh, so I'm not so sure, he might possibly be a bastard son of the Redgrave family (if you know what I mean) and the policies are radical (as are those of the Greens - heroin on prescription, anyone?)...

But then, if ever a change was needed it's got to be at Lewisham Council where Labour have ruled the roost for 40 years, and worse, have been a New Labour flagship borough for the past 13. You might as well vote Conservative if you want more of the same.

BTW, LIb Dem Chris Maines also pledges to get rid of himself if elected Mayor...

The Deptford Dame has done some analysis of the litterature (I now have more election leaflets than flyers for local takeaways, with menus almost as long) and has posted about the Mayoral candidates here.

And take a peek at Brockley Central's election posts if you have the time...