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How to win the mum vote

Sun, 21 February 2010 | Gigi Eligoloff

Tags: Gordon Brown, Nick Clegg, General Election, Labour party, Conservative party, Liberal Democrats, David Cameron

I know I should feel guilty but I'm beginning to lose interest in the upcoming General Election. I've still not decided who to vote for. And the scary thing is, I really don't think I'm alone.

I've only ever voted Labour (there I've said it - cue a third of Netmums scarper) and occassionally in local elections I've voted Lib Dem, or Green. Once, I actually didn't vote. This was mainly because I knew my other half was going to vote for the other side, and frankly I couldn't be bothered with the walk. As he pointed out, he'd only cancel out my vote. So we stayed in and had a nice cup of tea instead.

But now I'm inundated with declarations that are making me feel decidedly on edge - Election to be decided at the School Gates! Mumsnet Election! Cybermums will decide! And I know I have to make a decision soon but, to use a slightly predictable analogy - if you want us to go shopping, then give us something we want to buy. Not just more of last season's neutrals - cut taxes, smaller class sizes, cut spending, blah blah blah (seen it, bought it, bored of it).

And while our American cousins had a very real and exciting choice between candidates - silver-haired statesman versus gutsy ex-first lady, versus the new (black) hope of Barack Obama.... We get Dave, Gordon and Nick. All white, all male, all middly aged, middly road, middly piddly boringly predictable.

Yet, this time round they are apparently courting us - they want to know what women want, the mother-jugglers, the fairer-sex thinkers, the SAH biscuit-nibblers. But with what? Where is their initiative, their arsenal of new and inspiring policy, their genuinely passionate pledges to change our lives, and those of our families, for good?

Their mouths are moving, but I don't think I'm alone in thinking, I can't hear a buggery thing.

So I supose what I am saying is this. If you want us to vote, to believe in you, then give us something to believe in. Because the way things are going, come Polling Day, we'll be staying in to wash our hair.

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Comments - 11 and counting...

You're not alone...I thought I was though. Assumed I just didn't get it somehow. It's all got so homogenised that I just don't know what to think anymore, and like you, it leads to apathy. Can you imagine what Spitting Image would make of it all these days? There's nothing to work with.

But is it our own fault? Did we ask for this paring down? Did we request MOR? I don't remember writing that in the box, but what other explanation is there?

Posted by: peabee | 21 February 2010

It does feel like this is the the first election since turning 18 where it would be easy, oh so easy, perhaps even slightly acceptable, not to vote. And this in itself is so incredibly depressing, that it's easier to slip further into a state of indifference.

But that's exactly what we'll end up with if we don't start to engage with the election – a state of indifference. OK, so we may not have the leaders we like, and they may not be talking about the issues that we want them to focus on.

Peabee, you have a great point – we didn't ask for MOR, we don't want to be indifferent. Most of us are crying out for a leader that we can be proud of, one that reflects our hopes, dreams and visions for the future – and one that understands our fears, too, and knows how to change things for the better.

Is it going to happen this time round? Who knows. But choosing not to vote, not to be a part of the process in which the next leader of our country is being decided, can't possibly be the right thing to do.

Let's not take the easy route, let's act. Let's vote.

Posted by: wherethebrightw... | 21 February 2010

Nooooo! Have none of you ever sat watching X Factor / Dancing on Ice / Britain's Got Talent with a sobbing child on your knee because you didn't vote for their favourite? If we don't vote we'll be cursing because the person we wanted least of all (in my case Cameron) gets in. Also if you have children of school age and aren't at private school politics are affecting you whether you like it or not in the form of budget cuts. Moaning on the sidelines won't make any difference at all. I have never been politically motivated in my life. As a student I was terrified of the socialist workers, when I started working I was truly apathetic but now I'm tempted to enter politics myself. Surely no one who grew up under Thatcher and Major can bring themselves to vote Tory? Labour have let us down over the last few years but the Lib Dems offer the promise and sexiness that Labour did 13 years ago without the slime of the Tories. It's entirely up to individuals who they vote for but don't encourage mothers not to vote or we'll be dominated by men forever.

Posted by: Bar1Buffy | 22 February 2010

Don't worry Buffy - I don't think I was encouraging mothers not to vote, just questioning why the politicians are not engaging with us.
Having demonstrated against cutting free school milk, grants for students. no sanctions against South Africa...and a gazillion other issues in my youth, the last thing I would advocate is stand on the sidelines moaning.
It's just interesting that this election, for me anyway, is the first in which I will be voting as a parent. That should make it simpler, but like I said before - if you're not given much of a choice, then it's harder to commit to one MOR option or the other.

Posted by: gigi | 22 February 2010

Let's remember that low turnout caused by voter apathy led, to our nation's shame, to the election of two BNP MEPs in June last year. Buffy's right, if you don't like the options put before you, step up and throw your hat in the ring. Be the change that you are looking for.

On the parent's choice for this election again I agree with Buffy. To my mind the Lib Dems offer a refreshing, progressive and dynamic alternative to the Brown vs Cameron Punch and Judy show, but the media are too fixated on that show to give the Lib Dems any media oxygen. Their progresive attitude to extending paternity/maternity leave, removing the poorest families from paying taxation altogether whilst deffending civil liberties through oposition to ID cards offers a vision for the Britain in which I want to raise my son.

Thankfully when the official campaign begins, the broadcast media are bound by law to give all three parties equal billing. Hopefully then the real choice for parents will become far clearer.

Posted by: sleepdepriveddad | 22 February 2010

at least the whole Brown bullying thing that has emerged in the last 24 hours has added a tad of spice to what has so far been an incredibly boring pre-election campaign.

the live debates could be a fraction more interesting...i suspect Gordon will have gone to anger management classes ahead of them though.

Posted by: Daddy Zee | 22 February 2010

Coming a bit late to this one, but I can understand why people are apathetic about politics these days. There is the usual bickering and sniping, which doesnt help, and there is the MOR issue of course. But you only need to look at what happened in the USA to see how enthused a typically apathetic electorate can get if they get the right candidate. Oh how I long for an Obama! Is it asking too much to have someone (anyone?) with a bit of pizzazz?! As for them not giving us what we want, I suspect that too much pandering to this group or that group (eg mumsnet), giving us what they *think* we want to hear, is actually stopping them from coming up with some fantastic policies and just saying 'this is what we stand for, aint it great?!' and letting us come to them because we like their policies. At the moment, they all seem kind of needy and that for me is a great turn off ;)

Posted by: BeeBeeF | 25 February 2010

Gawd, you're right, they are all a bit similar. With this many floating voters one thing is for sure, a cracking election night. Might even stay up to watch the results come in - while washing my hair, of course.

Posted by: angelsandurchinsblog | 23 March 2010

I think the leader's debates are reigniting everyone's interest nicely. The UK had terribly low turn outs in the last election. Voter turn out in Iraq is higher. Shameful, UK! I'm still not a citizen here, bit as soon as I have my dual citizenship, I will proudly be in line to exercise my vote, no matter how homogenous the politicians may seem. I still cast my ballot in the US, and it gives me a thrill everytime Me and my Brit husband are watching leadership debates number 2 right now...He's still undecided like so many people.

Posted by: YankeeDoodleMama | 22 April 2010

Gigi have just spent the last 40 minutes reading a bunch of your posts on the election. Best political commentary I've read to date. You go girl

Posted by: Melissa | 29 April 2010

Thanks, shucks :)

Posted by: gigi | 29 April 2010

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