June 4, 2017, by Siobhan

Why I’m Voting Labour On 8th June

At the moment, all anyone seems to talk about is the General Election. I for one, am growing extremely tired of it all; you scroll down Facebook and  it’s one party bashing another, or a nasty article about a politician. It’s very easy to be swept up by headlines and accept the propaganda that’s continually in eyeshot, so I want to set the record straight. Plainly and simply, I want to tell you why I will be voting Labour on Thursday.

I care about the sick, the disabled, and the elderly.

First off, I believe that a Labour government will do more to protect the NHS, to support the elderly, and provide aid to the disabled than our current government. At the moment, A&E waiting times are longer than they’ve ever been, and waiting lists for mental health treatment are known to be over a year long. The age of retirement is increasing, stripping older people of their right to age with dignity. Disabled people are having their benefits taken away from them, so they can’t afford medication, or the care and support they need. I believe Jeremy Corbyn when he says he’s going to rectify these issues. I believe that he is going to invest in our NHS, that he’s going to protect the elderly, and that he will do everything he can to offer the disabled population the help and support they need. The Labour Party are promising wage increases for NHS staff, and that is a pledge I can get behind. Considering that there are currently NHS nurses using food banks because their wages are so low,  I think it is only moral to vote for a party that promise to try to stop this from happening.

I care about education, and children having equal opportunities in schools.

It was announced recently that the current government would abolish free school meals for children, and replace them with free breakfasts for every child. Whilst this may seem like a brilliant idea, there are a number of children, around 17%, who are in poverty and thus rely on a hot school meal everyday. Essentially, the current government is happy to see children go hungry so they can save some money. Whilst breakfast is considered the most important meal of the day, it can be argued that a bowl of cereal or a slice of toast will be more easily afforded by poor families than a full, nutritious packed lunch. To me, it seems inhumane to get rid of free school meals. Labour on the other hand announced that they would provide a free school meal to every primary school child in the country. Again, I think it’s fairly easy to make a decision on which scheme would be better.

I want to have faith in the person who is leading this country.

Finally, but probably most importantly, I am voting Labour because I want to trust the person living at Number 10. I want to wake up and read articles about how the government is improving the country, not how it is being damaged. I want to see money being put into the NHS, not news that the Prime minister is happy to sell chunks of it off. I want a leader who isn’t a laughing stock on Election shows, and instead receives applause for their compassionate and honest answers to questions. I want someone who sticks to their promises, who sticks to their principles. Jeremy Corbyn has campaigned for peace talks regarding war his entire political career. Theresa May campaigned as a Remainer, and is now pushing for a hard Brexit, during campaigns for an election she promised wouldn’t happen until 2020. I believe the words that come out of Jeremy Corbyn’s mouth. Whether you think his policies are realistic, or whether you even agree with them or not, you have to respect his complete honesty. He is a man who hasn’t been corrupted by his peers, and speaks the cold hard truth. To me, that is the most valuable and important quality a politican can have, and is the main reason the Labour Party have my vote in this election, and all elections to come.

The polls are open from 7am-10pm on Thursday 8 June. Remember to vote for the party that you believe in and make your voice heard.

Posted in Siobhan