Politics and the General Election

I figure I ought to do at least one post on politics...

Contrary to people's impressions of me when we get talking about politics, I've voted for almost all the major parties, and a few minor ones as well! And a lot of that is because the issues I think are the big ones aren't even on a lot of radars.

For example, the biggest issue for me almost every time is abortion. Because I think that abortions are killing human beings - whether or not it's exactly on a par with infanticide is largely irrelevant - I think it's very important that we as Christians should stand up for the vulnerable and oppressed, in this case the unborn. So I have difficulty seeing how Christians can vote Lib Dem (as they're usually the most pro-abortion of the major parties). Having said that, I've voted Lib Dem at least once in a local council election... But abortion just isn't on most parties' radar. So even though I'll often vote for the most pro-life of the candidates standing, the Conservatives are the most pro-life of the major parties and I'd expect the most a Conservative government might do is reduce the limit from 24 weeks to 22 weeks.

I don't think any of the people with a realistic chance of becoming Prime Minister are in it because they want to serve people - they're in it for what they can get out of it (in terms of power, prestige, etc). However, even then, there's a difference between aiming to be in power in 6 years' time (likely to mess stuff up) or to be thought of as a good Prime Minister in 50 years' time (likely to do a better job).

And that's why I'll probably be voting Conservative this time. That and the fact I have moderately strong leanings towards small-statism, which does at least seem to be an issue in this election.

It's worth adding that if it wasn't for their policy on abortion, I might well be supporting the Lib Dems.