In less than two months’ time, people will be heading to the
voting booths amidst a toxic political climate. Labour and the Tories are
drifting apart even further, which is creating an unhealthy atmosphere for a
democratic society. Both parties are exclusively concentrating on mobilising
their own supporters rather than reaching out to the other side. But this
General Election will be an opportunity for young people to say that we want a
different kind of politics – a politics with open, tolerant and healthy
debates. A kind of politics with an effective opposition able to hold the
government accountable. Whilst, Brexit will undoubtedly dominate people’s
hearts and minds in the coming weeks, there are also many other issues which will
prevail in discussions up and down the country. The following are the 7 major
reasons why I will be voting for the Liberal Democrats at this General
Election:
Brexit
People voted for Brexit, so let the people decide what kind
of Brexit they want. Theresa May and her right wing Tory chums want the hardest
possible Brexit to benefit the 1% at the top instead of the millions of
hardworking families. On the other hand, the Labour party is in a complete mess
and does not know where it stands on Brexit. The only way to heal the divisions
commenced by the Tories and deliver a people’s Brexit is to give people the
opportunity to vote on the final outcome of the Brexit negotiations as demanded
by the Liberal Democrats.
The House of Lords
Democratic reform has always been at the centre of the
Liberal Democrats’ agenda. Accordingly, the Liberal Democrats have persistently
argued that there is no place for an unelected House of Lords in a democratic
society. They ‘are fully committed to reforming the House of Lords to ensure
that it is democratically elected’.
Votes for 16 and 17 year olds
Some of them work and pay taxes. Therefore, they should have
the right to decide how and where their money is spent. At 16 and 17, many
young people are one step away from university and apprenticeships. As
governments constantly make changes in the education system, it is fair to
demand that their views are taken into consideration. In other words, decisions
taken by successive governments impact them in every aspect of their life.
Additionally, 16 and 17 year olds are likely to live much longer with the
effects of government policies than the older generations.
Strong protection of rights
Time and time again, the Liberal Democrats have proven that
they are the only party who seek to protect the rights of everyone. For
example, they are the only party willing to fight ‘tooth and nail’ to stop the
Tories from abolishing the Human Rights Act.
‘A stronger economy and a fairer society’
You cannot have one without the other. The Conservatives are obsessed with a stronger economy at the expense of a fairer society. Whilst the Labour Party is preoccupied with social justice (and tainted with anti-Semitism) at the expense of a stronger economy. It is only the Liberal Democrats who understand that you cannot have one without the other.
You cannot have one without the other. The Conservatives are obsessed with a stronger economy at the expense of a fairer society. Whilst the Labour Party is preoccupied with social justice (and tainted with anti-Semitism) at the expense of a stronger economy. It is only the Liberal Democrats who understand that you cannot have one without the other.
‘Education must not simply teach work – it must teach life’
– W.E.B. Du Bois
The Conservatives are fixated with bureaucratic success in
the education system. They only want students to do well in exams. As a result,
many children are missing out on subjects like ‘art, music and sport’. In
contrast the Liberal Democrats believe that education should also teach future
generations creative and practical skills. Their vision for ‘education is about
more than just passing exams’.
Mental Health
As an individual on the autism-spectrum-disorder and
suffering from depression, I know from first-hand experience that funding for
mental health treatment is under threat from the Tories. Long waiting lists,
lack of psychiatrists and shortfall in funding are just some of the example of
how the Tories are treating mental-illness as a second class issue. In
contrast, the Liberal Democrats ‘continue to campaign tirelessly for the
highest standards of care and the extra money which is still needed’.
In the coming weeks, I will volunteer with fellow Liberal
Democrat activists to get as many Liberal Democrat MPs elected as possible on
the 8th of June.
Muhammed Hussain is a writer for Student Voices and a student at Roehampton University.
7 Reasons Why I Will Be Voting Liberal Democrat in June | Muhammed Hussain
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