Kim Spence-Jones 🇬🇧😷

If you know anyone who is planning on not voting because ‘it won’t make a difference’, explain to them how public funds are allocated to opposition parties (so-called Short money). £42.82 for every 200 votes gained by the party. More than 20p per vote. Per year. Every vote counts!

Edit: Don’t just favourite this, boost it. People need to know!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_Money

Short Money - Wikipedia

Jul 4, 2024 at 7:46amWeb
Show threadrooftopjaxxJul 4, 2024
@KimSJ and they're each worth approximately 20p.
Show threadMarkNWJul 4, 2024
@KimSJ how come I never knew about this?
Show threadKim Spence-Jones 🇬🇧😷Jul 4, 2024
@alstonvicar I have no idea why the smaller parties don’t shout about this. 🤷
Show threadbrynJul 4, 2024
@KimSJ @alstonvicar it is money for opposition parties in Parliament. If a party doesn’t get one elected MP it isn’t eligible for Short Money. So it’s not relevant to most small parties, but is very important for the Greens.
Show threadEstarriol, Terrorist DragonJul 4, 2024
@alstonvicar @KimSJ it was a major way when UKIP did get an MP, and he returned a huge chunk of short money and MP money as it was too much for one MP to need, and farage went spare that it didn't go into his pocket.
Show threadKim Spence-Jones 🇬🇧😷Jul 4, 2024
@Thebratdragon @alstonvicar I’d not heard that story before, for some reason. Very amusing!
Show threadElaineJul 4, 2024
@KimSJ @Thebratdragon @alstonvicar I'll bet that's why Reform are a limited company, so that doesn't happen again. I wonder if their MPs will be employees, contractors, or shareholders?
Show threadBensGreenGamingAcJul 4, 2024
@alstonvicar @KimSJ I didn't know either - and I would've considered myself informed!
Show threadOliJul 4, 2024

@KimSJ its also important because when small parties become get more votes, at some point the tactical-voting crowd will jump in

Its why #labour are fighting the #greens so vigorously

Show threadDror BedrackJul 4, 2024
@KimSJ just donate 1£ and stay home, if that's your reason
Show threadKim Spence-Jones 🇬🇧😷Jul 4, 2024
@DrorBedrack Of course, there are other reasons to vote in ‘safe’ seats, I just didn’t want to muddle the message:
1. If you don’t vote, a safe seat can never become unsafe
2. Share of the national vote adds moral authority. Green MPs speak for many more people than do Labour or Tory MPs, for example.
Show threadJennifer Moore 😷Jul 4, 2024

@DrorBedrack

Doesn't have to be the _only_ reason!

Show threadRuss GarrettJul 4, 2024
@KimSJ it's actually £42.82 now! I just updated the wikipedia article...
Show threadKim Spence-Jones 🇬🇧😷Jul 4, 2024
@russss Thank you. I just updated my post too. I should have gone to the parliamentary website in the first place… never trust Wikipedia! 😁
Show threadHarriet M has moved~Jul 4, 2024
@KimSJ I just used this on a colleague and I think it helped sway them to actually vote! Thank you!
Show threadTanebJul 4, 2024
@KimSJ oh wow, I didn't know that
Show threadAlbert HickeyJul 4, 2024

@KimSJ didn’t know this. Thank you.

To me voting for minority parties or against safe seats sends a signal to the safe seat parties that policies the other parties have are becoming more important to people. Hopefully, even if the seat stays safe the policies they push are closer to the voters wishes.

Like religions political parties adapt to the tastes of the time.
What people expected of society in the 80s and 90s is different to now and party’s adapted because they had to.

Show threadDave T-WJul 4, 2024
@winkleink My thinking on this ocassion, and also I want that to be considered in (hopefully) a future discussion about Proportional Voting. But I suspect for the majority of voters, these sorts of nuances are less important, and those that do care will have a party membership anyway.
Show threadAlbert HickeyJul 4, 2024

@davoloid I'm from Ireland where PR is the norm and after experiencing it I believe provides a fairer representation of peoples intention for a country/nation.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_party_affiliation_in_the_United_Kingdom
~1.5% of people registered members of a political party so not a significant number. Expect far more have 'always voted XXX and so will always vote XXX'

A challenge is we all have our own bubble.
It's easier for views we agree with to be heard than opposing views.
For certain politicians I switch channel.

Political party affiliation in the United Kingdom - Wikipedia

Show threadIan JacksonJul 4, 2024

@KimSJ This risks people thinking their vote is only worth 20p, which is a gross underestimate.

If you're public-spirited, and, even just counting money, each vote in a UK GE is worth about £100,000.

Full writeup: https://diziet.dreamwidth.org/18530.html

Captcha Check

Show threadKim Spence-Jones 🇬🇧😷Jul 4, 2024
@Diziet Yes and no. By that logic, votes for the opposition are worthless.🫤 It does, however, underline the importance of electing the right guys.
Show threadxi timpinJul 4, 2024
@Diziet @KimSJ Just run that by me again... last year (2023) UK GDP per capita is estimated at USD46866.
How does that equate to each vote being worth GBP100000?
Show threadIan JacksonJul 4, 2024
@xi_timpin @KimSJ It's per vote. Not all people can and do vote.
Show threadJennifer Moore 😷Jul 4, 2024

@KimSJ

Thanks for the details on this - I'd heard of it recently but didn't know what it was called!

Show threadpinkdrunkenelephantsJul 4, 2024

@KimSJ

It might honestly be better to resort to emotional blackmail to make them do it, if you don't value the relationship and are willing to sink that low.

"Fascists getting in would hurt me, you not voting would help them and therefor you not voting hurts me" would probably get you farther than any political plea. They straight up.say they don't care about politics. But most people care about their personal relationships. They who care less win.

Show threadDave T-WJul 4, 2024
@KimSJ This is particularly important as smaller parties are also more likely to lose their deposits. The Greens lost £232,500 in 2019 because of the number of candidates they put forward.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2019-50781957
Election results 2019: Greens lose the most deposits

Candidates who do not receive at least 5% of votes in their constituency forfeit their £500 deposit.

BBC News
Show thread𖢉𖥣ꛚ𖢉𖠢𖦪𖦪𖥣ꛘJul 4, 2024

@KimSJ I like the per year part.

We only get a one off payment in Aus.

Something like $4 dollars for every first preference vote if you get over 4% primary I think.

Show threadLazarou Monkey Terror 🚀💙🌈Jul 4, 2024
@KimSJ give the Greens a financial boost, they dont prostitute themselves to big business so need the money.
They dont have Farages mysterious hold over the Media...
Show threadTi_DinzeoJul 4, 2024
@KimSJ So if I donate £1.10 to, for example, the green party, the only party I'd consider voting for even though It will literally make no difference as Lindsay Hoyle will still win and still have no voice or vote, I could avoid taking an hour each way for a 20 minute walk and almost killing myself each way and not have to take hours at least to recover afterwards?
Show threadTim Ward ⭐🇪🇺🔶 #FBPEJul 4, 2024
@KimSJ Won't make any difference to the "they're all the same, they're all in it for themselves" crowd.
Show threadj5vJul 4, 2024
@KimSJ Would it be better to donate directly to parties you really want to support, and vote tactically for another party (as a transition step)?
Show threadKim Spence-Jones 🇬🇧😷Jul 4, 2024
@j5v Yes indeed. But any vote is better than no vote. I’d even say that to people who want Reform. Democracy with all its faults is not a spectator sport!
Show threadbroonJul 4, 2024
@KimSJ I think not voting is foolish (at least go and spoil your ballot) but I'm not sure 'your vote is worth 20p per year' is a good argument. Even on minimum wage you earn that in minute. Might as well stay home and donate
Show threadKim Spence-Jones 🇬🇧😷Jul 4, 2024
@byroon Everybody knows the other arguments, but Short Money is relatively unknown.