That who to vote for test

[matgb]

OK, after a lot of people commented, I ran a brief analysis of the thing. I wrote it up here on ukpolitics [ETA: Now copying and pasting in here below so I've got the analysis, 19/1/2008].

I've put a Tab Delimited Text file up on my storage site (for those not used to TDT files, open with a spreadsheet or database programme like excel, and re-display the columns. Excel filters then let you choose parties and their preferences).

Essentially, many of the policies chosen are popular (or are supposed to be) LibDem policies. But the Labour policies chosen are not that popular, and not what they're really campaigning on. UKIP gets its two main issues easily highlighted at the top (for those curious, if you put in a neutral result for the two Europe Qs, but are opposed to, for example, ID cards, you're likely to show a soft positive for UKIP. Tories also get a number of their headline policies.

But, in order to support Labour policies, you need to be in favour of the following:

• The UK should sign up to the European constitution
• UK citizens should be required to possess an ID card containing biometric data
• Police should be able to detain terror suspects under house arrest indefinitely without trial
• The UK was right to go to war in Iraq
• UK troops should remain in Iraq for as long as is necessary to ensure a stable regime
• The minimum wage should continue to be increased at above the rate of inflation
• Maintenance grants should be introduced for students from low-income families

None of these are really issues Labour is campaigning on.

Alternately, the LibDem policies it allows you to support are:

• The UK should sign up to the European constitution
• The UK should join the Euro
• People earning over £100k pa should be taxed at 50% to fund public services
• The minimum wage should continue to be increased at above the rate of inflation
• Council Tax should be replaced by a local income tax
• Over 75s should receive a guaranteed pension irrespective of National Insurance contributions they have made
• Smoking should be banned in public places
• Long-term residential care for the elderly should be free
  University tuition fees should be abolished
• Maintenance grants should be introduced for students from low-income families
• Asylum seekers should be allowed to seek work so that they don't rely on state benefits
• Fuel duty and vehicle excise duty should be replaced with a national system of road charging

I've emboldened the policies the LibDems are specifically campaigning on.

So, the test, while fun, is unlikely to show you as a Labour supporter, and is very likely, if you're on the "left" to show you as a LibDem; 3 of Labour's 7 positive areas are also LibDem areas.

Is this a problem? Not if, like me, you're actively out campaigning for the LibDems. But if you want an impartial way of finding out who you should go for, one that allows for choices on all policy issues should possibly be chosen.

Guido: if you put in a neutral result for both the Europe questions, and gave a libertarian response on some others, such as anti-ID cards, you'd come up with a soft positive on UKIP.

Barry, was it you who pointed out it seemed to favour LibDem policies? You're right, it does. Go comment y'all, it took me all of ten minutes playing around to get the results.