“Politics doesn’t interest me”
“I don’t care about politics they don’t impact me”
“I won’t vote because no one reflects what I want”
Fair enough, it’s normal to think that - but the reality is that politics impacts everything and everyone every day. Life wouldn’t exist as we know it without politics.
Politicians make choices that help (or don’t help, ironically) the people who vote for them. That might be older people, rich people, families, professionals, different cultures, minorities or the majority,... but it definitely isn't young disabled people who are being protected by politics as much, because they are NOT voting to show what they need and what they value. This is because young people and disabled people aren't statistically voting. ...and it is SO important to vote, of we feel safe to.... Politics is everything. It’s The waiting times for the nhs, it’s what access you have to shops, its what you’re allowed to buy and where, it’s the food you eat, it’s the money you spend, its how you are allowed to get an income, it’s the access to passion and education. It’s the help you and your loved ones can access. It’s the help people need , either being ignored, or empowered.
As for parties not reflecting what we want, maybe its worth thinking about our values, and what most aligns with our values, by tactically voting the worse political parties out of power. So, have a think, what do You care about? Justice? Human rights? People getting support they need? Education access? Sports? Art? Do you care about mental health, autism, disability, racism, or education, healthcare, environment, animals, or / and human rights? If so, you care about Politics too.
What do you want to improve in your own life? because politics is behind literally everything. If you struggle with mental health issues it’s worth looking into cahms and mental health support policies. If you need a carer it’s worth considering carers allowance and healthcare issues. If you have been excluded from school or education its worth looking into training for professionals to safely support people like you, and consider voting for policies that improve access to support in social services who want to help people like you.
Currently disabled people are the least likely to vote because it is least accessible for us due to the nature of understanding and access support for politics itself and physically or mentally accessing the space to vote or learn about politics. It’s designed that way because a lot of disabled people would vote to help disabled people like them, and political parties who don’t want to help disabled people, don’t want us to vote them out of power, which is why it’s essential you do vote, because what they dont tell you, is that your vote DOES matter and could be all the difference to swinging the vote and voting the party that least helps, out of power, to better help disabled people like you. The country is the way it is now, with whatever struggles you and loved ones have faced, because the current political party has been making decisions that impact your life, for the last 14 years. If you’re not getting support or if some of your values are not being supported in your life, its worth considering voting that party out, in favour of a party who could help you more, because it stands to reason that if this current political party would help you, it would have done so already (and its possible it hasn't helped already, so wont). If you do feel supported, obviously, you can still vote for whichever party best reflects your values, either way, its imperative you vote. If we don’t vote, we are getting left out of big decisions on how the UK is run. If we don’t vote we don’t get to stand up to the bullies who may be causing us harm behind the political scenes. If we DO vote we can help people like us, and stand up for our values.
What can you do?
Try to access support to make sure you are registered to vote, and On the 4th July try to access support so you can vote for who you value the most. The 4th July is election day, the UK will decide who gets to run the country for the next 5 years. The party we vote into power will make new laws and policies that will either help us, or not help us, so its important to vote for a party that we believe would help us, and people we care about. The more people who vote for a party to help them and other people, the more likely the party will be able to actually change lives for the better (or not, depending on who you are and what you value).
I was part of BBC referendum youth council and I was part of the ‘BBC Generation’ political debates with BBC radio 1 and the politics show looking into autism and disability support, living situations, accessibility etc, I also worked with the Autism mental health and domestic vioence task force commission in Westminster, and I also volunteered with DWP, DFE, DPULO and my local council and ambassador for various charities, regarding green papers and accessibility in public places, education and transitions, To name just a few of my political experiences.
These experiences taught me a lot about what needs people have and how to help, but it also taught me the importance of individual people voting, and learning about the hidden plights of strangers., and political issues that do not impact them as much. It taught me how people want the same but don’t understand enough to know what other minorities needs or what helps.
The problem is also that Everyone has a different idea of how to save the world and its people ; but they all want to save the world and its people.
Some have different ideas of what people need and what people are worthy of saving.
Some people have a different ideas of what people and the world needs to be better, or how to make improvements. but we all agree on one thing - the world needs to change for the better. so we vote, in accordance to our individual values, on how to make those improvements happen, and the political party who wins, tries to listen to the public and make those changes happen.
Finding a party that reflect your values is the tough part. Often you find a party that reflects some but not all. Often it’s a case of voting out the party that least reflects your values.
To do this, and find parties that best reflect your values, we must find someone we trust who can help us understand the parties and their values, to see what matches. The problem with this is that it’s easy to be manipulated when you are vulnerable. Find someone you trust, someone who understands YOUR values and communicate what each party offer that best represent your values. You could vote for your values, or you could vote tactically to get the political party who LEAST match your values, are voted OUT of power, by learning which political party is most likely to knock them out of the race, by researching the tactical vote in your area to knock your least favourite party OUT.
If choosing someone to help you understand political parties values, is difficult, the person should be someone you trust, someone who does not shame you or manipulate you in other areas of life. There should be no judgement of your values, and no coercion to change your mind mind or mould your beliefs into something they want you to think. its important to find someone you trust who can help communicate the manifestos to you. maybe it’s a family member, a carer or teacher, maybe even a friend.
Either way, is important. If you vote in accordance to your values, For example if you care about health, you could vote in favour of a party that would give more money to the nhs or protect doctor and nurses with their policies. Or prioritise making more doctors appointments, shortening the waiting list or making medication and treatment more accessible.
If you care about disabled people you could vote in favour of a party who is most likely to stick to human rights and make benefit claimants lives easier or who have proposals to create more support, equity and access for disabled people. Perhaps by Voting for someone that will protect the equalities act 2010 and laws that protect human rights.
If you care about education and school you could maybe vote for free school dinners and access to education, accessible learning for individual children, and more training for teachers, more 121 support for students who need it and more specialised units and training so everyone can access an education safely.
If you care about people being able to eat, it’s worth noting food bank usage under different political parties- the more food banks usage means that there’s less support else where in politics to help families eat without food banks. Bear in mind food banks are not a solution and not always accessible or dietary specific for individual needs, so if accessing a food bank, they still may not be able to eat and deserve better than relying on food banks.
If you care about the environment and organic food, you could consider voting for a party that prioritises farmers, protecting our farm and wild life, protecting our crops and farming, maybe even fossil fuels and lowering emissions.
If you care about preventing hate crimes, it’s worth noting that hate crimes were lower/ higher under which political party.
(I don't understand politics well, so my advice on what could help if you value these things, is not guaranteed to get the best result, I also need someone to explain it all to me as I struggle to understand and process information! this is why you need to find someone to communicate these political issues and values with you, so you can best decide with policies or manifestos and partys support your values. its also not for me, to tell you how you should vote or what you should value. its up to you.)
Sometimes, it’s worth considering the fluctuations of politics and how politics influence the media and public misconceptions of other people needs – for example, some political parties campaign or use media outlets to spread misinformation in order to change peoples perceptions in favour of their policies. For example, a political party could challenge people’s perceptions on disabled people, making the public think disabled people are faking or not needing help, leading to an increase in disability based hate crime so that the political party can give us less money in benefits. Political party’s often use media and misinformation to justify treating marginalised groups badly, because they have succeeded in dehumanising us in the eyes of the public.
Another example is making homelessness against the law, instead of making policies to help vulnerable people not become homeless – theres a lot of misinformation about why people are homeless and a lot of bullying too, because some political parties spread stigma in the media to make the public think that the people don’t deserve better – when, ofcourse, no one deserves to be homeless or criminalised for being vulnerable and in need of help. Its worth considering the media, and instead of listening to the media outlets and trusting them, its important to find someone who can help you listen to individual people. I
If you care about disabled people – find someone who can help you listen to disabled voices. If you care about mental health services, find someone who can help you listen to people who have mental health issues or need access to mental health support. If you care about education, find someone to help you listen to students, professors and people involved in accessing, needing and delivering education. What ever you care about, find someone who helps you listen to the people who are actively involved and need it.
Privilege is a big deal when it comes to politics because people can’t understand the plight of others, and therefore unless they listen to other people without shame or judgment or coercion, they won’t know how to help.
Knowing what, why and how political manifestos reflect or don’t reflect your values, is also the tough part when you’re like me and struggle to process what each political party is proposing especially when they deliberately mislead and bait the media to challenge stereotypes or enforce stigma.
Ultimately its not for me or anyone to tell you or coerce you to vote a certain way. I also don’t know who to vote for based on my values and I also struggle to process what party reflects my values. Here are some helpful links…
One thing for sure is that we must all vote if we feel safe to vote and if we feel a party could reflect our values, or if we feel that our tactical vote could get a political party we like the least, out of power.
…
80% of you DON’T vote because you don’t feel represented. That’s really sad, because that number of people, is the sort of statistic that could literally change our political lives, and the lives of everyone in England, if all those people had faith, and actually voted.
…. if the same number of 18-24s who didn’t vote in the last election do vote this year, you could change the entire election result. WE COULD CHANGE LIVES, IN A WAY THAT MATCHES OUR VALUES, if we tactically vote, or vote in accordance that best matches our values. No vote is pointless, EVER. ALL votes are precious, and have the possibility to be the change necessary to help people just like you, and your loved ones.
It’s time to change lives, with our values, and it’s high time we stand up to any political bullies who spread stigma that harms. It’s time to swing the vote. It doesn't matter who you vote for to me, so long as you vote, with your values in mind - because YOUR vote WILL make a difference, and could even change a life for the better (even yours!).
Peace x <3 x
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