Would you consider voting for an independent candidate such as Esther Rantzen or Terry Waite if they stood in your constituency?


I voted that yes I would vote for an Independant Candidate, if they stood in my constituency, NOT that I would vote for either Ester Rantzen or Terry Waite if they stood in my constituency, which I wouldn't.

You have drawn completely the wrong conclusion from the question as asked.

IF YOU HADN'T MENTIONED ESTHER RANTZENi might have said yes to Terry Waite
no self styled media no gooders if she had a series she wouldn't have bothered having met herIcould not possibly vote for her the media types are largely with the exception of Martin Bell to self obsessed thereforetoo much like what we already have as for that wally who used to be in 80-s group dollar
please monster raving loonies could have a good year

To vote for the likes of Esther Rancid would be to reduce politics to the level of s-called "reality" television

I too would vote for an independent candidate, but I have never been a fan of this 'celebrity' culture.

One of the problems I see, with this whole EU thing, is that there is a sizable rump of Socialist supporters who I think might be looking upon the European Parliament as way of recreating a Socialist dream, much along the lines of the failed USSR model.

I, along with, I should imagine, the vast majority of the general public of all the EU countries, am not interested in Left or Right politics, I just want good leadership, good management, and policies that reflect what we, the usually silent majority, want.

I don't want, or need, government appointed officials to pry into every aspect of my life. I don't want, or need, to be watched at every juncture.

Surely the last 12 years have taught us, without a shadow of a doubt, that virtually anything the government gets involved in is going to be either: underestimated, over priced, badly managed, late, unnecessary, badly thought out, more to do with control than good governance or just done to fulfill some politically dogmatic dream or other?

Never mind the awful Esther Rancid, why would we want Terry Waite, a man whose only claim to fame is getting hancuffed to a radiator in a place he should never have been? Simon Heffer has treatened to stand - don't let back away.

I put NO I wouldn't vote for them on basis of name/celebritism only although I might vote for an independent candidate if they stood for the same things that I do...So I thought the question purely related to the two high profile names in the question and not about independant candidates generally...

The great difficulty for independents is the cost of fighting an election campaign without backing and a friend suggested to me recently the idea of an Association of Independents, working like a party to raise money and give support but having no say in the policy decisions of any prospective candidate.

I, too, rejected the idea of these celebrity candidates, but a parliament of independents who live and have some history in the constituencies they represent could only be good.

I think it would be better if you asked the simple question " would you vote for an independent
candidate" without reference to any celebrity. I would vote for a local independent candidate.

I voted no. Whilst I can see the relevance of an independent candidate standing (Martin Bell's anti-sleaze election is a good example), what's the point in the long run? One independent amongst hundreds of whip-directed party members isn't going to change things to level that we need. As a protest action it's worthwhile, but in the big scheme of things, it's just a minor inconvenience to the major parties.
We need change, and lots of it, and Esther Rantzen isn't capable of providing it.