An " Anti-Labour" vote is not good for Welsh democracy.

Apparently Welsh Conservative leadership hopeful Suzy Davies took a 'long time' to realise she was a Conservative and has defended the fact that she previously supported other parties.

In a Interview with the BBC

The South Wales West AM said it took her "a long time" to realise she was a Tory, and admitted she had voted for Plaid Cymru and the Liberal Democrats.Ms Davies backed Remain in the EU referendum, but felt the UK should get on with Brexit and not "waste time".She is challenging Paul Davies for the leadership of the Conservative Senedd group after Andrew RT Davies resigned.

On her past support for other parties, Ms Davies told BBC Wales' Newyddion9 programme:

"I suppose I was just a typical floating voter.

"I have a lot in common with the people of Wales on this, I think."
Referring to Labour, she explained: "You don't just pick the party already in power; though growing up in the south Wales valleys that's all I'd seen.
"You look for something different - that's when I tested it and thought about what we can do in Wales, and discovered I was a Conservative."

 Having supported Remain during the EU referendum campaign, Ms Davies said she could now see herself voting Leave if the question was asked again.

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"I think I'm in a position where I could vote for Brexit now I know what Brexit looks like," she said.
"The point is we don't waste time, which we have done on a UK level as well as a Welsh level."

Before we  laugh at Ms Davies we should consider the fact that 's hegemony and the First past the Post (FTP) in Wales has often left them often unchallenged particularity in local government.

Usually if  the Tories stand  are not the only challengers in some seats but though things have  somewhat changed  Non-Labour voters face the prospect of  only one other party to vote for. 

In the past both Plaid and the LibDema have benefited from this.


Though many abstain particularly Tories others will vote for Plaid or the Libdems have befitted from this as Miss Davies "floating voter" have only one option

Its mot always the case a former Plaid Councillor for a leafy part of what was then Mid Glamorgan once told me that a number of Tories would turn up at the poling booth and to leave without casting a vote wen they realised there was no Tory candidate.

But  the Anti-Labour vote has seen candidates standing for Plaid for instance who did not share its Independence aim let alone its progressive politics  only that  it was Anti-Labour.

Former Cardiff Plaid Cymru councillor Mohammed Islam Mr Islam, who joined Ukip and who represented the Riverside ward for eight years, said at the time 

"I didn't agree with Plaid going into coalition with Labour at the Assembly in 2007. Now they're talking about backing a Labour government at Westminster.
"I am very much against Labour and totally opposed to this. That's why I'm joining Ukip."

Much of this  is due to FPTP electoral system and the often ironic sight of those like the Lib Dems  who favour proportional representation producing thier little bar charts  and claiming that "Its a two horse race" or only Lib Dems can beat Labour (or sometimes  others)

Its not just a Anti-Labour vote of course and I wonder how many Labour candidates stand for that party because they are assured of a seat despite being on the right of Welsh politics,

Only the PR via the Single Transferable Vote (STV) cna end the dilemma of people voting for a party because its the least palatable course or people standing for a party they did not really support.

I don't want the choice voting for a party solely because they can beat  Labour  the Tories  or any other party.

I want to vote for the candidate who shares my values (at least in part) and we need a change in the whole electoral system so people can vote for who they want to represent them and not against who they didn't.