The Moray Greens candidate in the forthcoming general election has pointed the finger at the main political parties for giving up on the electorate.
James MacKessack-Leitch is pointing the finger at his general election opponents, expressing disappointment that with just three weeks to go before polling they seem to have given up on inspiring voters in favour of encouraging tactical voting.
“There’s no doubt that the current First Past the Post voting system encourages tactical voting and desperately needs to be changed as we enter an era of multiparty democracy,” Mr MacKessack-Leitch told insideMoray.
He added: “To see the other main parties already give up on proposing a new vision for voters is quite shameful.
“The choice in the election isn’t between the lesser of two evils – and for most people that’s exactly what a choice between two established parties would be – but a chance to promote a new vision for our country.
“Instead it seems the best the others can come up with is that they aren’t each other – and it’s a policy that only serves to put people off voting and increases apathy and disengagement.”
“The only wasted vote is a vote you don’t believe in. I don’t want people coming out of the polling station on the 7th of May feeling scaremongered and browbeaten into maintaining the status quo.”
The Green candidate says that he would like to see people arriving at polling stations feeling like they can truly make a difference, voting for what they firmly believed in.
He added: “I hope that they’ve voted for equality, not poverty, voted for public services in public hands, voted for local democracy, voted Green – because only with a Green vote will there be a chance to ditch the personality politics and the scramble for tactical votes that blights these elections.”
Voters have until Monday to ensure that they are registered to vote – registration information is available online.
There are six candidates for the Moray seat – Douglas Ross (Scottish Conservative), Angus Robertson (SNP), James MacKessack-Leitch (Greens), Sean Morton (Labour), Jamie Paterson (Lib Dem) and Rob Scorer (UKIP).