Singer Billy Bragg Endorses Annette Brooke as MP for Mid Dorset - Billy Bragg's Press Release Below

6.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 11th Apr 2005

Billy Bragg Votes Lib Dem in Dorset

"Dorset based singer-songwriter Billy Bragg is making a special offer to Lib Dem voters in the South Dorset constituency at the coming general election. If they will vote tactically for the Labour candidate Jim Knight, he will help them find 'voter valentines' - Labour supporters willing to vote tactically for the Lib Dem candidates in two neighbouring constituencies.

Today sees the return of his tactical vote swapping website www.votedorset.net which in 2001 helped to defeat the sitting Tory Mps in both South Dorset - won by Labour's Jim Knight - and Mid-Dorset & Poole - won by Annette Brooke for the Lib Dems.

Bragg says 'I will be voting tactically for Justine McGuiness, the Lib Dem candidate in West Dorset where I live. I believe that, with the support of people like myself, she has a very good chance of defeating Tory MP Oliver Letwin. However, that won't make much difference if the Tories take back the highly marginal seats of South Dorset from Labour and Mid-Dorset from the Lib Dems.'

Much is at stake at this election. Anger with the Labour government over the Iraq war could result in Michael Howard running the country.

Labour could lose the election.

Others call for a different outcome in which Labour get a 'bloody nose' winning with a vastly reduced majority. The trouble with that scenario is that most of the seats Labour loses will be to the Tories, creating a resurgent Conservative Party which believes that it will be further rewarded if it continues to stir up fear and prejudice.

There is, however, a third outcome, in which the centre of gravity in British politics is shifted decisively to the left.

If tactical voting causes the Tories to lose seats to the Lib Dems, then the Conservative Party would go into a tail-spin. The Lib Dems could emerge from this election with enough momentum to become the official opposition, forcing a Labour administration to tack to left of centre in order to deal with the perceived threat. The Lib Dems have already been able to influence Labour policy in this manner in the Scottish Parliament.

For this to happen, however, it is crucial that Lib Dem supporters vote in unison with disillusioned Labour supporters as a progressive bloc - voting tactically to ensure that the Tories do not pick up any seats - voting together for left of centre government.

This is particularly important in our corner of Dorset. If the Conservatives cannot defend their Shadow Chancellor in West Dorset; if they cannot win back traditional Conservative seats like Mid-Dorset; if they can't even win the most marginal Labour constituency in the country, South Dorset - then the chances are they will be finished as a political force for the foreseeable future. It will be the Liberal Democrats who come out of the election with the momentum to become the official opposition, a just reward for their principled stance on the Iraq war.

Labour voters in West Dorset, you can make headlines on 6 May by helping the Lib Dems defeat Tory Shadow Chancellor Oliver Letwin. We ask you to consider using your vote tactically in support of the Liberal Democrat candidate Justine McGuinness.

Labour voters in Mid-Dorset and North Poole, you can keep the Tories on the floor by helping the Lib Dems hold on to this seat. We ask you to consider using your vote tactically in support of the sitting Lib Dem MP Annette Brooke.

Lib Dem voters in South Dorset, you could stop the Tories from making any gains and make a significant contribution to the long term aspirations of the Liberal Democratic Party. We ask you to consider using your vote tactically in support of the sitting Labour MP Jim Knight.

All of these seats are highly marginal - a small number of people voting tactically can make a huge difference. In 2001 tactical voting kept Conservative gains down to a single seat, In an age where cynicism and abstention are the easy options, we aim to show that not only is it worth voting, but, if you use your vote tactically for that positive third outcome, then Labour and Lib Dem voters can together shift the debate in parliament to the left of centre - and all at the Tories expense.

For more information visit www.votedorset.net"