Raheela Shah, 21
Tooting, south London
Raheela Shah feels a lot has happened this week, what with finishing her exams and catching up with the news, but thinks it was a “clever decision” for Jeremy Corbyn to appear in the leaders’ debate. “It made May a target, as she came across as complacent, but at least Corbyn was able to defend himself in person,” she says.
“While we saw the Greens and the Lib Dems on TV, it’s still been very much about Corbyn and May,” adds Shah. “I think, unfortunately, the other parties have found it difficult to be heard among the Labour and Tory voices.”
Reflecting on Labour ruling out deals or a coalition, Shah thinks it’s just “strategy”. “They really want to win, so I understand why they might say it now, but if push came to shove it would be foolish not to consider other parties.”
Shah will be voting Labour because they have “proved themselves” in the last few weeks. “They might not do everything in their manifesto, but they’re standing up for people, and even if they only implement a few that is something I would like to see,” she says.
“As a young person I feel there’s some hope. Even with Brexit, maybe some good can come out of all of this.”
Christine Bessant, 63
Poole, Dorset
Christine Bessant thinks Theresa May’s absence from the leaders’ debate was a “fiasco” and feels that Jeremy Corbyn “took on the other leaders quite well”.
“I’ve been trying to make sense of all the TV appearances but the main one that stuck in my mind was the one where May didn’t turn up,” she says. “It doesn’t give a strong impression of how she might deal with EU leaders if she’s elected to be prime minister again.”
On Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris climate agreement, Bessant doesn’t think May has “challenged” him enough. “Maybe she thinks the US is our greatest ally; I’m not sure about that,” she says.
Her mind has been made up, though. “My heart is saying Corbyn,” she says. “I know I won’t be swayed by Conservatives. They can’t say anything now that will make me vote for them. Young people are struggling to pay for university and are in debt when they leave.
“I’m also still very much against keeping older people working longer, and my main concern is for care, should I need it. It’s been a long time since we’ve had a Labour government and I hope Corbyn and the party are given a chance.”
Mark Gilbert, 35
Stoke-on-Trent
Mark Gilbert doesn’t hesitate to tell me he has “bad news”. “I just can’t vote for any of the main parties,” he says. “If there was an independent candidate in my constituency I would probably vote for them.”
After going through every manifesto he can’t help feeling “negative” about it all. “It doesn’t matter who is in government next week – the next five years are going to be difficult for the country,” he says. “The Lib Dems are the only ones offering something that I might be interested in with a second referendum.
“But Tim Farron has said he won’t make any deals or form a coalition, so I don’t know how that would work.”
Gilbert says the more he watched the TV debates, the more “disillusioned” he became. “I like Jeremy Corbyn, but I just don’t agree with him. For me it’s about strong leadership, and for May not to turn up for the debate shows she’s not ‘strong and stable’.
“In my voting lifetime I don’t think I’ve had worse choices than this election. I’ve completely lost interest,” he adds. “I’ve always voted, and I’ve criticised people for not voting. I don’t take this decision lightly, but I’ve had enough this time.”
