Anonymous Poll - General Election

The Tories have been in power since 2010, you've struggled with everything since 2011 including a broken welfare system and broke. NHS and you can't think of a reason to vote for a change from the Tories?

 

Apparently Farridge is planning to use the sort of regulations favoured by the EU to get recompense from the vetting company. Under his policies, such regulations would not exist and the vetting company would be left to suffer when the market turns against them.

Or summat.

 

When people are suffering from a failing economy, populist leaders find it easier to gaslight them and get their support because "normal" politics have failed them. This is why Labour MUST make people's lives better - and quickly, otherwise Reform Uk Ltd/Tories will be waiting in the wings...

 

So who are they if not disaffected Tories? Former Labour voters?

 

In our area yes. Don’t underestimate how many Labour voters are now swayed by reforms policies, they don’t see it as a right wing thing, they don’t see Farage as a Tory. Immigration, bigotry and racism is all encompassing.

 

But where’s the evidence that there will be a change? Which government ever helped the self employed in such circumstances?

 

Their manifesto promises to. I guess your choice is "do I believe they are 100% lying and will treat me just as badly as the Tories have for 14 years or do I think there's even a slight chance that they are telling the truth and so it's worth a try voting for them?"

I'll put it another way. You're in an underwater cave system wearing diving equipment and your oxygen is running out because your "friend" who filled your tanks lied to you and didn't put enough oxygen in them. You can't make it back to the entrance of the cave because you've been in there for too long with your friend lying saying "there's an extra oxygen tank just round the corner I've left for you" but when you get there there isn't one, this has been going on for an hour and your oxygen supply is on red. Someone comes swimming the other way and says "there's an air pocket just to the left and there's an oxygen tank in there".
Do you a. Give up, sink to the bottom and drown because "everyone's the same, if one lied the other will"? Or B. Think "I've got absolutely nothing to lose, I may as well listen to what that guy says and there's a tiny tiny tiny chance he's telling the truth and I'll survive?"

I would rather turn left and keep fighting than I would sink and die

 

I'm a 'lefty', as in a democratic socialist, and I never resort to name calling (unless I personally know someone's name). And I also disagree with the 'theyre all as bad as each other' mantra whoever spouts it. There are some nasty Tories out there but Labour has some dodgy people too and when in Government there will be some nasty or corrupt stuff exposed. It'll be incumbent on Starmer to deal with it. There are some genuine folk out there as well btw. Even on the Tory side. Not corrupt, doing what they think is right, trying to help constituents etc...

 

You really should catalogue all of your analogies.

 

One day I'll make an analogy that actually makes sense

 

What about desperate, disillusioned, disaffected? Its patronising to clump them all as racist and stupid. Society is leaving some people behind and some Reform voters are lashing out at that just as Brexit voters did. I dislike everything that Reform stand for but there's an understandable case for supporting them when life is carp and seems to be getting worse. That's why the far right are good. They exploit fear and make their arguments plausible. Dont tell a reform voter to his face that he's stupid.

 

I have a friend from Afghanistan came over in the 80s lives canal row bradford and he must be the only reform voter in bradford then

 

Sincere best wishes. I'll keep proverbials crossed for you going forward

 

Spot on. My views exactly. There'll be people only too willing to batter Starmer (not like in a chip shop) if things dont palpably improve and if poor, disaffected working-class people don't see something tangible they'll be off to Reform 'cos Labour are just the same'.

 

If they’re those things and think Farage and Reform Ltd will do anything to help them they fall under stupid.

He’s out to help himself, the rich and nobody else and anybody that can’t see that is either one of the rich happy to see those less fortunate stepped on for their own benefit (selfish) or are unable to see that’s what is going on (stupid).

 

What a sad state of affairs

 

What you've outlined comes under Stupid I'm afraid. If anyone thinks Reform is here to help them, then I despair.

 

All well and good mate, but I never suggested I thought anyone was lying at any point. I just haven’t seen enough to suggest that things will change for self employed individuals like myself.

I don’t see anything here from any of them

https://www.counselling-directory.o...ifestos-which-party-prioritises-mental-health

Let’s have this conversation in 4 years time. See if things have really changed.

Edit.

Forgot to mention, the Tory government did well by me during COVID, by way of ‘Bounceback loan’ & furlough grants, so this isn’t a case of me demonising one or the other.

 

There it is.

 

Nope disagree. Your view of course but to call out all reform voters as stupid is, in my view, wide of the mark. There are deep reasons why people vote for political parties and things are more nuanced than you suggest. Some people could argue that a vote for the Greens is stupid. Corbyn vote was stupid. Its the lumping of ANYONE who votes Reform as stupid that I think is patronising and actually gives them more balls to carry on with their views. If all we can do is say 'stupid' how does that make us look? Stupid is a catch all phrase and its wrong to use it when criticising people who are actually making a democratic choice.