To worry about the right wing?

Ohhhh, you mean far left Jeremy Corbyn? He's terrifying with his specs and his allotment. Almost as bad as Ken Livingstone and his ferocious newts.

I don't understand how centrist/left of centre people (like myself) can be politically homeless. The centre left has the most representation. Labour, Lib Dem, Green, SNP and Plaid Cymru. Just pick the one that has the best chance of beating the right in your constituency.

Are you worried about the rhetoric?

Because rhetoric and reality are very different. Sure, people on the right have become more vocal, but as far actually policy and implementation goes, this country has never been further to left.

On tax, public spending, immigration, size of the state, individual rights. Highest taxes, biggest ever public sector, through the roof immigration, police recording non crime hate incidents, the destruction of women’s space spaces and sex based rights.

It’s as if people don’t remember history…

'@Swingstotheleftslidetotheright
Far left and far right are more alike than either would like to admit to'

'@TheKeatingFive
I'm as worried about the far left as I am about the far right.'

@kirbykirby
'The far-left are far more dangerous and have far more money, power and influence than the right. They terrify me.

What/who exactly is that mythical 'far left' in the UK you are talking about?

I don't see any 'far left' getting any media coverage but I do see Farage and his far-right views all over the mainstream media.

Labour is not 'far left', neither are the Greens or the Lib Dem so I find your argument puzzling.

As far as I can see we don't have a 'far left' in this country...the closest we got recently was with Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour Party has purged this out completely. Far left would be a communist or anarchist party and it would need to be getting as much air time as Farage for it to be an issue...

I think is disingenuous in the extreme if you try to imply Labour is a 'far left' party.

Where on earth do you get the information from to back this up? Which 'far left' are you referring to and what money and power do they have?

Yes of course they do.... not.

You cannot back up that statement at all.

Who makes up the extremely rich and powerful far left @kirbykirby?

Yabu. The far-left are far more dangerous and have far more money, power and influence than the right. They terrify me.

I think you're absolutely spot on. Reasoned political discourse is a rarity these days, people of both sides are far too quick to resort to name calling and lazy stereotypes.

Personally I am squarely centre right, I think the extreme left is equally as harmful as the extreme right.

Corbyn was definitely a disaster for Labour, no argument on that from me but what about Truss? she actually materially harmed the UK and its citizens, then there is Brexit, again a Tory idea and disastrously negotiated by Johnson, when a path to better trade and cultural relationship existed.

Corbyn, fortunately never became PM but the Tories have really damaged the UK.

Not a fan of Osbourne but he strongly advised Cameron not to go ahead, DC was too scared of the far right ERG.

Despite that you want a closer EU tie up @SunnyEgg it wont happen, the govt doesn't want that at all, Sunak would rather further damage the UK and keep power than do the right thing for the country.

It’s just a question @DrinkingMyWaterMindingMyBiz

I can’t help it if it’s proving tricky for whatever reason

I think the ‘far’ of any side cares more about the argument than what they are actually arguing about. So ironically they have the most in common with each other.

Luckily people got antisemite pretty quickly too

Tg given the ramifications

No regrets on that one

Trying to work out which political parties are associated with these various degrees of left / right.

It seems to me like Labour are not far left. They’re barely left of centre, possibly slightly right with Starmer.

The Conservatives have definitely shifted further right than they used to be, with far more radical policies and discourse (discussing exiting ECHR for example, Rwanda and shitty barges for refugees, arresting peaceful protesters etc) - I think Brexit pushed them further to the right than ever before.

I don’t think there’s a clear and present danger from a “far left” in the UK because they are so far from power, however the danger from the far right is clear and present and they are close to power - UKIP, a fundamentally racist party, infiltrated the Conservatives and pushed it further right.

Where is the apparent “far left” - barely perceptible.

@SunnyEgg I like what you did there. Smart way to push your agenda, I have to say!

@CoffeeCantata I understand the point you’re making, but we can’t really expect people whose lives are being destroyed to remain calm and pleasant in the face of those who are essentially saying “it doesn’t matter that people are suffering”. In an ideal, utopian society that’s everyone would channel their inner calm when feeing angry, but in a utopian society we also wouldn’t have these issues in the first place.

Ah. Lefty Snowflake. Cutting. I fear intellectual paucity may not all be on one side. 'Tory Scum' is useful shorthand to sum up the several pages of description that should be attached each time the Smash and Grab party is mentioned. Saves time and everyone understands it and just what it means.

Taking the 'Tory scum' phrase out of this, why is it bizarre she's at the top of the party?

Ok so last time, you would have been happier with Corbyn

@SunnyEgg I blame the British public for voting them in. But that’s democracy for you.

Sorry for typos...my personal experience, not 'me'!

And ae was arsehole when I typed it. I think my keyboard is censoring me!

I’m not asking you if you prefer Corbyn or Starmer but if you are angry who you blame for losses

Drinkingmywater

I think the left may come across as “unpleasant” to some of you because they have more reason to be angry right now.

Yes, I get that there's a correlation between being angry about the status quo and espousing left-wing politics. But that anger should manifest itself in an intellectual way, and not result in being an ae to others! I stand by me personal experience - which has been very clear-cut in this area.

As a PP said, I'm probably scarred through a career in education and the cultural sector, areas traditionally dominated by left-wing politics. I don't think their influence in these areas has always been for the best either.

Because it's a gross misrepresentation. Just because you haven't heard anyone saying lefty scum doesn't mean they don't.

And it's not just "leftys" they hold in contempt

A Conservative byelection candidate has defended sharing a Facebook post telling jobless parents who cannot feed their children to “fuck off” if they still pay a £30 phone bill.

and they spout plenty of nonsense - here's some from one who later quit and has been replaced by a Labour MP who actually wants the job -

Left wing snowflakes are killing comedy, tearing down historic statues, removing books from universities, dumbing down panto, removing Christ from Christmas and suppressing free speech. Sadly, it must be true, history does repeat itself. It will be music next.