To think the Tories must actually want to loose the next election?

I think if the parties had any sense they would take things like the NHS out of the equation and set it up as a cross party permanent organisation. With agreed funding and a plan for the future.

But I don’t agree that the fringes are running the show.

I believe the fringes are running the show. And what worse is they are doing it without being at the controls. Instead they are doing it with behind the scenes threats and bribes. It's a fascists dream. Power without accountability. Look at the way Rish! gets blown every which way.

The occurrence of the Brexit referendum was the fringes scaring the Bejaysus out of cotton wool Cameron.

Maybe so. But the right are much better at using social media. They have huge amount of money and influence to play with algorithms so that all people are exposed to basic propaganda. Brexit was a clear example of that. The Tories are much less afraid of using dirty tactics to win.

I probably am in a minority, but I think I have the right idea (obviously, I would).
It doesn't really help that I am in a constituency that usually only has two candidates. I'd prefer to see a choice of about 4 candidates.

I usually put some thought into it, and try to watch out for things that might subconsciously skew my opinion (like 'Is he/she someone I'd like to go for a pint/coffee/chat with' - that ain't gonna happen)

In the last General Election, I didn't want either party leader as PM, but I believe my constituency got the right MP.

I certainly agree that a lot of good people were driven out by Johnson. But I don’t agree that the fringes are running the show. A few have had their moments, Suella, Anderson, but they are used to placate rather encouraged. Alternative perspectives are good, but extreme influences on either side are dangerous.

Yes. But you are in a minority. over 80% of votes simply cancel each other out.

The media has long since subtly demonised people who refuse to adhere to dogma.

Check out the Labour Partys response to Cass, you might be surprised

That meme is so telling.
Neither party has anything to say about the COL or anything remotely vote-worthy.
The Tories are wittering on about benefits claimants again and I've noticed Labour has mentioned Andrew Tate's effect on school children.
Politics is dire at the moment.

I think they’re already well aware that they’re going to lose it.

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow , we still have newspapers. Many people still buy them and read them. Most of the newspapers are right-wing not just the Mail and Express. The Torygraph, the Times and The Sun lean to the right.

Many of the readers believe what they read and vote accordingly IMO.

@SerendipityJane , I don't always vote the same way. As in my pp, I try to get the best MP for my constituency or councillor for my ward.

I have friends in a different safe seat and although they complain about their councillor, they had quite baffled expressions when I suggested they voted for a different candidate.

I don’t think this is as true anymore. I mean, l know we have the Mail and the Express etc.

But people don’t buy newspapers anymore, younger people look online. And they just get headlines from everywhere to scroll through unless they specifically choose to block certain things.

The Express and Mail are aimed at a shrinking demographic.

It's impossible to overstate how stupid someone who "always votes <x>" is as an example to their own self interest.

If you always vote <x> and <x> get in then <x> know they can shit on you as hard as they want. After all, you have proved you will vote <x> come what may.

The idea that a party with your vote in the bag will do anything for you is laughable.

This is why - over time - it will be the die-hard tory voters that are shafted hardest. As is indeed happening.

My fear with Labour is not with the leadership, its that the lunatic fringe manages to worm its way back in. Keir's doing a good job of getting rid of the anti-Semites and the student politics branch, its just whether he can carry on holding them off.

Yet with the current Tory party, it's the lunatic fringe of racists and absolute nutters who are in charge. The sensible ones were chased out of the party.

@ACynicalDad , Don't not vote. I live in a safe seat and I consider each of the candidates and vote for the one who I think will be the best constituency MP.
If you don't like the sound of any of them, spoil your paper.

A drop in majority might keep the safe seat MP on his or her toes.

If you know you're going to lose, you make sure everything is so completely fucked up the incoming government has no chance of making things better straight away so you can say "Look, we told you it's be worse with them." And enough of the electorate are so politically ignorant they wore them back in at the next election.

They don't seem to be the most exciting bunch, but the leadership seem to project competence. I actually think Rishi is a good competent man, but he is chasing his tail with the factional fighting in his party, to the extent that he is unable to do his best by the country.

My fear with Labour is not with the leadership, its that the lunatic fringe manages to worm its way back in. Keir's doing a good job of getting rid of the anti-Semites and the student politics branch, its just whether he can carry on holding them off.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/apr/10/rishi-sunak-european-court-human-rights

The same could have been said of Attlee’s government. Look what that accomplished.

This is like last time .
Time for a change.
However this Labour is not the stunning new dawn. It is sort of like an old war horse that is the only horse that in the stable, you can ride that or walk....
Your all going to see not much will change as circumstances will dictate how things go.

I suspect we will see a lot of old threads resurrected as the Tory war machine creaks into action.

🧟‍♀️

Correction. Nothing is as bad what Starmer will do to please the trans lobby with regard to women and children.

It might do. They lost Windsor and Maidenhead in the local elections.