Conservative landslide - how are we feeling as feminists?

I think Margaret Thatcher understood the working classes a lot better than Labour do now.

I agree. I read an analysis yesterday saying that the current Labour leadership still views those textile, automotive, mining and steel communities somewhat nostalgically as 'industrial' not realising they've had to move on. I grew up in a steel town where most of the workers, including my dad, were made redundant back in the 80s. It's changed changed dramatically in the interim as those living there have been obliged to take on completely different types of jobs

I think Margaret Thatcher understood the working classes a lot better than Labour do now.

I suppose the split used to be more industrial vs rural/suburban. So the former would include mining towns and northern cities. In the 'post industrial' age, those have diverged.

This is a bit of a muddled thought, it's not something I'm at all knowledgeable about, but it occurs to me that the current state of labour may be related to the change in unionization. Do poorer working class people typically belong to unions nowadays? When there's 'industrial action' nowadays, it's almost never in industry - it seems to be mostly in the state sector (teachers, lecturers, doctors ). The main exception is railways, which although not state sector now operates as natural monopolies.

It's the Coogan brand of know it all arrogance that gets me. How dumb do you have to be not to realise that insulting a large proportion of the electorate on the eve of voting is not a good move? Just like Hilary "basket of deplorables" Clinton. Or the LibDems who turned members away for wrong think? But he'll have had likes from his mates in the bubble so that made it acceptable, I suppose. I doubt even now he considers it a mistake.

Tony Blair, John Major, Hugh Grant, Lily Allen, the list goes on and on. All thought they could re-educate the ignorant. Well guess what, none of their votes was any more right or important than mine.

(Sorry about the ranting. Can you tell I'm still fuming ? )

rural & commuter suburbs in the South

I grew up in one of those (agricultural working class) and it’s ALWAYS been Tory. Still is now.

The next constituency over went Lib Dem yesterday for the first time over Brexit (Liberal Party won in 1904 and it briefly had a labour MO after the new Labour landslide). It’s more commuter/less rural than my him constituency.

Well, we had our say in the polling booth and yes, it feels good right now.

As a remain voting Corbyn despising London living Labour voter, I think Timelady is 100% right. If you talk about the electorate being ‘stupid’ and ‘racist’, don’t be surprised they don’t want to vote for you.

Thanks for the share of Janice’s article errolthedragon. I thought the analysis was spot on. I see this tweet from Helen Joyce is also getting a lot of positive responses:

twitter.com/hjoycegender/status/1205504436849840128

I wonder if the election result will prick that bubble of purity politics to which Janice refers.

I agree about the city v. rural and suburb split. Those in the latter group tend to be much more conservative (with a small C).

yes,I'm looking at you Steve Coogan

He might live in a London bubble now - but he's from Manchester.

"It leaves a really nasty taste in my mouth to see my more educated, privileged friends slagging off my local friends as thick, selfish bigots.*

And it's all over the broadcast media too. The only topical 'comedy' show I have any truck with these days is Would I lie to you. All the others have been relentless in their sneery references to people who share my political outlook. I don't mind satire - but it has to be applied to all parties across the board, and it hasn't been since the referendum vote. As for the Lord's Taverners throwing a roll at that bloke on stage last week - the sentiment behind that bread roll came from me to.

Luvvie Remainers (yes,I'm looking at you Steve Coogan) who had the termerity to brand us all ignorant racist Northerners

It is not so much about the "North' and 'Northerners' ( which in itself is clearly an offensive and ignorant characterisation based on stereotype) but about the gap between the big cities and university towns ( which tended to vote Remain/Labour) - and the rural & commuter suburbs in the South/the left behind, neglected deprived smaller towns and communities elsewhere ( many of which happen to be in the north - but certainly not exclusively so ( which voted Conservative/Leave).

I live in Liverpool - which voted Remain/Labour - but which also has high levels of deprivation ( as do all of the big cities). The deprivation in the big cities ( including London) has not really resulted in a Leave/Conservative. Maybe because there are enough affluent/educated/urbanites in our big cities to disguise the fuller picture. It's a complex picture and not easy to call in clear-cut ways

The idea, though, that London is 'another country' and the north voted 'Leave' just do not ring true. It isn't true. If you look at the map - it is the big cities ( many of which are in the north and the midlands/S.Wales) which form the red parts of the very blue patchwork.

Re the last para of Turners piece - better to have an oxford PPE guy who knows the working-class north isn't his, than the oxford bromentum types who apparently assumed that it was their fiefdom while simultaneously being dismissive of working class concerns.

It leaves a really nasty taste in my mouth to see my more educated, privileged friends slagging off my local friends as thick, selfish bigots

I think this imperious, contemptuous attitude permeates Momentum

I remember my Dad saying he was voting leave because he was a Bennite Labour voter. That reason for Brexit seems to have been completely vanished from the conversation

Frank Field was castigated for being a left wing Brexiteer - and for voting for Theresa Mays' deal. In fact Jeremy Corbyn is a left wing Brexiteer too - but couldn't say so - because the young Momentum wing is so avidly Remain. You could see his dithering equivocation on this issue was an attempt to keep two disparate constituencies on board. all that managed to do was bring on board people who wanted the opportunity of another referendum - assuming the outcome would be Remain.

The final paragraph of Janice’s article is the only bit that jarred for me. I did not hear that about his visit at all (from people who were there).

The rest of it was spot on though.

This is the thing, I live in a fairly rural area in the north which is Tory but also not as socially stratified as richer more populated places (ie we all shop at the same shops and send our kids to the same schools) so in my day to day life I mix with people from a range of different social classes many of whom are Brexiter Tory voters. My social media on the other hand is virtually all educated Labour or Lib Dem voters some of whom freely admit they don't know any Conservative voters.
It leaves a really nasty taste in my mouth to see my more educated, privileged friends slagging off my local friends as thick, selfish bigots.

Brilliant analysis from Janice.

Johnson has Durham-born Cummings as his lead advisor, and Cummings is very well aware of the aspirations and expectations of the new blue collar Tory voters in the North and Midlands.

Hey Errol
Thank you for posting that. Janice Turner is superb.
When Johnson toured Doncaster market in August his reception was enthusiastic but stall-holders were puzzled: “He had his head down, he didn’t say hello,” some said. For the PM, the working-class north is a dragon he bought drunk on eBay. It scares him, he doesn’t understand it — he knows it’s not really his

I put this on another thread but Janice Turners column today is pertinent to this discussion

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/corbyn-is-clueless-about-the-working-class-683k78n7z?shareToken=5c0df8bba9736c1c114f33eb1a8669e0

I can honestly say that for three and a half years I have never felt such overwhelming rage against those politicians - in all parties - who tried to scupper the referendum result with cries for a 'Peoples' vote' and for Luvvie Remainers (yes,I'm looking at you Steve Coogan) who had the termerity to brand us all ignorant racist Northerners

TimeLady
I think that sentiment is shared by millions of voters. Some of whom voted Conservative for the first time. If Labour are unable to analyze their decimation in the North without reverting to offensive tropes about thick old racists? They will be unable to extricate themselves from this crisis. Check out the Benn speech, you will love it!

I think the attitude of some in the remain camp has been poisonous, and has helped cause the situation we're now in.

As a unapologetically Leave-voting Conservative, I can honestly say that for three and a half years I have never felt such overwhelming rage against those politicians - in all parties - who tried to scupper the referendum result with cries for a 'Peoples' vote' and for Luvvie Remainers (yes,I'm looking at you Steve Coogan) who had the termerity to brand us all ignorant racist Northerners.

www.thesun.co.uk/news/10533719/steve-coogan-calls-tory-voters-ignorant/

Well, we had our say in the polling booth and yes, it feels good right now.

Ha! Not in favour of him being in power, but gracious enough to praise an impressive speech.....

Yes I am sure Tebbit would have been in favour of Benn I know I would be if I was a conservative .

birdsdestiny

I might not agree with his politics, but that speech is superb. Apparently Norman Tebbit said it was one of the best speeches he had heard in the HoC. That’s praise indeed from a rival whose political philosophy couldn’t be more diametrically opposed.....

They'll pick a token woman to seem progressive, but it'll only be so she can keep the seat warm for the foreseeable

I'm sure that's why Theresa May got thre gig. No-one wanted it at that time.