Why is the Green Party not more popular?

[HarryBoa]

I mean if there were ever a time that they should be relevant it's now, no?

Was talking to the DC about political parties and they asked why people weren't supporting the Green Party because of global warming.

I wanted to reply "Because people want what they've got" but resisted the urge to make a trite reply.

Wondered what other people thought? For myself I'm actually seriously considering moving my support to the Green Party but the ultimate concern is that the voting system that we have means that they're fighting a losing battle.

I can never feel the same way about them following the challoner scandal and their response to it.

At least where I live, while the Green Party should theoretically be more environmentally proactive, they come across as pie in the sky and unrealistic. They seem unable to come up with strategies that could actually work.

Additionally, their politics in general are very far left and very woke. I have a feeling Canada as we know it would implode.

@RoxytheRexy

My ex was a Green Party member and is still a fairly prominent and active party member. He had an affair with a 19 year old member of the Young Greens when he was 32. Then he cheated on her for another party member. It’s a big dirty beardy lentil filled knocking shop

My reason probably won’t apply to many more people. It’s quite specific to me really

Wow talk about tarring a whole party with a single brush.

@LoveFall

At least where I live, while the Green Party should theoretically be more environmentally proactive, they come across as pie in the sky and unrealistic. They seem unable to come up with strategies that could actually work.

Additionally, their politics in general are very far left and very woke. I have a feeling Canada as we know it would implode.

What does “woke” mean exactly?

First past the post - I don’t really look at other parties because if I don’t vote labour I will get Conservatives- actually did anyway at the last election.

I’ve just joined the Green Party, purely to vote for Sharar Ali in the leadership elections.

If he doesn’t win I will quit as they generally seem to loathe women.

How can anyone vote for them. The only thing they've got going for them is the green issue. Women? How could they perform if actually in power? They policies on everything else is just nonsense.

Because at one time they stated they would help more migrants come to this county through the legal process. Now I have no issues with helping those with trades we need to come here but for everyone who just fancies living in the UK, no. How can encouraging people to come here help our environment? All these people would need to be housed, would bring more traffic, emit more greenhouse gasses into our air. When do we stop building on farm land which feeds us. What about water usage? There is already concern that in times of drought places like the heavily populated south east could run out of water. Sorry, but I just don't see how encouraging more people to come here improves our environment.

I truly have no issues with people from different countries and have friends from India and all over Europe. I don't want anyone already settle here sent 'home' either. We just can't keep adding to the population.

Because they are a mess of a 'political party'. They could be the only option, I still would not vote for them. They clearly hate women or 'nob-men'. The policies deny women.

They do not have a clue regarding children and safeguarding - see the Challenor fiasco. They party protects / denies issues.

Their 'green policies' (importance now somewhere below pronouns) are unrealistic, denies poor and rural communities. Basically - middles class + city dwellers.

Essentially - probably best if they work out they are no longer in the Student Union Bar spouting utter shit.

I don't understand how they're still a functioning party after the Challenor scandal.

@TooWicked

I’ve just joined the Green Party, purely to vote for Sharar Ali in the leadership elections.

If he doesn’t win I shall be leaving straight away as they generally seem to loathe women.

Likewise

This is a party whose understanding of basic science is so poor that they do not know what a woman is.

So why would I believe that their understanding of climate science was any better?

Their handling, or lack thereof, of the Aimee Challenor incident proved their total lack of of leadership.

@RoxytheRexy

My ex was a Green Party member and is still a fairly prominent and active party member. He had an affair with a 19 year old member of the Young Greens when he was 32. Then he cheated on her for another party member. It’s a big dirty beardy lentil filled knocking shop

My reason probably won’t apply to many more people. It’s quite specific to me really

In the 80s the Labour left (I'm thinking particularly militant & SWP entryissts) was infested with men like this - self righteous, white, beardy misogynists for the most part who regarded the younger women activists a perk of the job and covered for each other if one of the women had the temerity to complain. Most were kicked out starting under Kinnock and continued by Smith. Many of these charmers reappeared as "Green activists" and took their little ways with them.

Sound familiar?

@Iggly Historically Woke meant to be aware of social injustice, however today its a term attached to social justice warriors, ideologues who jump on the latest nonsense trends and have zero ability to accept the views and opinions of others.

They are normally middle class white people who are unaffected by many of issues their crusades revolve around.

Wow talk about tarring a whole party with a single brush

Not really - its the culture of an organisation which makes this kind of behaviour acceptable which is the problem. The same pattern of cultural misogyny was a massive issue for Labour in the 80s (and has resurfaced in recent years).

They only appeal to the middle classes.

People need to live smaller, gentler lives. This is a hard sell for the Western Middle class, as this has to mean a drop in living standards, for them. So the green movement was hijacked. They no longer encourage less, but MORE. Buy a heat pump, you can have a sports car as long as it's electric, buy lots of clothes... just make sure they are knitted by buddhist nuns from outer Mongolia paid in karma . This makes the middle classes feel they are "good" and the poor guy driving his battered diesel is "bad". They can still endlessly consume and "save the world".

The reality is that the middle class must experience a drop in living standards to achieve the drop in emissions targets required. At the minute, the emissions from their green consumption are being added on to the producers bill. Its all smoke and mirrors. Buy less, much less. But no one wants to do that.

Thanks everyone, this is a really interesting thread and I've found it really enlightening.

On the point of cultural misogyny, is it not something that pervades all / most of the major political parties? Again, why is it that we don't judge the Tories in the same way on this?

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/i-discovered-the-appalling-sexism-faced-by-tory-women-after-i-married-an-mp-n85nsq50p

@MasterGland yes I think you're right. Good points.

@C8H10N4O2 That is exactly what it was. Older blokes seeing the Young Greens as a perk. My friend had massive issues with this when she was in the Socialist Party. The blokes call it ‘Horizontal Recruitment’ apparently

@Iggly Misogyny has been mentioned several times in this thread. This is just demonstrating another form. As I said I don’t expect my reason to apply to many other people but its my reason.

On the point of cultural misogyny, is it not something that pervades all / most of the major political parties? Again, why is it that we don't judge the Tories in the same way on this?

Is the strength of your argument really "he did it too Miss!"?

Of course there is misogyny everywhere - we live in a patriarchy. I care about it in organisations I might vote for who claim to be better. The greens have become far worse on this dimension and flatly deny it exists, when others have tried to improve (if not always effectively).

How do you feel about your party becoming a middle class love in which offers nothing to working people, especially working class women?

Because they are often unrealistic in their policies.
Because they are wilfully blind to basic biology.

Again, why is it that we don't judge the Tories in the same way on this?
I cannot abide Boris, and I disagree with a lot of Tory policies, but they do at least know what women are.

You'd think this was a low bar to hop, but look at Labour the LibDems and the Greens - they can't manage it.

The Tories also promote them to the top - 2 female leaders so far, Labour = zero.

The blokes call it ‘Horizontal Recruitment’ apparently

Yes I remember that term and similar from Labour when militant/SWP tendency and the misogynist wing of the Union movement controlled Labour. Your comment about the Socialist party reminds me that many of them who didn't join the Greens when to form the Socialist party.