Please, let's not let this go

[CommonRoom]

I can't believe what's happening with the government. I'm not normally very political, I'm not a Labour supporter, more of a floating voter so I am not coming from a knee jerk anti conservative position.

I'm nearly 60 and have never known as much sleaze and cynicism in politics. I am ashamed and embarrassed that such behaviour (lockdown parties, expenses scandals etc. etc.) seems to be endemic in our country. I am so worried that the most recent news will fall off the headlines and everyone will just carry on as if it's normal. It really is not acceptable in a modern democracy at all. We have friends and family in Europe who have previously been Anglophiles who now think we are a backward, corrupt laughing stock. Please don't let us accept this as ok.

@CorrBlimeyGG

Labour don't know what a woman is and I'm feminist to the core

You're no feminist if you ignore the disproportionate impact of austerity on women. That's far far more important than the odd trans woman in the changing room.

But I fear that under Labour, whose leader recently muttered that you can't say that only women have cervixes, you would not even be allowed to make that statement about austerity and women -- it's exclusionary of trans women! So how could we fight against the disproportionate effects of austerity on women if we can't name women as a sex class? Not to mention the disproportionate effects of increasing numbers of male persons identifying as women. It's rather more fundamental than 'the odd transwoman in the changing room' (sic)

[quote user1471453601]@Mybalconyiscracking, I understand and sympathise with your pov. However, as a card carrying member of a political party, I joined because I believed in the broad thrust of their purpose.

I have joined pressure groups where I vehemently disagree with one of their particular policy/ manifesto ect.

And another one of my pet dislikes, is people who say they "read each parties manifesto and decide which one will be best for them and their family".

I just cannot agree with this. Read the manifestos and decide which one is
morally right,in its general thrust, not what is popular or what benefits me and mine.[/quote]
That’s very laudable but you have to believe that there is a chance that these policies are realistic, I don’t see that. I’m not going to vote for the collapse of the economy just because it was done with good intentions. The Tories are a slow road to ruin, with the alternative I can see a fall off a cliff!

I blame the media. Nobody in the mainstream media holds them to account, they’re in a mutually beneficial relationship. They have been very gentle on the PPE scandal and lockdown parties. Imagine if it was Keir Starmer, he would have been crucified.

@DarkDarkNight

I blame the media. Nobody in the mainstream media holds them to account, they’re in a mutually beneficial relationship. They have been very gentle on the PPE scandal and lockdown parties. Imagine if it was Keir Starmer, he would have been crucified.

Are you watching the same news channels that I am?

@TheVanguardSix

It's as mad, bad, and humiliating as Berlusconi's Italy. People are complacent and so willing to accept that we're pumping dirt instead of water. Like it's 'good enough'. Or maybe, we feel fatigued and powerless. I don't know. What I do know is that in my 25 years in the UK, I've never voted Tory and I never will.

I was going to mention Berlusconi! My mum was Italian and I still have relatives there. They haven't forgotten him! And unfortunately he's hoping to be on his way back 😫...... I mention him not to in any way try to deflect discussion away from this appalling government, but to remind us that other countries also have their fair share of corruption, sleaze, incompetence, (think Trump), and of course downright dictatorship, (think China, North Korea), et al. OP, to your family and friends in Europe who think we're a laughing stock, Pot. Kettle. Black springs to mind. Macron in France isn't having a great time, and I don't know if Italy will ever be free of corruption. But of course many other countries do seem to have decent governments - my knowledge of world politics is not as good as I would wish, and as I said, I just wanted to remind people you don't have to confine yourself to the UK to witness such awful "leadership". All that being said, I try not to despair but currently can't see an alternative way forward.

@namechangerino

To be honest AwaAnBileYerHeid your uncle sounds just as bad. Out of interest, after the Tories 'clamped down on the benefit system' (which has led to the actual deaths of people genuinely vulnerable and ill and to the poverty and homelessness of many more) did his relatives continue to receive benefits?

I've said it once and I'll say it again - current benefit fraud is around 1%. Lets not spread this hatred of people who have to claim benefits due to no fault of their own. If you need to claim DLA/PIP you have to provide a small dossier of evidence and even then you can be turned down. You can't simply claim you have 'anxiety and depression' and live of the state for years - believe me. And quite frankly I would prefer to live in a society that takes care of its vulnerable and accept that some will inevitably play the system (like every single system in existence - tax?) than let them be abandoned to isolation and poverty because people like your uncle cry about others having something that they don't.

Anyone who votes tory has made it clear that they couldn't care less about the vulnerable and disabled and worse than that have bought into a deliberate campaign of hatred against them.

And all those people saying they'll never vote Tory again - it was plain as day that Boris Johnson was a lying, immoral, venal, racist, homophobic, misogynist, over-privileged knob many many years ago, well before the last general election. I don't get all the shock.

Yes, OP, it is awful and embarrassing but if the internet has taught us anything, you can't argue with stupid and there's an awful lot of stupid, angry, venal people out there who presumably judge the current government by their own standards.

Well said.

@Mybalconyiscracking , I'm sure Nye Bevin was told just what you said. They were wrong

I agree op.
He's a self serving, lying oaf at best and he and most of his cronies think of us as expendable rabble .This time they have all gone too far. I am a middle voter, I hate extreme views.
Some of the milder Tories have been ok but I wish Johnson and his shower of shit would just fuck off. They're a disgrace. I didn't vote them in this time.

Hell would freeze over before I ever voted Labour - I hate them and everything about them.

@AutumnAlmanack

Hell would freeze over before I ever voted Labour - I hate them and everything about them.

Me too. But I cannot ever vote conservative again. So where does that leave me and many like me?
We need a bloody new common sense party.

He doesn't begrudge genuine folk benefits, but in his opinion, there are too many piss takers.

How does he feel about multinationals, like Amazon who don't pay corporation tax in the UK? The people with their money on off shore funds to avoid paying tax in the UK? The people granted contracts, with no competition, for goods which do not do what is required ?

There has always been corruption in politics but I think that in previous times they got away with it more. There wasn't the 24 hour rolling news, scrutiny by social media and camera phones everywhere.

Having said that I do think the current occupants of the House of Commons (of all parties) seem to be some of the most talentless and incapable politicians I have ever seen. Very few of them seem to have a notion of public service.

I have lived through many different governments over the years and I don't know if it's just that I'm getting older but I really can't recall such a useless shower being in power before.

I also think that having Boris as prime minister doesn't help. He is just the archetypal public school oaf who doesn't seem to have any control over what goes on in his government.

Sadly Labour don't inspire any confidence either. I don't know what the answer is but someone needs to come up with something before the next election for all our sakes.

Op I agree.

It's rather more fundamental than 'the odd transwoman in the changing room' (sic)

at least id be able to use a changing room

@DoOneBoJo

Well I will NEVER forget and I will never vote conservative again

Me neither. They are a disgrace.

@Mybalconyiscracking - regardless of the actual politics, the problem is the complete disdain shown by BJ and his cronies for the general public. They have barefaced lied to us on several occasions, only apologising when pushed into it.

They are completely out of touch with the issue faced by most people, what is important to us and the challenges we face (and I say this as someone who would probably be classed upper middle class, have a good job and safe housing.) God forbid you should be on anywhere close to the poverty line as they truly do not give a shit.

All their efforts are concentrated on making themselves and their associates (political and business) more money, and making themselves look good. I would be shocked to find any of them have a genuinely humanitarian bone in their body, they certainly don't act like it.

Their recent actions and lies have genuinely had me close to tears. How dare they behave like this when so many people have suffered so dreadfully as a result of Covid. I am not a violent woman, but honestly it crossed my mind these people should be forcibly injected with Covid and left to fend for themselves

north Shropshire by election next week, it did have a 23000 majority - it'll be interesting to see if the Lib Dems get in. not as if Torys have given a flying fuck about farmers

@Forion

I can't understand anyone who votes Tory. They literally despise anyone whose not rich and public school educated. Ds1 went to Oxford with the toff types and he told me that they refer to ordinary people like they're utter scum. They joke about the poor dying etc. some really sick stuff.

Not really that surprising that they hold these views of us mere minions.

DoOneBoJo
"Me too. But I cannot ever vote conservative again. So where does that leave me and many like me?
We need a bloody new common sense party."

Exactly this^
I feel like no one represents me anymore,not even close.

I'm in my 50s. I'm disgusted by it all - the parties, the Owen Paterson situation and the lying about expensive wallpaper. I'm embarrassed that my country is governed by these people.

How can a 23 year old be a Senior Adviser to the Prime Minister? And how was he appointed to a role which was not advertised? It's interesting that his wealthy father is a Tory party donor.

I saw a photo today of Nimco Ali, Carrie Johnson's friend, carrying little Wilfred as they set off to hospital to see his new sister. She is a Special Adviser to the Home Office, a role to which she was appointed last year. The role was not advertised. I'm hoping she was on annual leave yesterday when the photo was taken, but who knows.

Carrie Johnson is Head of Communications at The Aspinall Foundation, a charity which is currently under investigation for financial irregularities.

It's all a shit show. I won't be voting Tory again, although I think my local MP does a good job.