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Why do poor/middle-class people vote for the Conservatives?

324 replies

moneymoneymoneymakestheworldgoround · 24/09/2022 18:26

When the Conservatives protect privileged interests, why would anyone not particularly rich vote for them?
The conservatives are now uncapping bankers' bonuses ffs

OP posts:
Andante57 · 24/09/2022 21:31

@Cakeandcardio

So are you going to pay more tax now you know it’s possible?

jgw1 · 24/09/2022 21:32

Andante57 · 24/09/2022 21:31

@Cakeandcardio

So are you going to pay more tax now you know it’s possible?

Presumably most of us are going to be paying more in taxes soon to pay for the latest give away to the richest in the country.

roarfeckingroarr · 24/09/2022 21:45

@ImNotGreta I like you.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

MsPincher · 24/09/2022 21:46

Florenz · 24/09/2022 21:04

They could have bailed out the customers, pay them a percentage of the money they lost. They should not have bailed out the banks. Let them fail as a warning to other banks.

We bailed out the customers and took the banks into taxpayers hands. It was a problem with the whole sector. The fact that they did let Lehman collapse brought down a lot of the others as it’s interconnected.

limitededitionbarbie · 24/09/2022 22:02

ShirleyHolmes · 24/09/2022 21:19

I don’t follow politics in detail but I have never voted for the Tories, and never will.
I believe that we should support the vulnerable in the country - it is not as simple is saying that people should work; many do not have the capability for a myriad range of reasons.

I have worked in Social work for almost 30 years; In homelessness, MH, addiction, child protection and latterly adult social care. Services to support our clients reduced significantly when the Tories were in power which has huge negative societal implications.

I have no issues in paying more tax to support public services.I earn between 30k and 40k, so squeezed middle but I recognise my privilege. In real terms, my salary has decreased in 20 years however.

The division between rich and poor and lack of social mobility under the Tories is shameful. It is shameful that our teachers, nurses, social workers, care workers and the like are paid so poorly. It is shameful that families are working 2/3 jobs at minimum wage and still required to use food banks whilst MPs claim 100k plus in expenses and the bankers/ company directors etc etc claim huge bonuses and so their wealth increases. This will only increase further with the reduction of the higher tax rate for high earners and the end of the cap in bankers bonuses.

I also have huge concerns about the lack of integrity in today’s politicians.

I don’t know what the answer is, but we cannot continue as we have been.

I have to say also, that I am concerned amount the amount of women who say they will not vote for Labour because of their transpeople stance. I do see the concerns and am a gender critical lesbian; I don’t agree with their stance. But I will not vote against them based on this single issue. Yes it’s important but it is not everything. They are probably trying to inclusive and right on; remember they were the party who brought in so many developments for gay rights. But whatever you believe, don’t judge them, or vote against them for this single issue. Look at the bigger picture, at investment into NHS, education, social care, policing and so on; issues that affect us all.

I am not a huge Starmer fan. But I do believe he has integrity and is hard working and committed.

So I will vote Labour, in the absence of a viable, electable alternative.

oops, that was rather longer than I intended!

I agree with all of your post. Very well written and presented. I will also vote the same as I have done since I was old enough to vote.

ThisIsNotAFlyingToy · 24/09/2022 22:06

Tomorrow's Sunday Times. Tory voters working hard for everyone in society.

Why do poor/middle-class people vote for the Conservatives?
Diverseopinions · 24/09/2022 22:07

I think it depends what not particularly rich means. I think people with skilled technical jobs: builder, scaffolder, plumber - can do very well because their talents are forever in demand. They often continue to live where they went to school and therefore often get childcare help from their parents. If they are not paying for private schools, then they probably have a lot of disposable income and identify themselves as successful. If self-employed, they probably find if possible to offset expenses against tax, and therefore flourish in their trade or calling.

On to that basis is the fact that people who come from less privilege do actually know and have grown up with acquaintances who were not as lucky or skilled at managing money and opportunities. I find that the petit bourgeois of successful tradespeople is a group which expects individuals to make sensible choices, all the time. Members can sometimes be very much less than sympathetic to those who have chosen the wrong bloke or made a bad mistake financially. In my experience talking to this group.

However, those socialists who are upper middle class tend to explain poverty, and also socially unacceptable behaviours with broad brush theoretical explanations about economic forces and entrenched privilege - and they don't know many people who have grown up deprived so don't feel irritated by friends who keep making poor decisions and, as the Tory voting working class would see it, causing their own problems by their irresponsible actions.

I've always found this, anyway, from people I know. People from ordinary backgrounds who are now earning well, know the nitty gritty of their best friend's disaster and judge them more harshly than some more privileged folk would do.

From

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 24/09/2022 22:20

@jgw1 , didn’t you learn any biology at school?

jgw1 · 25/09/2022 06:30

ThisIsNotAFlyingToy · 24/09/2022 22:06

Tomorrow's Sunday Times. Tory voters working hard for everyone in society.

Surely some mistake?
Hedge funds don't bet, they hedge. They aren't gamblers, no sir of course not. lol.

jgw1 · 25/09/2022 06:33

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 24/09/2022 22:20

@jgw1 , didn’t you learn any biology at school?

@GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER I did yes, and more at university. So I am well aware that it is very difficult to actually definitively say what a woman is. Are you going to have a go, or just spout meaningless slogans?

Cillery · 25/09/2022 07:32

jgw1 · 24/09/2022 20:24

May i just say I would be proud of this level of satire.

You obviously don’t listen to the BBC! 😀

Tuilpmouse · 25/09/2022 07:32

The National Living Wage has risen from £7.83 to £9.50 since 2018, a 21% increase, well above inflation (at least until earlier this year!). There are also lots of jobs for people, so it's not too hard to get more than that. That's one pretty good reason for working class to have voted Tory.

BeautifulWar · 25/09/2022 07:54

I wonder if they knew a recession was coming and clung to Corbyn and Abbot as a sure fire way to not get elected and not have to deal with this mess.

Labour's performance since Ed Milliband had reminded me of the Eurovision Song Contest episode of Father Ted.

I suspect the Tories have caught on and have been at the same game for quite a while.

TheRubyRedshoes · 25/09/2022 07:59

@AFP10

Unfortunately being allowed your own choices in politics doesn't seem to be allowed so I imagine that many voters of all ilks just dont want to explain their choices or why.

Especially after brexit where it seems to have been acceptable to t

TheRubyRedshoes · 25/09/2022 08:02

To try and bully people into different choices.

They could well Write a PhD length and depth paper on their " reasons for their choices" but they realise that it doesn't matter you won't listen.

It's like a cult really

livingthesimplelife · 25/09/2022 09:10

Conversely, I think a lot of people vote Labour because of what the leftist media (I'm not just talking The Guardian...BBC, Sky News) spouts out, and for many, it is very difficult to have a different opinion when these views are all around us.
I vote conservative because I believe that conservative policies and values as a whole allow for a prosperous, aspirational and self-sufficient society. I believe in a small state, and believe that a strong private sector is vital in order to fund public services. I think they have done extremely well in some areas in recent years, but there is clearly still work to be done on areas such as tackling illegal immigration (contrary to belief that tories are 'anti-immigration', I am pro legal immigration in many aspects - part of my job actively involves lobbying for an easier path to recruit overseas highly-skilled medical professionals - an issue that pre-dates Brexit by many years). I don't think Labour does itself any favours by having politicians such as Corbyn and Abbott at the forefront of its party. I don't actually think Starmer is terrible, I think its the rest of the party he has to worry about.
I say all this as someone who came from nothing, was a single parent at 18 with limited qualifications, worked hard and took steps to improve my career, and now would consider myself a success.

Cillery · 25/09/2022 09:12

TheRubyRedshoes · 25/09/2022 08:02

To try and bully people into different choices.

They could well Write a PhD length and depth paper on their " reasons for their choices" but they realise that it doesn't matter you won't listen.

It's like a cult really

You mean the great unwashed don’t understand why they are voting and only enlightened people like you do?

x2boys · 25/09/2022 09:28

I see the usual insults are being thrown about
If you don't vote the way I think you should ,you are clearly thick, the irony ...

RedWingBoots · 25/09/2022 09:31

@MadeInChorley Corbyn is not a good constituency MP.

Starmer, Abbott, the father of the House , the mother of the House and countless others are but Corbyn isn't.

x2boys · 25/09/2022 09:36

Remainiac · 24/09/2022 19:42

I work in NHS (non clinical) and I’m always astonished at how many colleagues vote Tory and “love Boris”. Turns out turkeys happily vote for Xmas.

Maybe they remember if wssent that great working for the NHS under labour?
I was redeployed twice 12 months due to cuts whilst Labour was in power .

ChampagneCamping · 25/09/2022 09:39

Because they know what a woman is, unlike Labour and other parties. Sadly non of the parties reflect my values, so I’m cornered into choosing the best of a bad bunch.

MadeInChorley · 25/09/2022 09:41

@RedWingBoots evidence? Corbyn was my MP for a while. He supported a community group I was involved in. Heavily involved in Islington matters and always out locally meeting constituents. No complaints about him supporting the local area and he knows every inch of it.

ChampagneCamping · 25/09/2022 09:42

Also there’s a difference between right leaning and very right wing. People voted in right leaning but have now ended up with very right wing.

CherryGenoa · 25/09/2022 09:48

Amongst family and friends, voting for the conservatives tends to be people who at their core are relatively insecure and prefer the world and it’s structures to stay roughly the same. The clue is in the name - conservatives conserve the status quo. Friends who embrace change, innovation and social progress are less likely to vote for them. People with a higher level of education are less likely to vote for them too.

Newgirls · 25/09/2022 10:01

ImNotGreta · 24/09/2022 19:53

No, banks are moving staff back into the offices now. Is yours really not?

1-2 days a week. They’ve closed the Canary Wharf office. Moved head office to mainland Europe. Like pretty much every other banking and software operation. The pound has tanked. There are of course some city offices but nothing like it was 5 years ago.

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