To be irritated that my son joined labour and not the lib dems

[PresidentPinkman]

Ds1 is 14 and has joined the Labour Party. He has actually gone to the youth conference in Bradford this weekend. I am so pleased he is politicly aware and has a great urgency to make a difference. However I am a annoyed that he hasn't joined the lib dems, as I'm a lifelong member. His reasons are that he thinks they are dyeing, which upsets me. It wouldn't be so bad if it was because their in the coalition, but to think that they are going to vanish soon makes me sad. Also while I prefer labour to the conservatives, I still don't they are a party worthy of his intelligence

[Callani]

YABU to expect any youth support for the Lib Dems after they sold them all down the river.

Anyway, you should be proud that your son has acquired your values of political engagement.

[OTheHugeManatee]

Crikey, at his age he should be joining the Occupy movement or the EDL or something equally hysterical. The Labour party??? Bo-o-o-o-oring

[mrsjay]

I actually cried when the libdems made the coalition i was devastated and i now hate them more than the torys

[cardibach]

Wantsunshine when am I going to grow up then? I have been paying taxes for over 30 years and I'm still left wing. Not all of us equate selfishness with being 'grown up', thankfully.
OP I'm glad you realise he's a credit to you for having political awareness at all.

[mrsjay]

well done him he is entitled to his own political views and lets be honest the libdebs over recent years have been rather feeble and wet and least it isnt ukip

[MothratheMighty]

'Its more the fact that I'm reminded that the lib dems no longer have much youth support that.irritates me.'

Most teenagers appreciate honesty, and the idea that if you make a promise you keep it. That you stand up for your principles and continue to do so, even if they are unpopular.
Perhaps this is why the LibDems have lost youth support. Who can respect a parasitic jellyfish of a party that will cling onto whatever appears to be floating to the top?

[MoominIsWaitingToMeetHerMiniMe]

Any young person who supports/would vote for Lib Dems must have been asleep for the last few years, along with anyone who thinks a young person would vote for them! Why would we vote for a party that lied to us and screwed us over w/regards to tuition fees last time? They've been less use than a chocolate teapot in the coalition.

Just be grateful he's not a Tory.

[mathanxiety]

I think they are toast even in those places, except for those MPs who have done a really good job of local representation.

[ComposHat]

I actually probably loathe the Lib Dems more than the Tories. When people voted Tory they at least knew what they were getting , look after the rich, cut public services and punish the poor. That's what they do. If I'ddecimatedLib Dem in 2010 (which I didn't) I would feel like I'd done so under false pretences.


I think what will save the Fib Dems is that their power base is concentrated in a areas such as the south west of England, the Highlands snd Islands of Scotland and the leafy middle class bits of northern English cities.

They may get a smaller share of the vote than UKIp but they'll probably be left with about 15 to 20 MPs to UKIp's none. As UKIP'S vote is less concentrated. So yet again the spineless bastards may get almost totally decimated yet still hold the balance of power.

[Tanith]

Given that Nick Clegg has recently hinted that he could do with a change of bedding and might hop in with Labour sometime, you might find you both have more in common than you think.

Always supposing they do win a seat in the next election, of course...

[ukatlast]

You know YABU....he shows great political nouse preferring Labour over the LibDems at the moment...it's no fun being in politics when your side never wins...great when it does.

LibDems deserve to be trashed for propping up Cameron and Co. I have always voted whichever is most likely to keep the Tory out but this next time I just want to vote Labour regardless, even though I have a sitting LibDem MP.
I am old enough to remember when the Labour Party was surely dying back in the 1980s....just think it took from 1979 till 1997 before they gained power in Westminster.

He can be in the Labour Party and support PR you know.

Time to get upset is when he joins the Tories or UKIP or worse surely.

[bodybooboo]

err tuition fees and lies op.

good on your lad.

[edamsavestheday]

It's good that he's thinking about this stuff. And I don't imagine the Lib Dems are going to have much of a youth vote, given how they screwed young people over with tuition fees. Not merely breaking a manifesto pledge, but doing the complete opposite.

[longfingernails]

It's a shame he didn't choose UKIP or the Tories, but at least he isn't apolitical.

[Balistapus]

Congratulations on raising a child with the independence of mind to make his own political choices.

I voted for the Lib dems in the last election and will probably do so at the next one. A lifelong labour voter, I could't vote for them because of my opposition to the Iraq war and I agreed with libdem's policies.
I actually think they've done a fair job of being in coallition. They've wielded more power in decisions than they have any proportional right to and have had to accept tory policies when it's been made clear that the country couldn't afford the alternative. I think that shows a level of maturity.

[chocolatemademefat]

None of your business. He's 14 - his views will change as he matures - he may even gain more intelligence! And he may still support Labour. I think we still live in a democracy - find something worthwhile to worry about.

[MyCatIsFat]

Its more the fact that I'm reminded that the lib dems no longer have much youth support that.irritates me.

Perhpas he's realised that he'll be paying 9K p.a tuition fees in a few years time thanks to them.

[ProfondoRosso]

I was going to say YABVVU but then I kind of get being a bit unsettled by your child holding markedly different political views to yourself. In this case, though, there's really not enough difference for you to get mad about - at least you can have interesting debates and at least he's not a Tory!

My parents are lifelong Labour, big supporters of CND, 7:84 and the miners' strike back in the day (DM's father was a miner). If I one day expressed admiration for Thatcher, bought the Mail or voted Tory, I am pretty sure my - reasonable, highly educated, compassionate - mother would fucking kill me. And I wouldn't blame her!

[Piscivorus]

Things could be worse, he could have joined the Young Conservatives.

[mathanxiety]

There's nothing askew about saying well done your DS on the grounds that he has picked the party likely to supplant the LibDems and give the Tories a really good run for their money. Part of being active in politics is being able to discern who will cross the finish line first and seeing the importance of being in a position (perhaps) one day to influence policies in that party. It shows good political acumen and a healthy realism to join the party likely to prevail. Joining the Monster Raving Loonies would count as political activity, but to what end?

[Caitlin17]

Donnie in order of preference for mine I'd go Labour, Conservative , Lib Dem, Green and "how could you do this to me after all I've done for you" for the rest.

[donnie]

would you prefer him to be a raging little Toryboy?

[MissyO]

I used to support the LibDems but they have sold out since the last GE :-(

[bigboobsbertha]

Anyone who votes libdems needs to be sectioned. Thank the gods he is less gormy than his parent, though obviously still deluded enough to consider labour lol