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

[winterlace]

I wonder if the responses would be different if he joined the Tories when the OP is a labour voter. Or UKIP, or something.

It seems some responses are along the lines of 'yabu because your son is right.'

Surely the whole point of the freedom to vote is just that.

[BitOutOfPractice]

Of course yabu. I assume, as a liberal and a democrat, you believe in his right to a democratic free choice.

I say this as a labour supporter who lived for many years with a lib dem councillor.


And tbh I can't imagine many young people are rushing to join the lib dems at the moment. You do realise he has a point as well. I think the lib dems will be decimated at the next election. Those from the left who vote for them won't ever trust them again since their deal with the devil. Those from the right will blame them for all the failings of the coalition. Even the lib dems I know are struggling to support their party at the moment. So your ds has a point!!

[TiggyCBE]

Lib Dems are over. Everybody leftish in areas with not much labour presence voted for them to keep Tories out. Won't do that again. And all the compromises to get into power...

I predict Labour just ahead of Conservatives, UKIP in third, then LibDems around the 5% mark.

[ComposHat]

Well he seems to have his head screwed on. The Lib Dems are a bunch of spineless quisling fucks who betrayed everything they believed in and jumped into bed with the tories with the mere sight of a ministerial limo.

They are now loathed on much of the country and will probably be reduced to a rump in the south west. So in practical and ideological terms he is eminently correct.

Why anyone would want to ally themselves with a party led by treacherous pale blue tories is beyond me. Well done him and shame on you for propping up this ailing joke of a party.

[Joysmum]

Of course YANBU to be 'irritated' or 'annoyed' he's if a differing political persuasion to you.

It's not like you are banning him and you are allowing him the freedom to make his own choices. Bravo, for being supportive parent despite not agreeing with his views, you sound like a great mum.

[BitOutOfPractice]

ComposHat can I thank you very much for introducing me to a new word. Quisling. Marvellous. I love new words. Thank you.

[DinahLady]

Erm, you are aware he's his own person right?! As in, is entitled to his own views and opinions.
You can't dictate who he can and can't vote for. You say you're a lifelong voter.
Well, shouldn't you just be pleased that he's taken on your love of politics, regardless of whether you agree with his choice of party or not?!

[Dawndonnaagain]

Your son is right, apart from a few hardcore members, the Lib Dems will not wield any power again, they are a dying breed, they joined with the Tories solely in order to hang on to the coattails of power. They claimed it was to temper the worst excesses of the Tories, but when you look at what has happened, Uni fees going up, benefits being torn from those who need it most and sanctions to those incapable of defending their rights, legal aid abandoned. My father wrote the Liberal policies in the 1960s, he would be ashamed of this lot. Oh, and he was not ashamed of the fact that I am a Labour Supporter and was a Labour councillor.

[bluntasabullet]

YABU

It's not up to you who he joins. It's up to him.

[Jux]

Really Dawndonna? I had a friend in the 80s who was writing the policies for the LDs. He was a great guy, and the main reason why I had any interest in the party at all. I often wonder how he is feeling about his doomed and damaged 'child' now.

[Dawndonnaagain]

Yes, I really do think Dad would be ashamed, they appear to have sold so many of their policies up the river, and for what?

[trampstamp]

Op they need all the help they can get with red ed at the helm

[bottleofbeer]

Lib dems, seriously? After the way they royally fucked all of their voters over? The very definition of Liberal democrat is the polar opposite of conservative. Yet they aligned themselves with them. Lib dem voters were voting for the exact opposite of all the Tories stand for. Sheesh, they're over. Done.

[Wantsunshine]

Kids do seem to go for the left wing parties before they get jobs and start paying tax. Hopefully he will grow out of this phase.

[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

[MissyO]

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

[donnie]

would you prefer him to be a raging little Toryboy?

[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.

[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?

[Piscivorus]

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

[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!

[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.

[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.

[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.

[longfingernails]

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