to think that people who denounce their friends for voting differently to them are pathetic?

[kinkytoes]

Should they also live in the same type of house as you, drive the same type car as you and do the same type of job as you too?

I've seen lots of people saying they'd disown their friends, even their partners for voting differently. It flies in the face of democracy and makes me very angry.

People are much much more than just their voting preferences.

Bookbag40 - I completely agree with you.

some of my best friends are currently on FB denouncing people like me as an evil scumbag who only wants to protect my own wealth and despises the poor and oppressed. I voted Tory because I passionately believe that the best way to help people is to have a strong economy. No money, no chance. The left has a huge track record in well-meaning policies which do the opposite of what is intended. If left wing policies worked, I would be leftie - but they don't. Look at France.

I am utterly depressed this morning at the level of unthinking vitriol. Do I go on FB calling all my labour friends deluded numpties who believe there is a magic money tree and will have us following Greece to hell in a food queue?

No. Because I realise that's a daft, sweeping statement, I take a minute to understand the impulse that would make someone vote labour, and I am courteous and respectful of their views. So why is it OK call me scum?

People need to step away from Facebook.

I struggle with this. I am annoyed with one friend not for how he voted (SNP) but for his numerous vitriolic posts and gleefulness and personal comments about Labour and Lib Dems' demise, which seems nasty.

I am a Labour voter in a Tory stronghold. There is a fair bit of "I'm alright jack" attitude and self-congratulation on financial success. With denial of social and other problems (eg the "economic recovery" is based on consumer debt, how the last government treated disabled people) or arguments that people "make their own luck". I don't like this and find it hard to want to get closer to people who express these kind of views.

i agree. I don't know a single person with children who parents exactly as I do, doesn't mean we can't find middle ground and be friends. Politics is similar; so long as you're not a great big racist homophobe, you can come and sit by me. And if you are a great big racist homophobe I respect your right to vote and speak and declare your beliefs, no matter how different from my own.

Just summarising many of the posts on this thread

YANBU. My friends call me cuntface fucker for voting differently to them. What cuntface fuckers! Do I call them cuntface fuckers? No! Even though I should. Because they are.

Why can't we all get along?

Do people only have friends who agree with everything that they believe?

Would you do the same thing and unfriend or drop someone who was religious if you're an atheist?

Plenty of room for different opinions in the world. Imposing your opinions on someone is wrong. Healthy debate is good.

Of course, you know if you strongly support one party and stop being friends with anyone who voted for another party, then you lose any option to sit down and have a debate with them and try and convince them that your party has better policies and will do a better job for the country.

Still trying to work out how a losing party thinks they are going to win over more voters for the next election by cutting any alternative voters out of their life and not involving themselves in any debate...

Would you do the same thing and unfriend or drop someone who was religious if you're an atheist?

If they constantly tried to save my soul and get me on the right path, yeah I'd probably unfriend them.

But people online aren't doing that, are they? They are saying things like 'I couldn't be friends with someone who voted Tory', not 'I couldn't be friends with someone who constantly tries to convince me the Tories are the best party in the UK'

Big, big difference there.

It's been a few hours since the result and people's feelings are running high. These are the kinds of things people say when they're disappointed.

If Labour had won Tory voters would be doing the very same thing. It's hardly a new phenomena, people feeling sore and angry at an election result.

It will calm down and people will get on with their lives.

I'm getting a little tired of the labour voter stance of viewing themselves as the only people who are right, ever.

It's an attitude that has replicated at party level and part of why they lost, you don't win by thinking you're right and calling everyone else names.

Name calling is happening on all sides. Definitely not the preserve of the Labour voter.

Tories never think they are right. They are renowned for their self doubt and continued self analysis not to mention their consideration of all other points of view.

My closest friend voted ukip mostly because she has been very busy and not really looked into things as well as she should have. BUT mumsnetters make themselves look like complete twats when they bang on about the importance of democracy and voting, UNLESS you vote for the conservatives/ukip/anything but labour.

YANBU. How is castigating other people for using their right to vote remotely democratic?

After the indy referendum, for example, I had friends all over facebook saying 'if you voted no, you are scum,': 'tell me if you voted no so i can never speak to you again' etc. For the sake of democracy, i'd love Scotland to be independent one day. But you know what? I voted no! Because of people like my pal at work who earns 13k, whose husbandis a soldier and has a child with complex ASN. If her DH lost his job, they'd be fucked and their life is hard enough as it is. In those circumstances, fear of the unknown is a pretty legit response. I just wanted to scream, 'stop blaming your fellow Scots, about whose lives you know nothing. They're not all living in Elie with 3 cars and heavy pockets. Blame the fucking politicians who didn't do a good enough job of reassuring some of the most vulnerable people.'

When voters turn against each other, they should be looking to the people in charge instead. I may be s hypocrite because i'd struggle with a friend or family member who voted Tory or UKIP but I'd at least make an effort to understand why.

Anyway - on a lighter note, all my fwends are still fwendly with me even though I voted Tory and some of those poor misguided souls are Leftists.

But we all wuv each other & will continue our friendships forever and ever - 'cos we're, like, grownups not idiots!

You may think that IKnow but in reality they're blocking you on FB, drawing Hitler moustaches on photos of you and writing your phone number on various toilet walls.

Just a heads up.

Cactus, I do see the difference, really. If someone voted for the BNP or UKIP, I'd think straight up knob. And I understand being upset, as I am with another 5 years of the fucking Tories. I'm just going on my experiences of some people's responses to those who voted No (or indeed Yes) in the referendum, and those who voted Labour just there to keep the Tories out. When it's likely that someone had very good reasons and there heart was in the right place, that's when I think it's out of order.