I voted Conservative, and am happy to admit it - why don't other Tory voters feel the same?

[MillyMolly99]

I voted Conservative, and am delighted with the election result. However no one else seems to admit to being a Tory voter, but there are clearly lots of us around. I told someone at work about my voting preferences - she looked at me as if I'd just killed a puppy.

DH commented that being left-wing is a more fashionable view, even if you don't agree with left-wing politics.

I think he has a point. And I get heartily sick of people who brag about being brought up on a council estate, holding it up as a badge of honour, assuming this gives more weight to their opinions than those of us who come from a different sort of background. It's some weird, inverted snobbery thing.

I totally agree with David Cameron's comments about wanting to ensure a good life for those of us who are prepared to work for it. What's so wrong with that????

I don't personally believe the £300 story
Me neither. It's got 'bollocks' written all over it.

Shiney - less than 1% of benefit claims are fraudulent. Myself and my husband should be ok, despite not earning huge amounts... I have friends who are going to be utterly screwed over who genuinely are in need...

Jeez there some RW bilge being espoused on here!

Many people may not agree with me, but I genuinely feel like labour created a generation with no aspirations, indeed a welfare generation.
However I do not for a second see those people as 'scroungers'. At all.
There was no incentive to work, especially for mothers of young children.
If you are working full time, and are only marginally better off, why would you choose to, knowing that it would mean seeing so little of your children?
I believe most people want to work and I feel like a lot of people feel as though they are 'stuck in a rut' whilst claiming benefits.
I believe they have no aspirations because they become disillusioned and demotivated, can suffer from low self esteem as a result, and be made to feel like they don't have anything to offer.
I know I'm scared of the prospect of going back to work, I have been out of the workplace for 6 years, being a SAHM, and my confidence and self belief is a bit low as a result, as I'm worried that I'll lose out to people who haven't had that time off, even though I'm really excited to be returning to work at the same time. It's a negative mindset I'm trying to change, I started a thread on it, and a lovely poster told me to stop underselling myself because I have experience and raising children gives me experience in other areas as well, but I can imagine that a lot of people who have chosen to stay at home with their children because working wouldn't have made them better off financially would end up feeling the same way.
I believe that was the choice a lot of people made, comparing their time with their children against how much better off they would be, found the financial incentive to be lacking etc.
That's why I feel it should always be better off to work, and by a significant amount that it feels 'worth it' and I feel like under the previous Labour government that wasn't there.
So although I do believe in 'benefits Britain' as it were, I DO NOT believe that it's due to laziness or people not wanting to work, just that the previous Labour government did not make it financially 'worth it' to people.
I know I rambled a bit there, but I hope people can see what I mean?

Another goady little thread.

usual how can you say that with a straight face? There have been dozens and dozens of threads by Labour supporters that one could argue are extremely goady to tory voters in recent weeks and only a small handful supposedly 'goading' Labour supporters. I don't hear anyone rushing to accuse the Labour people of goading.

Personally I think claiming that threads/posts are goady is just lazy bollocks 95% of the time and it's a convenient way to shut down any discussion you don't want to have, or a POV you just don't want to listen to.

The Tories have already significantly cut the amount of tax the lowest paid workers pay and are going to cut it further

For acuracy it's worth pointing out that raising the tax free threshold was actually a LibDem policy that the Torys opposed at first. They have come round now however and will be raising it further.

The threads might not be goading Labour supporters but the posts in them definitely are.

Sorry but this is the 5% when claiming goady bollocks is spot on.

@Lavenderice

(Really, MNHQ. There was a whole thread on here dedicated to 'the c-word' a few days ago, no-one had their post deleted there!)

We don't delete this word but we do delete personal attacks and posts we consider to be beyond the pale. Our guidelines are here

HTH

Actually TheOnlyOliviaMumsnet that 's not how it appears here. In this thread Conservative voters have been called 'twats' and 'stupid'. When the whole point of the OP was concerned with how she was proud to have voted for Tory how have they not been considered as a personal attack and deleted?

I have simply been ticked off for the use of a word that's thrown around on here all the time.

Yes I understand what you mean Timri. I definitely agree that is a big problem. I just hate the way people are portrayed as scroungers.

There are other barriers to working for people on benefits, too - casual or seasonal work is totally pointless to take, meaning it's hard to take a gamble. There is no graduation to working part time, if you work under 16 hours then you lose benefits, but get no extra help with childcare (etc). You get the extra help if you work over 16 hours, but it's just a pointless barrier. 15 hours often doesn't fit within school time anyway (which is I presume why no help with childcare) - when you take into account picking up, dropping off and commuting. When I was looking in retail it was all zero/four hour contracts and when I asked if it was likely I'd get over 16 hours on average, most places said no.

In fact if you look at the history of social welfare in Britain, it was always stated that people should be better off working. That was the foundation of the welfare state.

Yes, I totally agree with you regarding casual work, the total lack of stability is ridiculous. I don't know what people are expected to do.
I don't profess to know what the answers are but Something needed/needs to give, however vilifying people for doing the what they feel is best for themselves and their families under difficult circumstances certainly isn't the answer, although I do understand the frustration and concern with the system just not the people

I think that the reality is that most people don't admit to voting tory because they don't want to be called nazis, racist, be accused of discriminating against the disabled, or hating the poor or hating students.

Of course this ignores that the bedroom tax was discussed before 2010, ATOS were around assessing disability claims before 2010.
ATOS were there telling people if they would walk across a room that they could work a week or loose their money under the labour government.

Essentially, according to most people's political logic if you voted Tory then you must hate other people. then the same is true of labour. - maybe that you have other people and look smug about it if you vote Tory, and hate other people then lie about it if you vote labour?

The only real difference between tory and labour that I see is fox hunting, - and Tories probably only hate foxes because they are red.

Labour did nothing about non-domiciles whilst they were in power for 13 years, Tory/Lib dems passed a law at least requiring the people who sit in the house of Lords dictating law to pay tax in the country!

Labour also first introduced tuition fees...

Then of course there are all the stories about labour businessmen who benefited from cosy contracts under then last labour term, questions about Labour MPs own business interests not paying tax in the UK and moving money offshore, (in the case of Margeret Hodge her own company was busy moving money out the country not to pay tax whilst she was sitting on a committee and grilling starbucks/google/amazon about doing exactly that!)

Then there is the (ex) leader of the labour party (ed) billed as a true socialist who re-wrote his dads will so that he could save £100,000 in tax on the estate that he was left.
not technically illegal, but hardly a great example of socialism.

I'll add Ed Milliband to my mental list of people that desperately want an NHS, so long as not very much of their money goes to paying for it.
(a few of my friends are on this list, - militant labour supporters who spout off a great deal about social responsibility and evil Tories before admitting that they might not quite declare all their income all the time.

Regardless which of the two biggest parties you voted for you're going to get a bunch of middle/upper class privileged knobs, who all go to a handful of top universities, who in most cases didn't need to pay for their education - and wouldn't have really noticed the dent in the family fortune if they had. who have no regard for any kind of working people, and yet will attempt to throw you a bone, but only in the form of platitudes.

A friend said to me that they trust I voted labour, to which I said I did not, they immediately assumed I voted Tory and said how could I vote Tory, I've got no money already... long story short I didn't suddenly become poor in the last five years!

when you consider how actually, and morally bankrupt the labour party have become (and really lets stop saying that they are a party of the left because they really are not!) why aren't move people ashamed that they voted for labour?!

To end my rant, I'm also getting sick and tired of hearing on the news about Ed Millbands "Cerebral Socialism" and how as well as (according to Tony Blair) being too stupid to know what to vote for in a referendum over Europe, the labour party were too "intelligent" and "high brown" to get their message across to ordinary people.

Fantastic post notauniquename

I also found this graph on The Political Compass Showing how the 3 main parties have changed position over the years.
Massive difference between Labour in 1972 and the Labour Party now, also explains on the site why it's usually Labour supporters and not Tory that tend to go over to UKIP and the BNP etc.
Also very shocked by the BNPs position on the chart.
You can also do the quiz and see where your views fit in with political parties!
Sorry if you already know about this, but have just been looking through the site and found it so interesting so thought I'd share!

I am a foster carer with a disabled daughter whose condition is degenerating. I also live in an inner city area where the labour vote is weighed not counted. I was overwhelmingly happy when Tony Blair won in 1997. Non of this is relevant but I mention it to give some background to my views.

I voted for the Conservatives because of the amazing differences they have made for children in care, the 'staying put policy for care leavers' in particular. As far as my daughter is concerned PIPS is a big improvement on Invalidity as it is actually designed to help people with chronic conditions. My son can only afford to go to University because of the student loans, and because he can do maths he quickly worked out that the repayments on his loan are cheaper under the current system.

I look forward with interest to what the new Government does. Until the Labour Party actually listens to people rather than 'the left' shouting down all opposing opinions with comments like 'you're racist' or whatever insult is preferred, I can't see then forming another Government any time soon

I find it funny that people assume if you didn't vote tory you must've voted labour. It's not as though Labour is a left wing party either, just slightly more left than Conservatives. The only real left wing party around at the moment (in England) is the Green Party.

Great link Timri, thanks. As expected, it puts my polital leaning well and truly in Ghandi territory, in the "left libertarian quadrant of the political compass".

"I think there would be a real danger of large companies leaving...if they left it would be a lot grimmer"
In what way Shiny?

If big companies like Amazon left, imagine what might replace them. Smaller independents paying fair wages and taxes maybe? Even though these big corporations might leave, the market for the things they sell would continue to exist.

All of you people complaing about Amazon and Starbucks. Are you sure you aren't using them too? Some one is, their prices are very keen

Personally I think claiming that threads/posts are goady is just lazy bollocks 95% of the time and it's a convenient way to shut down any discussion you don't want to have, or a POV you just don't want to listen to.

Bloody amen to that.

And its always the same posters who cry 'goady' as well.

I have posted this article a few times now because for me it sums up how I feel about the left and I think its an important read, its from a poster in the news.

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/may/09/labour-left-miliband-hating-english

It could not because Labour’s leadership of former special advisers does not look like the people it wants to represent and does not look as if it likes the look of them either. In this, it is typical of the wider educated left in England, which almost alone in the world, makes a virtue of denigrating its own people.

The universities, left press, and the arts characterise the English middle-class as Mail-reading misers, who are sexist, racist and homophobic to boot. Meanwhile, they characterise the white working class as lardy Sun-reading slobs, who are, since you asked, also sexist, racist and homophobic. The national history is reduced to one long imperial crime, and the notion that the English are not such a bad bunch with many strong radical traditions worth preserving is rejected as risibly complacent. So tainted and untrustworthy are they that they must be told what they can say and how they should behave.

What truth there is in the caricature is lost amid the accompanying hypocrisy. The intellectual left deplores racism but uses “white” as an insult. It lambasts the sexism of the right, but stays silent as Labour candidates run meetings where Muslim women’s inferiority is confirmed by stewards who usher them into segregated seating .

Yessir, Hillingdon. I'm definitely not using them or any of their associated companies (eg. The Book Depository). Why would I when there are so many ethical alternatives? I'm sure you'll have an opinion about people like me, but there are a lot of people who do boycott these companies.

I don't buy Nestle products either. So shoot me.

Many people may not agree with me, but I genuinely feel like labour created a generation with no aspirations, indeed a welfare generation

I agree with poverty of aspiration but I feel rather than always lambasting benefits schools need to take responsibility, it is schools who hold our dc for 7 hours a day and have a chance to inspire them and help them reach their potential.

Before Amazon, I could never have afforded a new book. In Borders, they had special offers like buy one get half price.
I could never buy, still too expensive.
If you are cash strapped it is all very well having scruples, but needs must and I wanted a book at an affordable price.

Op I have voted labour all my adult life. So that's 33 years until last week.

I voted conservative as I had absolutely no trust in Ed Milliband and absolutely detest Ed balls. That slimey fucker caused havok in the Blaire/brown days and is a public disgrace.

Labour had no positive vision for people like me and dh who both run small businesses.

They can't be trusted on the economy. 'No more boom and bust* Gordon you idiot. No one over 40 could possibly belive that crap. Seen too many recessions. Amazed he did.

The recession caused the collapse of dhs business, he's now back on track, and both my sons with uni degrees now have good jobs.

Things were at last looking better for our family. Dd 3 has disability issues and has excellent help. My parents have both recently had excellent NHS experiences. Far far better than under the last administration.

We could not see how a labour/SNP coalition, and that's what it would have been, could possibly benefit our family or the country as a whole.

Labour have a huge climb to make themselves electable again.

They totally failed to take on board the concerns of people and I totally Blame them for the success of UKIP.