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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to not understand why "normal" people vote Tory?

999 replies

olddogsnewtricks · 18/04/2017 15:37

OK, so I'll probably get flamed for this but am genuinely interested! All the people I know who vote Tory are pretty well off so use private schools and healthcare. As a family we need the NHS and we need a good education system - and I can't see them getting any better under the Tories. Are these just not priorities for Tory voters or do they really believe they will improve even with a Conservative government?

OP posts:
lottieandmia · 20/04/2017 12:50

' The fact is, lots simply don't want to work or do more than the token number of hours needed to net the most money from the state. People either have a work ethic or they don't.'

Evidence for this please? Where is the evidence many people only want to work token hours. What about people who can't get the hours they need??

upperlimit · 20/04/2017 13:02

Evidence-schmevidence: bold rhetoric is where it's at.

Justanotherlurker · 20/04/2017 13:12

Evidence for this please? Where is the evidence many people only want to work token hours. What about people who can't get the hours they need??

Do you have evidence that people cannot get the hours they need?

Devilishpyjamas · 20/04/2017 13:51

Just google 'zero hours contracts' justanotherlurker

RufusTheRenegadeReindeer · 20/04/2017 13:56

Our part time hours have been reduced at work

RufusTheRenegadeReindeer · 20/04/2017 13:56

So there will be a few people trying to find a new job in a different job market

Already doing minimum wage shop work

chilipepper20 · 20/04/2017 14:22

if you live in London, I don't think 70k buys you much in the way of housing.

It seems like if you are "rich", you shouldn't be locked out of living in much of the largest city.

JanetBrown2015 · 20/04/2017 14:27

Evidence that people want to work less - whole of human history obviously plus hundreds of mumsnet threads about women wanting flexi time and part time hours.

£70k is just under £50k or more like £3500 a month after your 9% student loan tax comes off. £3500: £1300 probably rents you a one bed flat pre babies in London. My son lets his house (at very end of a tube line) for £1000 a month to a young couple, no children so that's £500 a month rent each. As soon as babies come into things thoug life gets very expensive even on £3500 net a month which Labour thinks makes you "rich".

SO many people are annoyed about the £70k statement we Tories are absolutely delighted. We hardly need to have an election campaign - Labour will win it for the Tories although never be complacent. I hope every mumsnetter votes whatever that might be for.

Justanotherlurker · 20/04/2017 14:30

'zero hours contracts'

I thought thats what would come up, doesn't really hold up to be a major significance though:

The number of people employed on “zero-hours contracts” in their main job, according to the LFS, during October to December 2016 was 905,000, representing 2.8% of all people in employment.

Around 1 in 3 people (32%) on a “zero-hours contract” want more hours, with most wanting them in their current job, as opposed to a different job that offers more hours. In comparison, 9% of other people in employment wanted more hours.

I in 3 are happy with the hours they work, so 2 3rds are happy with working around 25 hours ?

It doesn't negate the point that lottieandmia was responding to, companies and employees exploited the limit of tax credits and hours worked, it isn't a slur to suggest this.

Believeitornot · 20/04/2017 14:31

SO many people are annoyed about the £70k statement

Well the issue is that most people don't have an idea what it is like to live on £70k. Because most people earn a lot less. Those that do live on £70k are probably over mortgaged and feel that they should have better lives.

I would earn £80k if I worked full time (I don't need to so don't). It's plenty. I used to live in London and as long as we weren't too ambitious, it was plenty.

I read a really good book about people's perceptions of earnings. It was an eye opener. Made you realise that the rich have no clue what it's like to live on a median income and those who classify as "rich" honestly don't see that they are rich.

We all need a reality check.

Believeitornot · 20/04/2017 14:32

Evidence that people want to work less - whole of human history obviously plus hundreds of mumsnet threads about women wanting flexi time and part time hours

Because they have lives to balance that's why Hmm not because they're lazy Hmm

lottieandmia · 20/04/2017 14:36

It's incredibly crass for anyone to say that £70k is not a high wage. Of course it is even compared with the national average in London.

scaryclown · 20/04/2017 14:39

If it's not such a high wage, maybe all those people on it will start advocating their companies pay it to their junior workers? 'not much' works both ways.

scaryclown · 20/04/2017 14:41

Working for higher salaries doesn't mean working more in anyone's imagination. I know plenty of people on £30,000 or more who have two meetings a day and go home at 4.30

Silly.

nothercupoftea · 20/04/2017 14:44

It's incredibly crass for anyone to say that £70k is not a high wage.

How can it be high when it doesn't allow you to buy an average size home? Too much to be entitled to any help, enough to pay the highest tax rate, but not enough to have an average life-style, not desert-island/ private jet luxury, just to afford a home to live in?
How is that high?

People who are always moaning that they live on a lot less conveniently forget how much help they get, and how much disposable income they actually have.

KathArtic · 20/04/2017 14:47

You don't need evidence - it's peoples perceptions. People think there are benefit cheats - even though the number prosecuted is low there are cheats out there and people know that. They work up to the maximum/minimum to claim the most in benefits.

Justanotherlurker · 20/04/2017 14:55

You don't need evidence - it's peoples perceptions. People think there are benefit cheats - even though the number prosecuted is low there are cheats out there and people know that. They work up to the maximum/minimum to claim the most in benefits.

Trying to suggest it is all one sided is, in it self an ironic perception....

InfiniteSheldon · 20/04/2017 15:04

70k is more than twice the average wage if you earn that then you are twice as well off as the average working person. It's not rocket science you are rich. If you don't define yourself as such fine but you are nevertheless. If you don't feel rich try living on national average wage or less for a year you will change your mind pretty quicly

RufusTheRenegadeReindeer · 20/04/2017 15:07

So its rich or poor

There must be more of a graduation than that surely

AvonBarksdale99 · 20/04/2017 15:07

There's no point in including 'evidence' for anything; people will stick to what they feel is right, very few people are actually open-minded and then assume a stance when they've carefully studied all the evidence.

Things like 'benefit scroungers' are a case in point: I've never met someone who talks about them who actually has the figures of how many people falsely claim benefits, and how much it costs the country.

RufusTheRenegadeReindeer · 20/04/2017 15:09

And as long as the definitions are agreed i am happy for any wage to be 'rich'

So we can say 70k is rich

Over 100k is really rich

Over 200k is really really rich

Over 500k is super rich

Etc

But i honestly dont get how 70k to 4 million is rich ...thats huge!!!

pushingthroughcracks · 20/04/2017 15:10

Why would you put in more hours and be worse off?

That isn't having a poor work ethic, it's common sense. Unfortunately, Labour made this socially acceptable.

nothercupoftea · 20/04/2017 15:24

You could argue that the average wage in this country is rich, after all, with free health care, free education, pension and so on, you are more than comfortable, aren't you?

It's just a bit simple to assume that someone earning a little bit more than you is "rich".

misspriggy · 20/04/2017 15:38

'Normal' people..What a revolting thing to say! Imagine if I said that on a thread about transgenderism? Shame on you, you horrid person!

Enidblyton1 · 20/04/2017 15:45

Well there isn't any viable alternative to Tory at the moment.
Labour needs to get rid of JC as soon as possible and rebuild their opposition. We can't vote for a disintegrated party.

Perhaps it depends where you live in the country. Our state schools are brilliant here. I may feel differently if I lived in an area with poor schools. I can't afford private health care, but touchwood have only had brilliant service from the NHS. I see no evidence at all that a Labour government would improve health or education (or anything else). They need to prove their worth in opposition before I would ever vote for them.