To think I can vote for who I fucking well like, and my DM has no right to try and tell me otherwise?

[Runny]

So today I announced my intention to vote Labour and to cut a very long story short DM has gone apeshit with me. Apparently us 'youngsters' have never lived under a proper Labour government, because Tony Blair wasn't a proper Labour PM so doesn't count, but Jeremy Corbyn is a 'communist' and if he gets in next week 'I'll never know hardship like it because I wasn't around in the 70's when there was no electricity and everyone was on strike and there was rubbish and dead bodies piled up in the street'.

That was the basic jist of her rant, it really did sound like that and she is genuniely both offended and horrified that I would dare to support Labour. Ive thought long and hard about who to vote for, and the Labour Party have always been the party I've best identified with. So it's a no brainer really.

I should say she has issues around control, and has always had a problem with me expressing an opinion, unless it's the same as her own so I shouldn't be surprised really. I've sat on the fence for years but wasn't expecting this, I have to say I'm feeling secretly quite pleased with myself for being honestl

I haven't dared tell her that DB is voting Labour as well. She'll probably combust. The best thing is last week she had a rant when my DF told her that the very first time he voted his parents joked they'd chuck him out unless he voted Labour, he didn't and they didn't chuck him out but she went mad saying parents nad no right to tell their kids who to vote for!

She's out of order. Isn't she?

It's quite normal amongst my friends and relatives to discuss our political leanings in a respectful way. The only people I refuse any political conversation with his my fil & mil, they seem to take personal offence if you don't agree with them. Their children and me learnt the lesson over Brexit

What is now called Tax Credits was called Family Income Supplement in the 1970s. It was introduced by Edward Heath.

The OP's mother won't be paying the dementia tax - the OP will be paying that unless her DM has decided to disinherit her.

Remind me who it was that sold off all the council housing at discount prices and didn't replenish the stock? And why we might be in the midst of a housing crisis today?

There was no need for housing benefit in the 70s because there was ample, affordable council housing.

There were unwaged households in the 1970, the disabled, single parents with young children etc. However, the working could afford to pay their rent or mortgages, usually on one income.

She cannot go into the booth with you. Vote exactly how you intent to and refuse to discuss it with anyone. :)

Wtaf were you thinking "announcing your decision"
If you clearly know your mother hates labour, why would you antagonise her by making this announcement that was completely unnecessary.
Vote how you like but no need for theatrics!

This odd precisely why voting in this country and many more around the world is done by secret ballot.

Don't tell her, and just vote for whoever you want to. She cannot dictate, and I would hope that she realises that, even if she does still make digs.

If she asks after the election then perhaps tell her you voted Monster Raving Loony.

What is now called Tax Credits was called Family Income Supplement in the 1970s. It was introduced by Edward Heath.

While FIS could be paid to those in work, in theory, it was almost exclusively claimed by those out of work because the income threshold was so low and employers were still used to paying a living wage.

'Well to be honest, she's trampled all over my feelings and opinions all my life'

Sounds like who you vote for is the least of your problems.

I'm amazed that so few of you discuss politics with your families, what do you talk about around the dinner table?

...and if he gets in next week 'I'll never know hardship like it because I wasn't around in the 70's when there was no electricity and everyone was on strike and there was rubbish and dead bodies piled up in the street'.

I had exactly the same speech from my boss in 1997 when Labour won the election, funnily enough. She was "just you wait and see!" It didn't come to pass, of course - and I bet she (my boss) is saying the exact same as your DM this time round.

Ignore, it's your vote.

YANBU
What about Thatcherism ?

Yes remember the Strike 70's all too well. Pity that the younger generation couldn't witness what was going on back then.

Thank god Thatcher did come to power when she did!

Yabu. It's crap to wind someone up about your voting intent

I always lie when people ask me who I'm voting for, and never volunteer the information.

We discuss loads of stuff around the dinner table. Jobs, where we've been, the family, the DC and what they have been doing. School, university, books we have read, stuff we have watched on the TV, the food. Just normal stuff. I don't want to discuss who I am voting for with them.

If you want to start a thread about a controlling mother, do so. Don't dress it up in a politics costume because it's flavour of the week. It's transparent.

I don't discuss politics with certain people - people who I know have polar opposite views to me - it gets heated too easily.

I did once do an face to a colleague of mine when he professed an admiration of Thatcher. I said " but you can't - she's from the Dark Side." He laughed because he was a Star Wars fan - but how can you not see the parallels between right wing politics and all the baddies in films and stories we've been brought up with? Star Wars, Harry Potter and so on? It always surprises me.

I have always been a Labour voter, but have voted Tory the last twice because I was close to one part of government in the Brown days and was horrified at the lack of control over their spending.
I won't vote Tory again, it's time for some compassion but I can't stand the sanctimoniousness of my Facebook feed full of people telling me that if you don't vote Labour you are no better than a child killer. I also discovered the other day that my left wing father admitted to my DP after a lot of beers that although he felt like a Labour supporter, he always found himself ticking the blue when he got to the ballot box. It felt like Maggie had joined a picket line.
So really, it's none of anyone's fucking business, almost people will lie unless they happen to be in a social group with the same voting leanings, and quite frankly, the point of democracy is that you can vote for anyone you freaking like, and no-one will know.

A three day week sounds fricking brilliant, I'm all in. I wouldn't have much money but I've got an awful lot of wool that needs knitting and we've got a lot of dvds if we can't stretch to Netflix. Of course I won't be voting Tory and Corbyn will hopefully protect workers rights without the need for all those strikes.

You will find living with it "Interesting" and maybe "Challenging". Good luck poster. I am much older than you.

Do we have the same mother OP!!?

It's annoying isn't it!? Mine said almost the same, but also reminded me I have a duty to vote Con to ensure they don't end up paying more tax. Never mind about me or my tax!

I was being sarcastic, Sock orphanage. Because it's clearly not going to happen even if Corbyn does get in and in any case when it did happen in the 70s it was under Heath's Tory government.

I was in my mid to late teens in the early 70s and my father was disabled so we were bloody hard up. As been pointed out, the 3 day week was introduced by the Tories, I don't remember rubbish collections being much worse than it is now in some areas where collections are fortnightly (I.e. I certainly never saw any rats) and there were NO dead bodies in the streets although gravediggers in, I believe, two cities (London being one) went on strike for a few weeks so funerals were delayed.

Your mother is scaremongering by suggesting it would be like that. She's entitled to vote as she wishes but so are you. Why shouldn't you vote for a different party if you wish.