To think that UK voters should be ashamed of their apathetic ignorance?

[MrsDustyBusty]

Never heard of the DUP before today? Really, it's embarrassing.

Yet so many posters don't seem to find it that way. I'm a filthy foreigner and I literally know more about UK politics than many posters here.

AIBU to think that's really shameful?

Nope, no idea who do DUP were. I'd heard of Sinn Fein but not the DUP. Now that I do know about them, I wish I didn't.

My DP had never heard of them either and he's 45yo
I have vaguely heard of them and vaguely knew what they stood for but I couldn't tell you the name of the leader of the DUP

I think the matter is complicated by the fact that the majority of the electorate can't actually vote for the DUP. If they were fielding candidates across the UK, I would like to think it would be a different story.

For example I only discovered Elmo, Lord Buckethead and a man dressed as a Fishfinger stood this morning because I couldn't vote for any of them.

(and yes, I knew about the DUP before yesterday. My MiL grew up not far from Arlene Foster).

OP - give me a quick run down of a party - how about ""Space Navies Party""? Seeing as you know about all the parties standing.

Alliance - Alliance Party of Northern Ireland (18)
Alliance For Green Socialism (3)
Animal Welfare Party (4)
Apolitical Democrats (1)
Ashfield Independents (1)
Better for Bradford (1)
Blue Revolution (1)
British National Party (10)
Christian Party "Proclaiming Christ's Lordship" (2)
Christian Peoples Alliance (31)
Church of the Militant Elvis (1)
Citizens Independent Social Thought Alliance (1)
Common Good (1)
Communist League Election Campaign (2)
Compass Party (1)
Concordia (1)
Conservative Party (638)
Democratic Unionist Party - D.U.P. (17)
Demos Direct Initiative Party (1)
English Democrats (7)
Friends Party (3)
Greater Manchester Homeless Voice (1)
Green Party (465)
Humanity (1)
Independent (187)
Independent Save Withybush Save Lives (1)
Independent Sovereign Democratic Britain (1)
Labour and Co-operative Party (50)
Labour Party (581)
Liberal Democrats (629)
Libertarian Party (4)
Money Free Party (1)
Movement for Active Democracy (M.A.D.) (1)
National Health Action Party (5)
North of England Community Alliance (1)
Official Monster Raving Loony Party (12)
Open Borders Party (1)
Patria (1)
People Before Profit Alliance (2)
Pirate Party UK (10)
Plaid Cymru - The Party of Wales (39)
Populist Party (1)
Rebooting Democracy (1)
Scotland's Independence Referendum Party (1)
Scottish Green Party (3)
Scottish National Party (SNP) (59)
SDLP (Social Democratic & Labour Party) (18)
Sinn Féin (18)
Social Democratic Party (6)
Socialist Labour Party (3)
Something New (2)
Southampton Independents (1)
Southend Independent Association (1)
Space Navies Party (1)
Speaker seeking re-election (1)
The Just Political Party (1)
The Justice & Anti-Corruption Party (3)
The Liberal Party (4)T
The New Society of Worth (1)
The North East Party (1)
The Peace Party - Non-violence, Justice, Environment (2)
The Radical Party (1)
The Realists' Party (1)
The Socialist Party of Great Britain (3)
The Workers Party (2)
The Yorkshire Party (21)
Traditional Unionist Voice - TUV (1)
UK Independence Party (UKIP) (378)
Ulster Unionist Party (14)
War Veteran's Pro-Traditional Family Party (1)
Wessex Regionalists (1)
Women's Equality Party (7)
Workers Revolutionary Party (5)
Young People's Party YPP (3)

as you are so clever about politics answer these questions

1. Who gave up the title of Viscount Stansgate to remain an MP?

Name the 1992 Tory Party Chairman who lost his seat in Bath?
At the 1992 general election, the number of MPs rose from 650 to 651. Which city was allocated an extra MP?
What was Norman Tebbitt?s job before entering The Houses of Parliament?

Who became deputy Labour Leader after the 1992 General Election?

Which former MP won gold medals at the 1980 and 1984 Olympics?

. Which former cabinet member campaigned for the Royals to move out of Buckingham Palace?

I know only a little bit about NI politics and have been trying to educate myself over the years. My mum taught me age appropriate things about the troubles but I am still not as informed as I would like (so if anyone has good book recommendations or sites then I'd love that)

Today was part of that education. I didn't know a lot about the DUP. Therefore, I submit my poll card, voter registration, passport and birth certificate to the shredder. I am a disgrace. I did not take the time to learn everything about a party I cannot vote for. In fact only today did I learn Sinn Fein means Ourselves. Shocking voter apathy on my behalf.

...

Pirate Party UK (10) ... I want know all about them.

Which country are you from OP? There is voting ignorance everywhere....look how many votes Trump got?

StillDrivingMeBonkers in one gutted I had nothing so interesting. Labour, Conservative, Lib Dem and Green. I want the pirate party!!

Do you think that there's any defense for an adult, literate person with Internet access to not even know which parties are standing for election to their own parliament?

Well, they weren't standing for election in my constituency. Or any of the local ones. Or the newly local ones. I understood the choices I had to make. It's shameful you don't understand the very basics of uk
Voting.

You make a sweeping statement about people in the UK being ignorant.

Yet seem to have been subject to sweeping statements yourself by referring to yourself as a filthy foreigner.

But then maybe I am ignorant, when I went to vote yesterday I saw a party I'd never heard of before. Elvis and the Yeti Himalayan Preservation.

The Pirate Party doesn't seem to be nearly as exciting as it sounds. Not as exciting as Lord Buckethead anyway.

YANBU, I'm genuinely shocked today how many people seem to have not known who DUP were.

They've had MP's in parliament for nearly 40 years, their support for the tories was covered a lot during the last two elections because of the coalition and expected coalition... but people don't know about them? How is that even possible?

I knew fine who the DUP were. I think your thread title and comments are unnecessarily insulting, but I agree with your basic sentiment.

SoupDragon this is disappointing to hear.

I want ....... Church of the Militant Elvis party

I need this thing in my life NOW!!!!

blue, this isn't Trivial Pursuit, for heaven's sake . The DUP was founded at the height of the Troubles, was a major player in loyalist opposition to any attempts to resolve the conflict that involved power-sharing with or concessions to nationalists, and campaigned vociferously against the Anglo-Irish Agreement and the Good Friday Agreement. It's change of heart was what allowed a form of power-sharing devolved government with SF in 2006. Not knowing who the DUP are is hardly the same as not knowing Norman Tebbit was a pilot!

I'm not from Scotland, say, but if it was still reeling from the fallout of decades of a murderous sectarian civil war that extended well into my lifetime, and involved bombing campaigns in neighbouring countries, I'd know who the main players were.

I've heard of them, never really looked into it as they don't stand here or have any influence here. Hopefully still bloody well won't.

Good for you DustyBusty

I know exactly who they are but do my best to ignore them. I also try not to talk about them to friends who don't live in NI as they make the whole country sound backward.......

Haha!!

We had the pirate party - they weren't as much fun as they sound - they're all about free speech, encryption and the abolition of copyright.

It is a bit shameful that so many Brits know so little about the Northern Irish political scene.

But on the other hand, given the number of people who go into polling booths in Birmingham and say "why isn't Theresa May/Jeremy Corbyn on the ballot paper, I was going to vote for him/her", and the huge number who don't know the name of their MP, then ignorance about several small parties which they can't vote for and who are never on the news unless something's gone disastrously wrong (and not always even then) is the least of our problems.

Watching Pointless is particularly eye-opening on the subject of just how low the average level of political knowledge is.

I heard of them and knew who their leader was and about the fuel scheme scandal. Didn't know much about their politics other than that they are unionist and why would I? They don't stand where I vote. I don't know much about Plaid policy either. Of course I'm going to be much more familiar with and motivated to know more about the parties standing where I actually live and vote.

What am odd post.