Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

462 replies

MrsDustyBusty · 09/06/2017 20:44

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?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
5
tabulahrasa · 09/06/2017 21:24

"I've heard of them, never really looked into it as they don't stand here or have any influence here."

They have MPs in the House of Commons and representatives in the House of Lords...how is that not influence?

HappyFlappy · 09/06/2017 21:25

We had the pirate party - they weren't as much fun as they sound

Another illusion shattered . . .

I was envisaging eyepatches and hook hands and parrots and three-cornered hays and cutlasses - and yet all they are worried about is getting free stuff. I feel cheated Sad

bluegreenyellow · 09/06/2017 21:27

floral there the one that was saying how clever they were and btw i know who the dup were but its kind of irrelevant if you live in england wales or scotland

SaucyJack · 09/06/2017 21:27

It isn't a question of basic voter competence if you cannot vote for them.

I know all about my local candidates who I did or didn't choose to vote for tho.

Vonklump · 09/06/2017 21:28

Apparently "Who is Nick Clegg," was a popular Google search last night and he was deputy PM within the last five years.

What's the next step up from shameful? Shocking?

Personally I find the term "filthy foreigner" offensive.

PickAChew · 09/06/2017 21:28

Haha!

When we had B;air standing in our constituency, we had one of those comedy voting papers that you just had to keep on unfolding!

To think that UK voters should be ashamed of their apathetic ignorance?
RufusTheRenegadeReindeer · 09/06/2017 21:29

I thought i had already heard the most twattish election comments today

But i think the OP mmmiiiiggght have just pipped it

Although all the bitching about the 'youth' voting wrong is an incredibly close second

LivLemler · 09/06/2017 21:29

YANBU OP. I can understand people not knowing about the DUP in detail, but the level of ignorance has surprised me. But, I don't know why, I'm constantly surprised at the ignorance some posters on here display about Ireland and Northern Ireland - and indeed the difference between the two. Have seen the DUP referred to as Irish many many times on here and elsewhere today, which is kinda hilarious.

Vonklump · 09/06/2017 21:30

It's only day one, Rufus. Hold onto the most twattish comments trophy for a few days longer. There's bound to be more.

HappyFlappy · 09/06/2017 21:30

Apparently "Who is Nick Clegg," was a popular Google search last night and he was deputy PM within the last five years

Looks like he won't make much more than a footnote in the history books, doesn't it.

I thought he was going to cry when he lost his seat. (Actually there were a few who looked close to tears - whether of disappointment, rage or frustration I wouldn't like to say . . . )

Fauchelevent · 09/06/2017 21:30

Lots of people were also asking what is a hung parliament last night but I didn't feel superior about it. People aged around 15/16 were watching intently all night but would have been 9 in 2010. Even current 18 year olds would have only been 11. Also many EU migrants who came in the past few years may have no idea.

DarthMaiden · 09/06/2017 21:31

@Mrsgrinch - I think you nailed it...

tabulahrasa · 09/06/2017 21:33

"but its kind of irrelevant if you live in england wales or scotland"

It's irrelevant who makes up our Parliament? Who votes on anything going through our parliament?

RufusTheRenegadeReindeer · 09/06/2017 21:34

vonk

Good point

I take it back mrsdusty but you are still in the running so don't give up hope

zoemaguire · 09/06/2017 21:34

"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."

EXACTLY this!

Vonklump · 09/06/2017 21:34

I thought (still think) he's fab.

People were also apparently looking at their ballot papers trying to find Corbyn and May's names.

Good job our children are better educated in current affairs than we were.

bluegreenyellow · 09/06/2017 21:37

Have seen the DUP referred to as Irish many many times on here and elsewhere today, which is kinda hilarious. err they are Irish the term Irish refers to the island of Ireland which they are from

PinkPeppers · 09/06/2017 21:38

Reactions on this thread interesting and not that surprising.

Tbh the not knowing about the DUP has more to do with the fact that NI is often treated as a spare thought and very few people on mainland UK actually knows about the politics of NI.

Is that sort of situation right? Nope
Should people be more aware of what is happening in their own country? Yes
But for that, we would also need a real acknowledgement that NI is actually part of the UK (by that I mean politically, in newspapers etc...). Funnily enough, I have asked my own teens dcs a few weeks ago if they felt that NI was part fo country and their answer was 'well no. Or yes it is but no its doesn't feel Iike this'.
This seems to be a recurring feeling in you g people which, IMO, says a lot about NI and we see it.
From that point, no wonder very few people know about the DUP, what they stand for, thier politics and their links with 'armed groups' terrorists?

CheeseQueen · 09/06/2017 21:39

Yes, YABU. It's a party I've never heard of before today, even though I do try and follow politics and take an interest in it/read all the newspapers/read all the manifestos.
It's a party that I've never come across before as it's never been a party that I'm able to vote for as I'm not in Ireland.
That doesn't make anyone stupid. What does make someone stupid is accusing of others of being stupid just because they're not automatically aware of every single thing out there that you yourself are.

PinkPeppers · 09/06/2017 21:39

but its kind of irrelevant if you live in england wales or scotland

That actually sums up how English people feel about NI TBH. Irrelevant.

FloralTribute · 09/06/2017 21:41

Of course it's not voter competence if you can't vote for the DUP, it's a matter of basic general knowledge! Since the London Bridge/Borough Market attacks, there have been loads of references online to the IRA, and virtually the entire internet claims to have narrowly missed an IRA bomb, but it's rapidly becoming clear that the majority of these people (who, by their own account, had person knowledge of republican paramilitary activity) didn't know unionists existed at all, and to have believed nationalists didn't have any opposition other than the British Army and the bit of the BBC that banned Gerry Adams' voice.Hmm

PinkPeppers · 09/06/2017 21:41

Please, could we remember that the DUP is in Northern Ireland, not in Ireland (which is the Republic of Ireland)?

IReland (as in ROI) is a different country and not part of the UK. Just saying Wink

CheeseQueen · 09/06/2017 21:43

Fair enough if you are under 30, at a pinch, but were all the over-30s fast asleep during the 1980s and 90s?
I was ages 3 - 12 throughout the 1980's so funnily enough I wasn't paying too much attention to Northern Ireland politics and what parties they had.
Probably too busy watching Fraggle Rock, playing out on my bike/building dens with friends in our gardens etc to be poring over the manifestos and the ins and outs of the DUP party.

NameChanger22 · 09/06/2017 21:44

I don't have any knowledge of Ireland or Irish politics because it's never interested me, I've never been there and I don't know any Irish people. That doesn't mean I don't know lots about lots of other things.

I'm sure I could pick a topic you know nothing about OP.

bluegreenyellow · 09/06/2017 21:44

'That actually sums up how English people feel about NI TBH. Irrelevant.'no just that the only effect people have is at elections and if you live in any of these countries (no idea why you singled out england)you have no option to vote based on northern irish policies you can be very informed or not very informed about northern Irish politics however your not going to be able to affect it as you cant vote there.