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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

How would you feel if your 16 year old DS wanted to become a 'young conservative'

721 replies

BigSandyBalls2015 · 03/10/2017 09:18

That is all!
Opinions please.

OP posts:
lettuceWrap · 03/10/2017 16:29

I'd look confused, then burst out laughing and say "Good one DC, you almost had me fooled for a moment."

If they were actually serious, I'd be quite disappointed (it's entirely DC's choice of course). My DM and DF on the other hand would be delighted Shock

Fekko · 03/10/2017 16:34

I'd ask about what he understood of their policies. And ask about the policies of other parties. And their respective track records (both not exactly brilliant on the delivery).

As long as it wasn't UKIP ffs.

milliemolliemou · 03/10/2017 16:35

Like other PPs I would be interested if my DCs decided to do something so active politically. I'd also ask them why. Our family wafts around floating. It is critical to engage, discuss and think. I would hate for them to be on any activist wing that hangs opposition parties in effigy (Manchester) or treats them like scum or bullies working volunteers (Tory activists last election).

@Jemima - the Tory party have had two female leaders. Harriet Harman was acting PM for a few months .. go figure. And I do remember when covering parliament most of the worst paid secretaries were Labour though some of the Tories were pretty mean. And one of the biggest property owners was one Michael Meacher. Though, granted, he didn't have a duck house in any of his 9 properties, or get funding to clear his moat.

@Derxa Try joining Momentum ... and leaving. Clearly activists of any party want to recruit, get you out on the street, stuffing envelopes, working your FB contacts, and contributing to campaigns. That's activism. Been there for charities. No one likes you to leave.

@makeourfuture the Tory party were not great re apartheid or juntas (thinking Margaret Thatcher) though a number spoke out a long time before 1990-4. Macmillan's Winds of Change speech in 1960 to the RSA parliament which reflected on the intention to back off colonialism and emphasised the rights of all people? However, it wasn't the Tories who took us into Iraq on meretricious information they spun to the Commons and to us. It's not the Tories (currently) accused of anti-semitism.

@DJBaggy Gordon Brown sold off our gold reserves before the gold price soared and went on a pension fund raid which meant a huge number of people decided they needed to invest in housing/second homes to give them any sort of return for their future. However, it was the Tories who snuck in the reforms that meant women born after 1952/3 could only get state pension at 67 - without letting them know via the tax system so they could protest and/or provide for themselves. Interestingly I can't remember any of the women's programmes/Money advice sites picking it up either.

Gordon Brown went wholescale with a Tory idea of PFIs for schools and hospitals which has crippled certain NHS trusts (can you believe a charity set up to fundraise to pay the interest charges for a new hospital built with PFI? ) Who introduced tuition fees (Brown)? who raised them (Osborne).

Clearly we all need to be more politically informed. I'd praise anyone who got seriously involved and didn't just tick boxes as an armchair warrior on social media. Demonising other people doesn't help. So I hope the OP is still talking to her DC.

topicOfTheDay · 03/10/2017 16:37

@CockacidalManiac

Nope.

topicOfTheDay · 03/10/2017 16:40

@SeekEveryEveryKnownHidingPlace

Nope.

Time, poster and post would of course prove you correct.

JoffreyBaratheon · 03/10/2017 16:40

I've always told my kids I'd only ever disown them for one thing - becoming tories.

It would be shameful, though. I'd keep quiet about it and hope they grew out of it. Sort of thing they might do to piss you off, but TBH none of my sons have been that dickish (so far). Even my rather pratty 17 year old has never, for one moment, thought of being right wing.

BertrandRussell · 03/10/2017 16:43

I apologise topic. You didn't use the expression "bigoted wank. Whatsthatcomingoverthehill did.

And I am quite happy with my grammar, thank you.

EnthusiasmIsDisturbed · 03/10/2017 16:47

I would be pleased he was showing an interest in politics

I would rather he was more the left in his political beliefs but it's down to him

I wouldn't be happy him supporting Labour while JC, JM and Momentum are controlling the party either

topicOfTheDay · 03/10/2017 16:50

"And I am quite happy with my grammar, thank you."

Awkward

Besides which, @whatsthat was misquoting me.

Going back to ignoring you now. My happy place.

SusanTheGentle · 03/10/2017 16:51

Apoloogies @topicOfTheDay, you didn't use the phrase bigoted wank, you were quoting someone else's phrase when you provided examples.

topicOfTheDay · 03/10/2017 16:54

@SusanTheGentle

It was @Bertrand who used it!

This is killing me softly

BertrandRussell · 03/10/2017 16:57

"It was @Bertrand who used it!"

No it wasn't!

catgirl1976 · 03/10/2017 16:59

I would be pleased he was interested in politics

I would want to know why he had aligned to the conservatives (and secretly assume it was his rebellion to piss off me and DH) and have a calm and thoughtful conversation, gently putting across some alternative views.

I'd then probably become a mad tory supporter, get a tattoo of Theresa May, decorate the house blue with tory flags and join him at rallies, singing pro-tory songs loudly and out of tune and inviting all his friends to a cringe inducing "Tory-fest" in our back garden until he packed it in.

SusanTheGentle · 03/10/2017 17:00

Actually, no, not that this is really the point of this thread, but it was actually Topic who used the phrase first: I've just searched back through the whole thing:

*topicOfTheDay Tue 03-Oct-17 11:34:50

I'd be delighted but point out that some bigotted wankers (so many examples even in this post) can't tolerate those with different opinions.

I'd be pleased that they were engaged in politics at a relatively young age and hope that they they could rise above and ignore those who don't have the mental faculties to cope or argue with opposing views.

I think that responses on this thread are a sad insight into the mind of many.*

Which was directly responded to by Seek

*SeekEveryEveryKnownHidingPlace Tue 03-Oct-17 11:36:51

I think quite a lot of us have said we'd keep on arguing, topic, rather than that we'd refuse to tolerate our children.

Which things on this thread to you think are examples of bigoted wank?*

SusanTheGentle · 03/10/2017 17:01

Sorry, giant blockquote fail Blush

Mrskeats · 03/10/2017 17:02

Like I'd failed

retreatwhispering · 03/10/2017 17:05

Secretly disappointed, as I could never bring myself to vote Tory and strongly disapprove of some of their policies. But I'd do my very, very best to hide it and would congratulate him on getting involved in politics. As long as it's mainstream politics and nothing extreme right or left it's none of my business.

Headofthehive55 · 03/10/2017 17:07

Why on Earth would you be unhappy that your child was expressing their views?
I don't think you should brainwash children into any political mantra - more discuss the nitty gritty of each policy. Otherwise it's about supporting one team rather than using it as a way of analysing policy and allowing freedom for them to actually like policies from both sides.

topicOfTheDay · 03/10/2017 17:07

Ah, it was seek then.

I wouldn't attempt to coin the derivative (zero or otherwise) of 'wank'.

Wankers, to use the common parlance, is fairly easy to defend. Numerous examples of people being wankers.

CalmanOnSpeeddial · 03/10/2017 17:11

Well presumably you’d be upset if your DC started supporting the BNP Head. Not all political thinking is better than nothing.

I personally am a wishy washy wet lefty and would be reasonably relaxed, and up for a bit of robust sharing of views, but there are people out there who sincerely believe that the policies of the Conservatives are deeply immoral and would be understandably upset.

AdoraBell · 03/10/2017 17:11

I would be glad they had an interest, also glad that interest was mainstream.

Fresh8008 · 03/10/2017 17:16

Its nice to know is growing up to be a responsible adult.

SusanTheGentle · 03/10/2017 17:21

It wasn't, Topic. Definitely you. Ctrl F each page and search for it until you find it: yours is the first post that mentions it, the italics were mine.

Firesuit · 03/10/2017 17:26

I'd be please he's not the sort of person who thinks half the people who support one of the two main parties are evil.

IckyPop · 03/10/2017 17:34

Gutted. He'd be disowned. Grin (I'm mostly joking!)