How do people keep voting in the tories?

[chaosmaker]

I'd love it if tory voters could say why they vote the way they do given that there's ample evidence for how utterly incompetent they are (11 years). Especially in the last election. With that not-fit-for-purpose idiot in charge - edited by MNHQ
I also keep writing to my MP saying that if they are going to pretend we have democracy then they need to scrap FPTP.

AIBU that we should allow people with no sense to vote or
AINBU am I right in that people should have to factor history and rare sense into their decision making?

I don’t think either option is very good. At the moment, personally, the Tories represent a better offer for me, so that’s where my vote goes - just as people who feel Labour represents a better offer for them will vote Labour. The Tories are at least giving a demonstration of how they’ll govern. With Labour I can only take a guess, and nothing they say inspires me to think it will be an improvement.

Because Labour have lost touch with actual working class voters - they're basically a Westminster left-wing elite echo chamber. The people they represent don't support gender self-ID, or any of Labour's other woke policies - they want work that pays a living wage, law and order, an end to gang crime, better education for poorer kids.

@Itsnotover

Because they don’t read manifestos.

To see what each party has to offer - like the free broadband Corbyn was offering?

There's no one else to vote for OP.

Labour are a pathetic joke. I think if there were a half decent opposition party, then people would vote for them. I know I would.

But as it stands I'd currently vote Tory as anything is better than Labour!

If it was still around today I would probably align myself with New Labour but the last few elections I have voted Tory. Whilst there's a lot i don't agree with from the Tories, Labour have even more issues. some major ones being:

• antisemitism. This is not just a media stir up or a recent issue. My FIL used to be a big Labour supporter in the 80s but left due to experiencing antisemitism from many of the members who now are in positions of authority in the party. During the last election myself and many friends were considering options for moving to other countries if Corbyn won. there was a real fear amongst the Jewish community.
• many of their policies are just completely unworkable
• others just involve taxing businesses which will likely just ruin businesses.
• they've proved in the past to just throw away money and leaving the country bankrupt.
• They give no support or encouragement to people who want to work hard and earn money instead they berate them and make them the bad guys
• They are completely disorganised and too much in fighting. they don't even know how to manage their own party let alone a country in crisis.
• Their policies have become extremely left wing, bordering on communist.

Many many reasons. As said don't like the Tories but find them a tiny bit more tolerable than the current Labour party. Bring back a decent leader and more middle ground policies and I will vote for Labour again. Sadly I can't see that happening anytime soon.

And also "we should stop people voting if we don't agree with the way they vote" omg. what a statement. I don't always agree with the way they voted but i will defend people's right to vote no matter what.

And even without FPTP the Tories still had the majority last election. And we had a vote on getting rid of FPTP a few years ago. it failed.

Over 10 Years - just feels like 20!

Fundamentally, because they don't care about the consequences of their actions on the less fortunate members of society and they think all immigrants are evil, grasping, subhuman monsters. (I often wonder, under this lot, what would have happened to World War Two refugees seeking sanctuary from the Nazis. I can see the likes of Farage foaming at the mouth and whipping up hysteria and hatred even now.)

Because people have short memories. Eighteen years of Thatcherism it took last time, before they were kicked out (and then it was for a centre left Tory lite party - though I'd go back to those years in a heartbeat).

Because their parents always voted Tory - mother's excuse. Right up until the Poll Tax she was a devout Tory, which given our living circumstances and social position, made exactly zero sense.

Because they've been "brought up that way" (a reason given only this week by a Tory farmer in North Shropshire).

Because they're okay with sleaze, corruption, lying on an international scale, and making England (in particular) a laughing stock overseas. Plus they're just fine with what's left of the UK (or England, anyway - there's still hope for Ireland and Scotland and maybe even Wales) being sold off to American, Chinese and Russian capitalists. That includes the NHS being dismantled, education policies being dictated by Gove and his mates (I know he's not education secretary currently but he did a whole heap of damage when he was).

Then there's the whole regional unfairness of the Social Care bill and the right to protest gradually being eroded, and the Human Rights Act being dismantled. (Anyone who doesn't believe this is happening might like to read a few news sources that aren't the BBC, the Sun, the Express, the Telegraph, or the Daily Mail.) Terribly convenient, all these smokescreens about Peppa Pig and Downing Street Christmas Parties a year ago and the amazingly timed new Covid variant. (No, I'm not an anti-vaxxer. Yes, I believe the virus is real. But some of the timings are very, very convenient. Anyone but me wondering where that recent death that occured in someone with the new variant was? Just a county will do.)

Because some of them are filthy rich and will never suffer enough financial or material loss in this lifetime to make them understand what they've done. And those who aren't filthy rich are often on nice comfy final salary pensions and haven't had to face reality since the early 1990s or even before. Though with the cost of living increases heading our way next year who knows, maybe even they'll start realising they're not untouchable.

Because some parts of the country are suffering from Stockholm Syndrome on a mass scale. (So, Red Wall, how's that Levelling Up thing working out for you right now?!)

Because they're brainwashed by the mainstream media and critical thinking is not taught in our education system.

Because they lack the ability to think through the logical consequences of Tory/coalition policies. What we're living through now is a direct result of decisions taken in 2010-11. What we face in 2030 will be a direct result of decisions taken and legislation created now, and much of it doesn't look pretty, at least for England.

And sadly, because we don't have PR in the UK and we currently lack an effective opposition.

I don't think Labour is perfect, by any means. If I voted with my heart (and the fact that I still care, despite everything, about the future of this insane species I apparently belong to), I'd vote Green. But in the circumstances, I'll vote pragmatically for whoever has the best chance, locally, of getting the Tories out. (Despite living in a constituency where a Beach Donkey with a blue rosette would get elected by most of the population I live in hope that demographics and the laws of physics may change that at some point.)

Oh, yeah, and obviously Corbyn was the AntiChrist who would have destroyed the country.

NB I still voted Labour at the last election (indeed, all my life), because Boris and his mates are liars, charlatans and don't give a shit about anything more than themselves and their own power. However, I did it through gritted teeth. I can't think who I'll vote for next time.

I don't vote Tory but understand why others do. I think the main reasons are:

1. Labor are useless, and there are no other parties who could conceivably run the country.

1. Preference for the Tory economic policy (broadly: focusing on allowing free market trade in the private sector, focusing on allowing the UK services industry to thrive, lowish taxation).

1. Always voted Tory. Not going to change life long voting commitments.

oh and the last election obv Brexit was a bit deciding factor. I didn't agree with Brexit but thought it better for the country to get on with it if we were gonna do it than the Labour policy of "oh let's continue thinking about it more for a few more years"

How about we take it one step further OP and allow only those with a degree to vote? Or maybe a minimum number of UCAS points? Or maybe an IQ test?

@OhPeeQueue

Can Andy Burnham or Sadiq Khan ever become Labour leaders?

I do hope so. I'm sick of people blaming those who are at the bottom of society for all our ills. It isn't the desperate asylum seekers or benefits claimants who are fraudulent it's the fat cat business leaders who evade tax. There's actually a few of them in my family (gambling industry). Wide boys done "good" who see everyone else as there to be exploited. I've heard them say that DS will become a "loser" for becoming a nurse when he could have set up his own business. Just horrible. Unfortunately, in this shallow world, people have more respect for wealth than kindness.

@Animood

I don't vote Tory but understand why others do. I think the main reasons are:

1. Labor are useless, and there are no other parties who could conceivably run the country.

1. Preference for the Tory economic policy (broadly: focusing on allowing free market trade in the private sector, focusing on allowing the UK services industry to thrive, lowish taxation).

1. Always voted Tory. Not going to change life long voting commitments.

Oh and 4. Brexit

FPTP should definitely be scrapped but I can't see it happening.

Because we live in wales with an incompetent labour Welsh assembly. Where our NHS is worse than England.

This again?

The Tories are the only party that knows what a woman is. Until that situation changes there is literally no viable alternative.

because shockingly all of the other parties are even worse. You wouldn't think that was even possible but it is.

Life long labour voter and also believe Corbyn lost labour the last election.
Most people I know who vote Tory do so because they think they will provide a better life for them personally (lower taxes etc ) and aren't so reliant on state funding. People I know who vote Labour tend to be thinking more of everyone, not just those who can afford private healthcare and private education. I will be gobsmacked if people continue to vote Tory after this fiasco.

The Tories can rob the country blind in broad daylight giving contracts to their pals and English people will still vote for them.

So glad I'm in Scotland.

@Classica

English people are at heart conservative, and very much still in thrall to a public school accent. They think these people are their betters so they do the modern version of tugging the forelock: putting an X next to their name on the ballot paper.

They're actually not.

The tories got 43% of the vote at the last election. Thats means 57% went to lab, lib dems, SNP, greens and minority parties.

The problem is FPTP voting system.

It was one of the worries of the Ancient Greeks that universal enfranchisement would lead to populist politicians. The story is even played out in one of Aesops Fables.
The Greeks believed that most people were not educated or informed enough to vote in wise leaders.
This has largely held to be true. People will not vote for a leader who appears 'boring' or lacks charisma. People don't read manifestos (not that it matters as they are rarely held to them).
The Tories are a centre ground party now, though. As are Labour, who have no where else to go. The Tories will get rid of Boris when he is no longer personally polling well. Probably replace him with someone who does poll well, like Liz Truss.

What alternative do you have if your not a complete socialist or far left.

Labour -Stammer and Co are terrible and totally unelectable (Many are foul mouthed or totally out of touch with a majority of the country outside of London. They also jump on every bandwagon going virtue signalling, there is a huge undercurrent of silent majority in this country that they constantly ignore and it always shows).

Libdems - Are just a protest party at most with back stabbing and sniping from the side-lines, another unelectable party.

Greenparty - again another very poor party with little support and live in a Champaign bubble of virtue signalling.

Unfortunately the Tories get voted as they are seen as the worst of a bad bunch, but even now virtually every one I speak to in the real world no on SM (where the minority rule) feel as though they now have no party to vote for its not good.

Bells3032

That was what it was like under corbyn.

Starmer is dealing with those issues though - and to read social media - his labour party is considered nearly as right as Camerons tories by the corbyn fanatics!

Overall though I think the misuse of public funds by the tories giving it to their mates is a bigger scandal and problem.

I don't think Labour is perfect, by any means. If I voted with my heart (and the fact that I still care, despite everything, about the future of this insane species I apparently belong to), I'd vote Green. But in the circumstances, I'll vote pragmatically for whoever has the best chance, locally, of getting the Tories out. (Despite living in a constituency where a Beach Donkey with a blue rosette would get elected by most of the population I live in hope that demographics and the laws of physics may change that at some point.)

Same here. I live in a constituency where the only way to avoid a Tory MP is to vote Labour. The other parties are nowhere. We currently have a Labour Senedd Member and Labour MP so I’m obviously not the only one to think like this.