In what ways has 12 years of tory rule impacted you as a woman

[SuspiciousHedgehog]

I would like responses detailing how you feel that the last 12 years of economic policy has affected you in ways that are unique or much more likely due to your sex.

Good and bad, please

I know Labour supporters only want one post that fits what they think, but tough really people can answer their reality.

Every day I see a message on Facebook that my local A&E is at capacity and only attend if it's life or death.

Can barely afford to work due to childcare costs. Can't afford not to work.

My child's school is having to fundraise for basic things they should be able to afford from the school budget.

There have been a lot of questioning posts like this recently.
The cynic in me wonders if it is Tory researchers finding out why they are so low in public opinion.
I do think that ship has sailed though.
I just cant forgive the falling standards in living, social decline, knife crime, lack of aspiration, lack of hope.
The divide is just too big now and the people impacted in the next 2 years may end up in a poverty cycle that they may find it impossible to escape.

Could equally be a Labour researcher…

It has affected me in that I earned too much to get child benefit.

It has affected all our daughters but sons too in relation to university tuition fees. And of course, a hard Brexit damaging their rights to live, study and work overseas.

Otherwise, I just hope I don't get ill and need an ambulance. But that also affects all of us, not just women.

I'm a primary school teacher, a sector dominated by women, and the workload and stress levels are ten times worse than they were before the current government came in to power. I've had my own DC start school in that time and the system for children is terrible in terms of access to good teachers.

Could be, but they are not desperate to stay in power are they?
Tories know they will be toast in 2 years so maybe finally after polls realise they have to do something?
Look at the delay on the Fiscal announcement, they are all now about damage limitation.
After lettuce truly buggered it all up they realise people are starting to fight back. The call for the general election being a big wake up to them too.
They know they have made things very bad for women and we make up half of the voters. If we can be arsed with anyof them that is.

@MarshaBradyo not supporting the Tories, doesn't mean a person supports Labour. We have multiple political parties and people who don't support any of them.

Most people in the UK are not Tories and can't believe how badly they've fucked up this country. FFS even dyed in the wool Conservatives are turning away from them.

Nope, wrong
I do actually want a discussion and I am responding to contributers whenever something is mentioned that I have an understanding of. I suspect that there's s ways in which other women experience oppression, which I haven't experienced, or have maybe overlooked, as is always the case.

You are free to your suppositions, assumptions, and free not to engage if you don't like the thread

Support who you want I don’t care.

I’m replying with my experience. The time I felt most annoyed by state intrusion is during the pandemic, otherwise things haven’t changed much for me although 30 hours was very useful.

This is interesting
It's something I have noticed.
Female tory ministers always cast as the panto bad guy. First time I have seen someone else describe this.
When I was a kid, Thatcher didn't exactly inspire me as a role model. I don't see how May or Truss would inspire a generation of girls, now.

I haven't voted Labour since the Iraq war.
Very proud to say though, I have never voted Tory and didn't vote Leave. The people who did can own 100% of the mess they've created.

In 2009 while Labour were in power I was dismissed first morning back after maternity leave, my long-term job having been given to the sales director's wife, and then threatened by my ex-employer. There was no legal aid or support available and it was only because I happened to have ticked the box on my house insurance for family legal cover, that I was able to defend myself and force them to compensate me. They were able to insist on a confidentiality agreement. (obviously bad).

I had ds in 2008, maternity care was brilliant (obviously good) - thank you Salisbury Odstock. 🙂

Since the Tories were back in power, I've seen too many loos converted to 'gender-neutral' which means they now all filthy and stink. (obviously bad).

Emergency family leave has become more common. Furlough was available so I could home-school ds during Covid. (good).

DS moved to senior school in 2019. The local comprehensive was awful and has since been moved into special measures. (obviously bad). DS managed to win a scholarship to a local independent so I'm paying half fees which is still a lot.

I'm not sure either party do much for women specifically. Labour's inability to even use the term woman is depressing and offensive.

Do what you want.

Don’t try to get all answers how you want them. Presumably you haven’t lived other people’s lives to know.

It’s not party messaging as you put it, it’s a post re my life.

@reigatecastle I compared your comment to those PPs who mention Sure Start centres, inc @MadeInChorley and others who reference changes to child care.

Seems like there's a consistency across income groups when it comes to being a mother of small children.

Its been some time since I had a little one. I enjoyed support under Labour in various ways which are gone.

Have the tories made us more dependent on our relationships with men? Is that a thing? Are women less confident to leave bad, even abusive relationships, than they were 12 years ago?

On top of all the very tangible reasons things have got worse explained here, all the Self ID business happened while they were in charge.

Certain MNetters seem determined that Conservative must be the party for women because of the position they've taken recently compared to Labour, but the Conversatives were in charge while we got to the place we're in now . They're saying what you want to hear, but their actions have created this.

Great post

My council started trying to save money by sending out a single households voting paperwork in one envelope addressed to the man of the house. I was bloody furious. My ability to vote was now dependent on my husband remembering to pass stuff on to me? They haven't done it since so I assume I wasn't the only one to go nuts.

I wouldn't call 44 days in a job 'winning'

Well I have never been so well off even with all that is happening In the world, I come from a very poor back ground and have made some good personal decisions in my life. Overall life is good, the only issues i have are from my local council that is labor run, so go figure!

@SuspiciousHedgehog this is such a valid point! I am a single mother to a two year old, work full time and have minimum financial help from my ex (£350 a month). I'm not entitled to any benefits because I have a flat, which I tried to sell but couldn't do I rent out. I know I am lucky but the rent only pays mortgage costs so I don't make any more from it. If it wasn't for my parents paying my ex's half of the nursery fees I don't know what I would do.

I read many posts on here and other forums of women in appalling situations, who won't leave because they can't afford to do life without their partner. This government does not care about women. Has it ever? When labour was in power I remember how amazing the family planning and sexual health services were... now they are non existent! The Tory party has done away with anything good in this country and the NHS is hanging on by a thread. All the Tory part care about is appeasing bigoted Brexit voters and those who are anti immigration.

Yep. 'Labour don't know what a woman is' is a Tory shill's dead cat and people are falling for it.

Sorry I haven’t read the full thread!

I’m in my late 20s and have 1yo DS. As an adult I’ve only ever known a Tory government.

I know that the NHS is absolutely on its knees but when I was pregnant or when DS has been ill we’ve always been seen by a GP that day or atleast had a phone call.

I know A&E waiting times are crazy but when I’ve been unable to breathe or when DS had a very scary injury we were seen immediately.

I know maternity services are stretched but I was still wonderfully supported by local midwives to have the home birth that I wanted.

I know nursery’s are under funded and the staff don’t get paid enough but we can still afford and have a place at a great nursery that DS has really enjoyed.

I know that 9k tuition fees and the interest associated with the loans is far to high but I still went to uni, got a degree and now have a professional career.

I know the housing market is a mess but I’ve still been able to buy a house.

I know that we need better legislation for flexible working but I have a supportive employer which means I can work full time in a job I enjoy and still make it work around having a family and still know my job is secure.

So I’m not sure that as a woman I have been disadvantaged by the Tory government atleast I have no experience of anything else. I don’t know what life could have been like otherwise.

But I also know that I am privileged, I have been lucky and other people in different circumstances have been left much worse off.

Let's just hope you never need an ambulance !

The push for less young people to go to University is very damaging to women and will make the gender pay gap worse.

Typical careers for teenage boys starting an apprenticeship: builder, electrician, plumber, engineer etc

Typical careers for teenage girls starting an apprenticeship: childcare, hairdressing, beauty therapist, carers etc

Guess which set of careers without a degree will pay you enough to buy or rent a house alone as an adult and which is likely to leave you in poverty?

I see this play out all the time in towns across the UK where girls are convinced they're not bright enough for Uni and into low paying jobs.

A tonne of other things that have already happened:

• closure of children's centres
• help with childcare costs miles behind what it actually costs
• extremely punitive universal credit system makes it more difficult to get back into work not less
• SEN support stripped to the bone so mothers stopping work to care for their disabled children