To worry about the right wing?

[Swingstotheleftslidetotheright]

I'm politically homeless at the moment in terms of who to vote for but morally I sit firmly centre/centre left. I'm very British with that it would seem.

I've seen over the last few years a very hard push left across social media and among the "chattering" classes which has seemingly come with a desire to shut down discussion, debate and conversation if it involves even the mildest of challenge to their way of thinking. What seems to be happening as a result of this shutting down and refusal to engage in a debate is a rise in harder line opposition, whereas before the two sides would have a somewhat heated and healthy discourse about an issue and come away mindful of each others views and with a solution in sight.

I'm noticing the louder the left shout the harder the, previously moderate, right push back and vice versa. Both sides appear to be getting more vocal and more extreme. I'm seeing this a lot around migration, feminism, the economy and crime. I'm now worried that this continued closure of conversation is going to lead us down a path of extremism - from one or both sides - and lead us to a dramatic and unwelcome rise from the far right.

Are we at a point of no return? Can we ever go back to being moderate and tolerant?

Because "woke" shuts down free speech and free thinking, which is extremely dangerous

The right wing Tory government is shutting down the right to protest. What do you say about that @Swingstotheleftslidetotheright

Sorry to see you’re uncomfortable with the Tories being called right wing. But that’s the reality in the UK.

But they aren't shutting it down. Their own words. If you're referring to the policing of protests at the coronation that's a matter of public order and public safety. Or are you forgetting we are in a time where we are at high risk from terrorism?

They are right wing by British standards but on a global stage are anything but. I'm sorry reality makes you uncomfortable.

Agreed.

I sit right of centre. But I vote based on what is happening at the time. I just voted labour in our local elections, but mainly to oust the Greens who have run the Council into massive debt with ill-thought through schemes. I also like our Labour MP, as he has got involved with constituency issues. But I despised the previous labour MP who never set foot in our area. I voted Tory to get rid of him.

I think most people are reasonably flexible. But the extremeists at either end of the scale are worrying to me.

I’ll leave you to your mental gymnastics @Swingstotheleftslidetotheright There’s always the risk of terrorism. So? We gag people? How do you square the right to free speech and expression with pre-emptively rounding up people and gagging them. Cos Charlie boy might get upset.

Likewise

The Tories are right of centre but hardly further right when compared to the rest of the world - US and Europe.

If only!

We can't "go back" because nations across the west are no longer the cohesive entities that they once were. In the modern era we champion individualism and diversity and that means vast attitudinal and cultural gulfs between people occupying the same geographical space. It's the price we pay.

In the US there is occasionally talk of secession both from left and right but it's doubtful that will come to anything and of course it can't apply to us. I believe the polarisation is here to stay and we just need to get used to it and be as gracious as we can to eachother.

You are focussing on arguing what and who is right or left and how much.

It's irrelevant. It's a distraction.

Instead of trying to label a thing and then arguing about the label - just debate the thing.

I note these concerns suddenly seem to those on the right after it seems clear there will be a Labour government and the regressive agenda of the last five years, whooped on and encouraged in the mostly right wing press with Brexit, insulting our neighbours, cod racism in Home Secretaries, bullying civil servants and declaring the BBC as effective enemy, just might be waking up to the idea that this "vampires in charge of the blood bank" style of politics is not too pleasant if you don't agree.

I dare say it is. But since there's a right wing government that destroyed most of the conventions and rules to stop real abuse of power, you are going to have a left wing government that will enjoy power like this just as much. And on the way out, the Conservatives will try and reform the civil service to politicize it.

Wow, it's like they never thought they would lose. Yea, it will be a very nasty time to be a Conservative, and you can thank your own people for removing the boundaries in the last five years.

I think that there are good social and cultural anchors in this country that keep most of the country oscillating in the center. At the moment, those people aren't well represented by the noisiest commentators on either side.

I do think there has been push back in response to the social - progressivists and when people look for an alternative voice, the ones waiting in the wings are bolder conservative voices. But people aren't passive sponges - they listen and evaluate opinions against their everyday lives. I think our common sense values about fairness, truthfulness and compassion exist even when the 'knowledge class' have lost their fucking minds.

It's not mental gymnastics to know an event as big as the coronation will put people at risk and appropriate precautions will be necessary

@ILikePizzas heh? I can argue whatever I want. The Tories are right wing. They are shutting down protest. What’s your problem with me pointing this out? I don’t care how they are on a global scale. I live in the UK and I care about my life and rights here.

”appropriate precautions” being rounding up people and gagging them? Do you know who else did this prior to visits? Some of the EE dictators. They admitted to hospital people with schizophrenia, known political dissidents, homeless people. All “just in case”. So yeah, not a path I thought we’d go down in this country. BTW those were left wing governments. Now this Tory right wing government is doing the same.

If the Tories were right wing then we wouldn't have the most ethnically diverse cabinet we have now, nor the level of immigration we have. We also wouldn't have/celebrate things like black history month/pride.

@SoTired12 Jesus fucking wept.

Why? Right wing = racism and antisemitism (broadly speaking)

The Tory Party aren't right wing? My goodness I wonder what will happen to their diversity once they out of power?

Are we doing the wonderful Mumsnet thing of strawmanning a discussion? I do believe we are.

But that's part of the debate . We have too many so-called vulnerable people who don't provide for themselves . The left will give whatever they want whereas the right want a level of social responsibility and are to a degree the main tax payers so want a say in where their taxes go .
I think things have gone too far for any party to be satisfied.

The far right have never got far in the UK. France or Italy, however...

Not to mention you know where.

Honestly, we're a pretty centrist country.

Seriously?