To think the Tories are strategically demonising certain groups in preparation for next election

[Powfred]

First we had the endless talk in right wing press about the Channel boats, asylum applications, how much it costs us all to house them etc.

Now today it's the turn of benefit claimants who are going to be penalised if they don't try to find work.

Not saying the above aren't issues but the amount of airtime and press coverage seems disproportionate and tbh its just an all too convenient way of making people look the other way so we forget the shitshow of last 13 years.

People seem to have forgotten Liz Truss crashing the economy (I hear she's back on the scene), the PPE contracts for their mates, don't get me started on Brexit...I could go on.

I can see the Tories flogging these red herrings of asylum, benefit claimants a lot before the election, helped by the right wing press, so they can then position themselves as tough hardliners taking measures against them and portray other parties as weak (rather than - god forbid - compassionate or pragmatic).

I'm sure there are other examples too. Their strategy just seems so bloody transparent to anyone with sense and it's clear they have nothing left to hang their hat on anyway so let's just get people angry about dinghy...

The tragedy is there are a lot of people out there who will fall for it and don't have the critical thinking skills to question what they read in the Daily Express. Plus the opposition parties aren't up to much. I suppose I worry the strategy could work.

You act lie you’re shocked. The tories have been demonising people… well forever.

That’s how the middle/upper classes roll.

Modus operandi.

It’s what they’ve done since time began.

Whaaaaaaaat???? Surely not.

So you’re saying they’re making up for their absence of policies, vision, direction and competence by shoving all the blame onto an oppressed vulnerable minority who can’t answer back?

I literally cannot believe this.

First they came for the socialists...

They have been doing it for years. They are desperate, nasty people.

I'm not shocked and not sure why I hadn't noticed it as much before. I grew up under new Labour then the coalition and things didn't seem as bad. Now it's just so blatant. Why do people still vote for them? Why don't people twig what they're doing, its so obvious these days.

People seem to have forgotten Liz Truss crashing the economy (I hear she's back on the scene), the PPE contracts for their mates, don't get me started on Brexit...I could go on.

I don’t see much about PPE recently but there’s been loads of coverage in the past. Not sure what you’re watching or listening to but not a week goes by without plenty of discussion about awful after effects of Brexit and most days don’t go by without reference to the Truss budget fiasco.

People are talking about these things all the time.

You should be angry with the opposition who have so much to attack the government on and they just don’t bother. We’re owed a decent opposition holding the government to account and offering a credible alternative vision. They’re utterly failing to do so and it’s shameful.

My own family members vote for them as they think economically we'd be finished under Labour.

Hold on...Liz Truss literally crashed the fucking economy...

I just don't get it.

These are two separate issues. Migrants are being unfairly scapegoated but I thought the announcement on withholding benefits from people who have been completely disengaged for six months or more was fairly measured.

@AnneLovesGilbert yes the opposition is crap. They should be miles ahead in polls. They just seem lazy and uninspiring

Of course. This is their standard policy. It's a big circle of who to attack

1 Asylum seekers
2 Anyone who claims any benefits
3 Unemployed
4 Disabled people
5 Single Mothers

Occasionally they'll throw someone else into the mix, Civil Servants, teachers doctors, Unions, protesters.

But generally, that's the list to attack. Once you're at number 5, you just start at number 1 and go through the list again.

You can add environmentalists to that list too

People haven't forgotten, they don't have the energy or finances to dwell on it. The anger is being squashed as it's unproductive and wasted given little will change right now.

I know that when an election is announced people will give voice to their anger, they will remember the pain of covid, the Queen sitting aline, partygate, lack of education, lack of extra curricula activities, the decline in mental health of our young people, the increase deaths, the mismanagement and theft of taxpayers money, the energy companies untaxed profits which were subsidised by taxpayers, the increase in interest rates, the conservatives thinking they are above the law, the promotion of those receiving fines for breaking the law, Truss, shit in the water, HS2, the lies, lack of sen provision, knife crime on the rise again, rape being pretty much legalised, the Met officers behaviour ...

I could go on.

My OP is probably just stating the obvious for a lot of people. I guess I'm only just waking up and smelling the coffee more recently but god it's depressing to think these are the people in power. Moral vacuums, talentless, charlatans.

Well, yes; but that's not really a new thing - look at Enoch Powell in the 60s.

The Tories threads are as ubiquitous as the dog threads. I'm sure some ppl start a thread for the sake of it. You're not saying anything new.

It looks to me that they are slowly trying to make different sections of society not want to vote for them because economies across the world are going to shit and they don't want to be left with it.

It's working.

Classic Tory move. Been at it for a very long time, nothing new here.

They win support by telling you that the reason your life isn’t going so well is because those other people, over there, are getting something you’re not. It’s never the fault of the government that things aren’t great in this country, it’s those others, over there, taking what you are rightfully due.

It’s a far right tactic, and this government has swung much further to the right than the coalition you remember. This lot, though, are even worse than usual, because not only are they doing it to win votes, but also because they are dangerous, spiteful and rather stupid (except for the few who are clever, and therefore even more dangerous), because they actually believe their own bullshit.

This is not a bug, it's a feature.

So much ill thought out bullshit. My DS receives high rate PIP. Other than that he claims nothing (and PIP isn't an out of work benefit). He starts a job soon that will (we hope) fit in around his many complex health conditions. I worry that PIP is one of the things the Tories are going to want to come after.

L1ttledrummergirl · Today 22:24

People haven't forgotten, they don't have the energy or finances to dwell on it. The anger is being squashed as it's unproductive and wasted given little will change right now.

I know that when an election is announced people will give voice to their anger, they will remember the pain of covid, the Queen sitting aline, partygate, lack of education, lack of extra curricula activities, the decline in mental health of our young people, the increase deaths, the mismanagement and theft of taxpayers money, the energy companies untaxed profits which were subsidised by taxpayers, the increase in interest rates, the conservatives thinking they are above the law, the promotion of those receiving fines for breaking the law, Truss, shit in the water, HS2, the lies, lack of sen provision, knife crime on the rise again, rape being pretty much legalised, the Met officers behaviour ...

I could go on.

depressingly fantastic summary… I’d add… rolling back on climate policy and completely obliterating our right to protest about it, even though it is harming and will harm us all.

I thought the announcement on withholding benefits from people who have been completely disengaged for six months or more was fairly measured

Is that Jermery C.., sorry Hunt's recent announcement? Something about the "War on the Lazy"

Yeah, that's not new. He made exactly the same announcement in Jan 2022.
I'm sure Liz Truss came up with something similar during her 5 mins.

They are just regurgitating policies from years ago. Policies they didn't implement at the time and are now repackaging and claiming its "new".
Populist shite.

Have you ever thought that the conservatives are just giving the electorate what they want?

Quite.

By my timetable the next on the list is either disability benefits or single mothers.

There will be a rash of "disabled people who claim disability benefits are not really disabled" and "Girls running around, getting themselves pregnant and having 20 childen, just so they can claim benefits and houses".

Same old bullshit, the same old lazy brained voters will lap it up. Very depressing really, gives me very little hope for this country.