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.

I never said it was new, I said it was measured.

I have never voted Tory and never will. They stole my European citizenship and I will never forgive them. But I have no issue with withholding benefits from people who have done naff all to engage for six months, I was surprised that wasn’t already the case.

I am far more annoyed about the demonisation of 15 minute cities, HS2 not coming north, and Kemi ‘at least I know what a woman is’ Badenoch. If I hear her trot that out one more time to deflect a serious question I will honestly scream.

Of course, it’s what they always do. It‘a a distraction from the billions of taxpayer money they strategically spaffed up the wall.

No, because they aren't. They are listening to a tiny amount of noisy people who are influencing their decisions with financial incentives.

If the majority of the population wanted this, they would be well ahead in the polls, not lagging well behind.

Sometimes though, as much as you want to vote Labour, there’s just one policy that affects your family so badly that you can’t do it. For us it’s the 20% VAT on private school fees. Our daughter has SEN and is finally settled in a small, private school with the help of a bursary. We truly live hand to mouth to afford the proportion of the fees we have to pay. If Labour get in that’s her bursary gone and we can’t afford it. She’s had 4 failed state school placement. What on earth do we do? I can’t throw her under the bus to benefit the rest of the population.

Are there not other groups being demonised? Tory MPs, Tory voters, old people, "rich" people, Old White Men, Brexit voters, older married women, anyone that might possibly be called a racist/ sexist/disablist/transphobe - whether they actually are or not. Same same - in reality no-one is any one of these things - many are lots of these things. You can be an Old White Man and Labour voter, A single mother and a Tory voter, a benefits claimant and a pensioner. It's all pretty stupid.
There are serious problems which need to be addressed but it's very, very hard to get any kind of thinking done as it's all a bit tribal.

I have lots of sympathy for this and you must do what is right for you. However, it is this governmental that has systematically dismantled SEN provision - you deserved better from the off.

I fully understand - however unless you're in a marginal seat, which few of us are, your vote, like mine is unlikely to make any difference at that individual level in any case.

All parties do it. The last Labour leader promised a “day of reckoning” against bankers and was all-too-often denigrating “zionists.”

This is like complaining water is wet. The Tory Party do not like claimants of public money except pensioners.

Expect more "helping you into work" stuff. They aren't going to make it nice.

Occasionally you find a proper discussion of the issues. And the "lazy voters lapping it up" come in all colours. That's why I'd like to see an end to party politics altogether. I don't want to be Red, Blue Green or Yellow. I'm none of these. I'd like to see a proper government that sees the bigger picture but that won't happen while we work on this sort of election system.

They generally appeal to self absorbed idiots devoid of a moral compass so it really doesn't take much to draw them in again. Proverbial turkey voting for Christmas.

Was wondering how long it would take 🙄

‘Twas ever thus

And the comments coming out of the Conservative Party conference now show (as i and others predicted) that its back to the default setting now that they have finished using ill/ disabled people as a tool to emotionally blackmail others to follow Covid restrictions. Now its back to cutting their benefits!!

"I have never voted Tory and never will. They stole my European citizenship and I will never forgive them."

It was the Lib Dems who originally campaigned for a referendum on leaving the EU. So, eventually, a party bowed to popular pressure and provided that referendum, although I seem to remember the leader of the party in power at the time - David Cameron - campaigning vigorously to remain.

But the majority (who cared enough to vote) voted leave. Against the advice of the Tory leadership. So it was your fellow citizens who 'stole your European Citizenship', against the advice of the Tories.

I can't wait for paradise and world peace when Labour get in.

I know. The economy will be positively booming, I tell you, overnight as well 😉

@Powfred bit unfair to Labour. Haven’t they been 20 odd points ahead in opinion polls for the last 18 months.
And the stuff about them being uninspiring- well isn’t that because the mainly right wing media will jump on any little policy they bring out and portray it being paramount to communism ? They have to seem bland to garner support from swing Tory voters…

@Hersecretserviceyourmaj haven’t the tories had their chance though ? Not been a storming success has it. No one expects things to turn round quickly if Labour get in. I mean the tories have had 13 years and they’ve not managed it …

I think they will win the next election because British people love suffering, so get ready for another five years of a Conservative government

Speak for yourself. I want them to go to Daily Mail Island

Écho écho echo

They’re not, they are being badly advised by a bunch of twenty somethings off the grad scheme, and Australian strategist trouble makers who specialise in advising in rabble rousing tactics.

Both of these advisory groups have symbiotic relationships with GB News, The Sun and Daily Mail. They are in a feedback loop.

People outside of this group are decent people concerned with cost of living and hoping they never get sick during a Doctors strike. They are not so bothered about 15 minute cities, fictional 7 bins and small boats.

They understand the governments accountable for the shitshow we are in and will have their say at the General Election.

What you will get is a small bounce in the polls after the conference. Whether it lasts is another matter.