To be a secret Tory voter and feel embarrassed about it?

[SecretToryVoter]

I’ve just gone to do my vote and had to admit to myself that I’m one of those secret Tory voters and would be embarrassed to admit it to friends / family!

A month ago I was adamant that I would be voting Labour but ended up changing my mind for a number of reasons

1. Keir seems to have a number of grand ideas of what he wants to do but no substance behind how he’s going to do it (where is he going to find an additional 6,500 teachers as just 1 example)
2. Womens rights
3. my Labour candidate has been helicoptered in and doesn’t look good on paper whereas the Tory candidate is a local, well respected councillor
4. Tory policy is closer to my values overall

anyone else had to admit to themselves that they are a Tory at heart for this election?

@readingmakesmehappy , vote for who you think will be best for your constituency and whose party roughly aligns with your princiiples.

It’s nothing to do with Angela’s region, accent, or sex. It’s to do with the fact that I, for one, don’t believe that she will be a good Deputy PM. This is coming from someone who adores Lisa Nandy, who is a (gasp) Northern (gasp) female. Angela Rayner being a Northern female has nothing to do with my opinion that she’s not up for the job. Labour should have selected a more qualified person to do the job, IMO.

This is exactly the kind of thing that I'm talking about.

Someone from her background could not have risen to the rank of Deputy PM - which she will undoubtedly be as of tomorrow - without being talented. You don't have to agree with her politics to acknowledge that.

She might not present herself in the same way that a polished, accomplished middle class woman might, and so she might not fit with your idea of how a "talented" woman look present herself. But she has had to overcome a whole lot of obstacles to get to where she is now, and she didn't get there by accident. Regardless of what to think of her politics, a failure to acknowledge her talent is more of a reflection on you than it is on her.

Tory voters turn out to be snowflakes after all eh.

I do feel a bit sorry for the old fashioned ones who believed in encouraging aspiration and hard work and all that. Even though I never agreed with them that it works unless you're already privileged I can see that it's based on some kind of actual principle.

But I have absolutely no sympathy whatsoever for people who vote for this lot. They have ruined the country for most people. If you vote for them it must be because they will run the country in a way that works for you personally and nobody else, and that means you are selfish and your shame about it is trying to tell you something.

What would an acceptable option be for you, and why?

I think the main factor on why 'lefties' are more 'intolerant' towards Tories/right wingers just boils down to what they believe is at stake - austerity (and especially treatment of the disabled)/slashing of NHS budgets/incompetence and corruption during COVID all had a direct impact on people's health and caused an excess of deaths without providing any demonstrable economic benefit. It all seemed self-centred and ideological rather than stemming from well-intentioned policies.

Meanwhile, the things that many right-wingers seem to be focused on don't have the same level of emotional baggage as death does - I just can't get angry about illegal immigration, definition of a woman (NB this shit really took off under the Tories so I don't really get the argument that they're the ones to solve it...), or taxes to the same degree.

I think the other element as well is that the Tory party have shown what they are over the past 14 years, things are demonstrably worse, and yet people are willing to turn a blind eye to how they've actually acted in favour of 'looking forwards to the future rather than the past' - it just doesn't make any sense and comes across as either wilfully blind or naive (if not a more pejorative adjective...).

Why do you think staff are overworked? What do you think happened the waiting lists? Labour reduced them and had our health service one of the best in the world and the Tories have intentionally underfunded it to force a collapse and sell it to American healthcare companies. It's been in the plans for many years.
How ironic that your vote will help make it worse.

Would you pay the same builder that fucked up your house - to fix it?

Well, they are hardly likely to actually meet.

We’re not denying that she’s overcome obstacles to become an MP. That doesn’t mean that she’s the best candidate for the job of Deputy PM.

Exactly this ^ Without privilege Sunak wouldn't be anywhere near!

I know right. Anyone would think we're weren't one homogeneous mass.

If you’re going to be narrow-minded enough to insult someone for acting on their own free will at least make sure you use spell check or proof read before doing so because it just makes you look like a moron. 🙄 I have never once voted Tory and never would. I hate what they have done to this country. However, I am open-minded enough to realise that everyone is entitled to vote for whatever party they wish for and that they will have their reasons for doing so. No one has the right to try and shame or control other people’s choices.

But in comparison to whom? Oliver Dowden is hardly an inspirational figure.

The standards for Rayner seem excessively high - she has to be better than any other candidate.

I watched that bloke who asked 'are you the best we have got' and thought - you do it then.

So easy for mediocre people to criticise from the sidelines.

Couldn't agree more
Sunak, and his family use private health care, Starmer uses the NHS. Who does the pp think care more? Tories want the NHS gone.

Better than having builders around that would let people who have no right being in your house squat there, and you’re a bigot if you don’t share.

Yeah - you're the sort of voter Rishi is hoping to appeal to with all that 'let's not think about the past, we need to focus on the future' rhetoric.
It will be the same thing over and over again with these people. They have shown us repeatedly who they are. Actions speak louder than words. Believe them.

Why are Labour voters calling you scum when you don't support a party?
I'm not being called it, but many people are and it is very visible to those of us that could potentially make a difference at the polls

And frankly, I can't comprehend why some people seem to think abusing others is the best way to get them to change their minds...

Clearly some people are voting Conservative, and some of them might even post about it online.

I never said Oliver Dowden was anything to write home about.

Who, you ask, would be a more qualified Deputy PM IMO? David Lammy. Lisa Nandy. Yvette Cooper. Hilary Benn. Ed Miliband. Emily Thornberry. For a start….

Nobody has the right to try and make somebody feel small for a spelling mistake. Get a grip and grow up.

I haven't said that she is the best candidate for the job, and that really isn't the point.

My point is that the pp was laughing at the very idea of her being talented. And you can disagree with her politics or prefer other politicians all you like, but none of that takes away from the fact that to get to where she is right now from the place where she started simply doesn't happen without a significant amount of talent and hard work.

Anyone reading this who hasn't yet voted to GTTO because they think it's a safe outcome should take it as the kick up the arse they need!

The bottom line is I don’t believe she’s up to the job, and it’s got zero to do with classism or sexism.

my Labour candidate has been helicoptered in and doesn’t look good on paper whereas the Tory candidate is a local, well respected councillor

I actually think this is a good enough reason to vote for any party. In our current system you are choosing a candidate first and foremost, so you should pick the one who you think would best represent your area. In your case it’s the Tory and you don’t need to justify any further.

In my case it’s the Tory who’s been helicoptered into what used to be a safe seat. They hold some views I find abhorrent and wouldn’t have voted for them regardless of party manifesto. There’s finally a chance to change so I’ll support the local labour candidate even though I’m not convinced by Labour overall.