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?

Christ.

The "I'm justified in my terrible behaviour because their behaviour is worse" argument is piss poor.

There are things wrong with every party.

We don't need to sink to this, yet it's constant.

I am a disabled Conservative activist. I completely respect a broad range of political opinions and don’t try to influence friends or colleagues. Not getting the same courtesy in return is depressing and hypocritical.

Very genuine question - what is it about Angela Raynor and David Lammy and 'people like that' that you don't like? And why do you prefer Rishi Sunak, Jeremy Hunt etc over them?

I am looking forward to seeing how many of the 'concerned about Labour' posters are still active after tonight. Will be revealing.

The conservatives, in a forlorn attempt to keep the UKIP, far-right tendency on board, have lurched right, actually ejecting the old-fashioned one-nation tories. So:
A. They've become more right wing - they were centre-right and now they're far right
B. Despite this strategic move, they've still lost the extremists to Reform, so they've l9st the support of people on both political wings of the party
C. Elections are traditionally won by the party that holds the centre ground. Labour flirted with moving further left and found it a road to electoral oblivion. Keir Starmer has worked hard to reclaim the centre ground (and the conservatives have worked really hard to help him)

So now the Conservatives are far right, Reform are extreme right and Labour are centrist. The conservatives still venerate Maggie Thatcher - but she will be spinning in her grave at how her party has lost touch

I’d never tell anyone what to vote, but I don’t really get those still voting Tory.

We are in total shit order. Highest taxes since the war, nothing functioning or working properly, and endless Tory psychodramas.

I do get those voting Labour, LD, Green, Independent, or even Reform, but why would anyone, other than a political masochist, vote for more punishment?🤷‍♀️

I’ll just leave this here: https://x.com/TobiFrenzen/status/1669139442873802753?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1669139442873802753%7Ctwgr%5E87c4b5516e00fa1640009cd17e2d95b83f9f8be2%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.worcesternews.co.uk%2Fnews%2F23591521.grieving-mum-philippa-bateman-harrowing-interview-bbc-radio%2F

Never forget the shit show, never forget the partying.

I was conflicted this time for the first time ever. I stood for a good few minutes before I could decide. But I would never, ever vote for the current pile of shit we have and 14 years of utter wank. None of the parties represent me, and in a way they’re all as bad as each other, but it was a lesser of evils vote.

Absolutely spot on. Behaving like this is not born out of a passion for politics or love for your party. It’s mindless vandalism and has no place in society regardless of who you support. That is embarrassing and people who believe that’s the rightful way to conduct themselves should hang their heads in shame.

i think we’re all motivated by self interest, isn’t that the point? We vote based on what matters to us as individuals. My local MP (Labour) has an additional paid role and in my informed opinion makes no meaningful contribution to our city so will not be getting my vote.

I think it’s disingenuous to think that there have been no positive decisions, legislation or changes in the last 14 years. But focus (perhaps rightly) in the big things that stand out. Just like when the Tories came into power after the disaster they inherited from the Labour Party. The same will be remembered about the Tories legacy.

Of what?

Don't let others make you ashamed of how you vote, but equally dont feel obliged to share your views with others. We all have to look to whst is best for out individual circumstances....

No, I vote in what I believe to be the interests of the country and those more vulnerable than I, not for my own self interest.

When you're not doing so well, vote for a better life for yourself.
If you are doing quite nicely, vote for a better life for others.

• Irvine Welsh

If there are positive examples of things done by the Tories, list them. The only thing I can think of really is gay marriage, and they didn’t really want to do that.

Most of the positive decisions have been in favour of the those with money from where I'm sitting.

I go in to the polling station with the intention of voting Labour every time.
I always bottle it and put my X in the conservative box.
I would never tell anyone though.
I know it’s time for a change though and so I will be going in a bit and hoping to hold my nerve. Part of me thinks my Nana is watching down though and she’d never forgive for voting Labour.

I fundamentally disagree that this is the way to decide a vote. The vote should be what is best for the country as a whole. Now, people will disagree on what that is, so you’ll still get different parties (I disagreed with pretty much everything That her’s government did, for example, but I do believe she thought it was best for the country not just the Thatchers). It’s a new thing I think, created by the selfish current manifestation of the Tories, that makes people think politics is all about what you can get for yourself. Sad state of affairs.

Angela Rayner and David Lammy 'types'? What 'types' are they? Working class woman from a diffficult upbringing and a black working class man from a single-parent family. What is about their 'type' is a problem for you?

Not only that but its not consistent with the policies of Labour who are talking about making misogny a hate crime.

Yet there is this mentality that 'yeah thats fine she deserves it because she's a Tory'.

Its this hypocrisy that I very much dislike about the most militant labour supporters. Its toxic.

Most aren't like this, but it does seem to be a particular issue with certain parts of the left. I can't say I think its at a level which is better than the racism of the right.

NONE of it is ok.

I don’t get it. What’s to ‘bottle’? What are you scared of? And who lets another adult (particularly a dead one) dictate their vote? Your Nana doesn’t know how utterly crap the Tories have become, for one thing…

The type who would fail a primary school level human biology test.

My mum always taught me that you should vote for politicians who will strive to create the kind of society that you would want if you didn't know what your own place in that society was going to be. I think that's a pretty good rule tbh, and it is one that I have consistently tried to apply.

I'm usually a Tory voter and voted Labour for the first time and I am embarrassed about that 😅

This is mainly because I am in Rosie Duffield's constituency.

I am disillusioned with the Tory party's leadership, but I honestly doubt that Labour could have done much better.

But as PP have said, the Left usually feel that they are morally superior and decry anyone who votes Tory as fascist, so it's no wonder Tory voters are quieter about it.

That’s a great philosophy @Shortfatsuit

I think you might be in my area (is the Tory MP SC?)

That’s a brilliant way of looking at. Your mum is amazing.