Long-standing Conservative voters thread

[Katypp]

Any one else who has - up to this point at least - been a Tory voter?
I have voted Conservative at every national election (I am late 50s). This one is probably the most likely to change. Purely because I think new blood would be a good idea. I live in a very Labour area and have never shared my colours with anyone from being in my early 20s.
Given the fact that the Tories usually win, I suspect there are a lot like me.
I know it's a big ask, but I hope thar this might be a sensible thread for other natural Tory voters to discuss the election and not be called names and shouted down like we are on every other thread.
If you are a Labour voter, please don't hijack the thread and tell us how wrong we are. There is free speech in the UK and we are just as entitled to hold our opinion as you are to hold yours.

I’ve always voted Conservative but won’t be this time. I really struggled to vote for Boris Johnson at the last election because I did not consider him a serious leader but in the end could not bring myself to vote for Corbyn as we’re a military family.

I hate the Braverman, Patel, Rees-Mogg side of the party and feel really downhearted by the state of the country. I’ve seen experienced, excellent teachers pushed out because they have higher salaries, doctors being replaced by associates that are nowhere near as experienced. I feel like the Conservatives used to be about working hard and raising yourself up but now it’s just about keeping those few at the top rich and in power. I know they’ve had it hard with Covid, Ukraine and the economy but I’m desperate for them to go now and hopefully some change. I’m not from an area where Labour has ever been strong but I will probably be voting for them.

This thread just proves what I've always thought about the majority of Conservative voters:

That they are decent, centrist, moderate people who do actually care about others. Like my cousin, who's a party member and has been staunchly loyal, and isn't voting for them this time.

The lot currently running Westminster aren't Conservatives.

I think that's unfair. There are loads and loads of threads debating the issues, I don't think it's too much for @Katypp to ask that this thread not be one of them.

I remember "Quietly Sad" on the Brexit board, I would have hated for it to have been derailed. Sometimes posters want a quiet thread where they can have a moan or a laugh with others in the same position. I get that this is the internet and all, but I think the site is big enough to accommodate one thread where Conservative voters can chat in peace.

We can battle it out on the eleventy million other threads.

I think Rishi is a decent guy and is to the left of his party, I've met local Tory councillors who seem to have the public interest at heart. And my prospective Tory MP seems to be in the ball and is pro women's rights and safeguarding. I vote for my local representatives not the national party. So I'll be voting Tory.
Unfortunately you need to get rid of some of the head bangers in both major parties, Reese Mogg and Lloyd Russell-Moyle spring to mind as two I'd like to see the back of

I feel like the Conservatives used to be about working hard and raising yourself up but now it’s just about keeping those few at the top rich and in power.

Yes, this is the crux for me. Grubby, greedy mates getting attractive contracts, and the very rich becoming richer.

Do many posters here listen to The Rest is Politics? I’m not a big fan of Alastair Campbell but have a lot of time for Rory Stewart (DH got me a signed copy of his book for Christmas 🤣). He’s very good at voicing the concerns of the “natural” conservatives and bemoans the direction of the current party. What a different world it might be had he won the leadership contest in 2019!

I’m a conservative (small c) who has voted for all three main parties at one time or another but mostly Tory. With the exception of Sunak (who I think is ok but totally shafted by those around him) and a few decent lesser known MPs, the Tory party has been hijacked by the grotesque. Gove, Johnson and Reece-Mogg have ‘given birth’ to a hideous generation of venal, self serving, intellectually & emotional stunted group that appear to have taken over (Patel, Braverman, Badenoch, Truss etc - double awful that the worst seem to be women☹️) The only good thing I can see about this election is the hope that they all leave or get voted out to clear them out so that the party can rebuild like Labour did after Corbin.

Labour have absolutely no credible policies at all - just wishy washy nonsense but at least Starmer, Raynor, Reeves etc seem ‘normal’ and not actively horrible human beings so that’s going to have to do.

I actually think Badenoch is a great woman, having seen her on tv on the equality committee, she was on top of her brief, intelligent and eloquent. She is another Tory who I think is a One Nation decent person.

I see it more as “free speech is for me but not for thee”.

Voting Conservatives this time. Historically a Labour voter but I wavered last time too. I tend to not pick the party, just the policies so very much a swinger🥳

Whilst I think it’s quite obvious the NS policy is a vote loser I think it’s a great idea.
My kids all did voluntary work one afternoon a week during their Alevels and one of them now does two full days a week volunteering ( after Uni) . I think a few days over a year could set people up for continued volunteering and allow them to explore things they had never done before. The military side as well is a good idea, again my sons did 3 years of ccf so I think it’s a positive thing for 18 year olds. It would be better however if they spread the requirement over a few years, say 18-22, allowing for deferment which we did last time.

Im mainly not voting Labour because of their GC stance. I support the recent inroads made by the Conservatives in that area.

As an aside
Can anyone tell me why they are called Tories.

@GivePeaceAChance

“As a political term, Tory was an insult (derived from the Middle Irish word tóraidhe, modern Irish tóraí, meaning "outlaw", "robber", from the Irish word tóir, meaning "pursuit" since outlaws were "pursued men") that entered English politics during the Exclusion Bill crisis of 1678–1681”

@GivePeaceAChance it started out as an insult and the name stuck!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-30899534

And @CaveMum
Thankyou. I always thought it was an insult. My Irish parents said it was so that all makes sense

Do you mean no middle of the road Conservative MPs approve of NS or voters.

I’m a swing voter and from experience of what is being proposed think it’s a reasonable policy ( with modifications )

Absolutely!
Something so crucial to the entire planet is supported by people across all partys.
not by all people, obviously, I think that comes down to other factors.

I think I am going to drive myself mad over the next five or so weeks 😐
I am a natural Conservative really like @schloss but this lot have not got much going for them. I quite like Rishi Sunak.
I hate, hate, hate the name-calling and insults constantly hurled at Conservatives and I think - somewhat alarmingly - this is informing my view of Labour, which of course is ridiculous. Note keen on Kier Starmer and actively dislike Angela Raynor.
So far, I broadly support the NS idea and very much don't support the pensions tax cut.
I wonder what tomorrow will bring?

As usual the policy on NS has been really badly handled. They "policy" is to have a Royal commission with cross party census, to look at it, and make proposals. It's not a done deal, and it isn't yet thought out. The concept is really a very socialist one, the Nordic countries do it well, France is just about to re-introduce. In reality very few would qualify for the military stream due to health or other commitments. Where it is in place only about 10% of those who apply get in, and competition is fierce. We'll see.

For myself I would say I am one nation, small c Conservative, Thatcher was my first vote, followed by Blair. I think I even voted Lib Dem once, possibly Paddy Ashdown era, but wouldn't now.

At the moment I am politically homeless.

I agree.
Two new policies already
Keen to see what’s next from everyone.

Agree there’s a lot of derogatory comments about Conservative voters. I’ve got used to it on the CEM threads as I’m pro Palestinian. Politics is banned in our house now as my dh is staunch Labour, not interested in policies, will say Labours way is the only way.

If I can’t talk to dh I’m having fun on all the threads, although tbh I’m not getting a lot of work done 🤪

I'm a labour voter but this is a genuine and hopefully politely made point - but as you were hit hard by austerity meadures - which were a Tory party policy - why would that make you nervous about voting Labour now?
It should have made you nervous to vote Tory I'd have thought?
Austerity wasn't necessary it was just used to reduce the public sector which is what the tories stand for - small state and self reliance etc. The economy may have actually recovered more quickly if they'd carried on with Gordon Brown's growth plans. And the economy seems totally wrecked now after brexit/covid corruption/Truss anyway.

Maybe do a list of all the policies.
Ignore the spin
Research the ones you agree with ie possible future affects and outcomes
Decide if they are good for you and the country as a whole.
Ignore who the party are that’s making the policy.Leave that till last.

Watch the head to heads and again ignore the shouting and inflammatory speech.

Then look and see which party has the most important policies in your view.

This is what I tend to do.

[A lot of policies I’ve found have short term gain. A policy that raises taxes too much for the 30% net providers, for example, will just lead to them cutting hours or leaving for somewhere sunnier with far lower taxes. That’s a long term loss……potentially. ]

No one could argue with Labour's plan to cut waiting lists, but they will struggle to implement it.
The public sector are pretty untouchable for Labour followers and this policy is already been spoken about as if staff will have to work these hours in addition to what they are working now and as if no one has ever worked a weekend or night shift.
Jeremy Hunt couldn't implement it so I doubt Wes Streeting will be able to.

I often think this - he is really great, intelligent and compassionate.

She is clever and calm - possible next leader material.

I have voted for the Conservative party ever since I was 18. I like lower taxes for all, less state interventions into people's lives, I don't think people should get more living off benefits than a person on minimum wage gets working for 40 hours a week. Housing benefit is insane and if people can't afford rent they should move to an area they can afford. This time I'm voting for Reform UK. I don't like the Conservative policy of forcing young people into service. I think this should be done on a voluntary basis or not at all. I think the bribe to pensioners is pathetic when most pensioners manage their finances well. I think mass immigration is bad for our country as it impacts our infrastructure which can't cope with mass scale immigrants to house, feed, educate their DC, hospitals etc. Also so many immigrants all coming into the UK at once with religious dogma changes the UK for the worse. I am sick of Just Stop Oil damaging things and Muslims blocking our roads with demonstrations about Gaza when it makes no difference at all to the Israeli government and just blocks people from going about their business. I want the people who organise these demonstrations to pay for their policing and any damage caused. I see it as a huge waste of taxpayers money. I expect my opinion will be unpopular.

Whilst my own DS's also did volunteer work, one DS taught 'silver surfers' over 65 how to use basic ICT including internet banking, emails, sending photos etc. My other DS volunteered at the Commonwealth Games for 32 hours. Both have also done litter picking. I don't think volunteers should be forced to do it otherwise it's no longer volunteering.