To not understand why people vote Conservative

[Aquarius1234]

I'm in my late 30s and don't understand my relatives pretty much all voting Conservative.
Aren't they a bunch of upper class twits, plus most are racist, homophobic etc etc
And Conservative in nature.
The ones that obv hardly know anything other than for tax reasons, are tedious.
That's the only thing I knew when I was about 13...
Labour don't male average salary people pay loads of tax right?

I have lots of friends that vote Conservative and every single one does so because they think it will mean more money for them as individuals.

Whereas for me and all the Labour supporters I know vote Labour because we believe it will create a fairer society that looks after the country and everyone in it, including the more vulnerable. (Who some of my Tory friends call “benefit scroungers” sadly because they’ve been brainwashed by the Daily Fail for decades).

I don't understand why anyone would vote labour or lib dem - but that is just my opinion and influences or affects no-one.

OP noone really cares to answer your question - it is just goady.

Having lived with a Labour run NHS for the past 20+ years. I really wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.

I think the amount of tax ordinary working people have to pay under Labour will be a nasty shock for you, OP.

Goodness OP are you 12? Your post comes across as incredibly immature.

Well three of my old school friends " always" vote labour.
When l asked why.
Their answer was " because my parents did and my Grandparents".
I asked them again.. what are they reasons.. why they vote labour.. what does labour represent to them personally.. all just shrugged their shoulders.. and said because they always have..
These people are in their 60s.
It's seems many people in my area do the same.. Not far off Northern mining towns.. so they just follow the herd.
And there lies the problem.
I cannot understand why people vote Labour.. other than because they can't think for themselves.

I live in a safe Tory seat. The previous candidate was a good local candidate, involved in local issues, was considered a good mp nationally etc. (now retired from politics).

I'm a lifelong Tory voter, but within the last decade the Conservative party has gone so far to the left that they are essentially in unison with Labour. Theresa May is currently advising Keir Starmer, so they're definitely a uniparty. I'm 99.99% certain I'll be voting Reform in this GE.

@Moier Sums up my town. Zero insight. They treat voting Labour like a religion.

This. I’m still undecided but our local MP is a conservative but also excellent. He is very responsive, approachable and does a lot for the community. It would be a big loss to lose him.

Stupidity/cupidity. Pretty much covers it.

What do you seriously expect to be different / better under a Labour government? They haven't announced any actual policies aside from tinkering with immaterial things like tax on private schools and non-doms.

I can't understand how people seem so polarised on MN when there is almost no difference between the two parties?

How is it weird they have different priorities to you?

Wait, what Teresa May is advising KS?!!! Where did you head that? 😲😲😲😲
Do you have a source. Not that I think you're lying, I just want to read it for myself.

A lot of people who lived through the 70s, 3 day week, 90 tax, strikes, winter of discontent etc will never vote Labour again.

Same. Those policies are immaterial and yet the polarisation is much more than that

My theory is that (some) people see who they vote for as an extension of their personality rather than an informed choice.
For as long as I can remember Labour have marketed themselves as more caring/sharing and the Conservatives have marketed themselves as realists, not afraid to do unpalatable things if fiscally necessary (I'm grossly simplifying).
Some people like to buy into either of these 'marketing campaigns' and believe it makes them the same by voting for whichever party.
It's a bit like people using their chosen car as an extension of their personality IMO.
When I was younger I always voted Labour because I thought it was morally right, all my friends did, I only ever read The Guardian etc. so I can see how people think like that.
Now I read all the manifestos and get my news from both right and left wing sources and I no longer find Labour as good as I thought they were.

It's entirely reasonable to think people know how to spend their money better than the state and that private enterprise is better at fostering innovation than state run companies.

The reality is way more complicated than that, of course, but conservatism has a basic premise that is reasonable.

I'd never vote conservative, never have. But we need both cautious and progressive people in the world. Both have value.

For me, left wing/right wing is like if you're manning the palisades around your settlement, someone knocks at the gate. Conservatism would say keep them out, might be an enemy to kill us. Left wing would say open up, it's a friend who we should help and welcome. There isn't a right or wrong really. Both have value.

But we need both cautious and progressive people in the world. Both have value.

This is exactly my understanding as I've gotten older. Each side serves as a safety mechanism to prevent the other side from going too far and overboard.
My eyes have been opened in the past decade or so, of how awful and damaging left wing politics can be when its ideology is unconstrained.

^ This.

This poster is so right.
I'm of that age.
"""A lot of people who lived through the 70s, 3 day week, 90 tax, strikes, winter of discontent etc will never vote Labour again."""

I totally agree with this.

I think (for some, and certainly not for all) outwardly declaring yourself a Labour voter in some circles (social media in particular) is a bit of virtue-signaling and marketing yourself as a very generous, caring person (For the Many, Not the Few.... and all that). However, when probed those folks do not actually have a solid understanding of the manifesto and genuinlely believe Labour is totally different to conservative. The reality I see, is that both parties overlap these days. And I both disagree and agree with elements of both parties - and that's fine. I'm realistic enough to know that a goldilocks party that meets my every need, want and ideology isn't going to exist.

(Although when it comes to elections it does leave me in a bit of a spin as to where to put my vote!)

Yes, this pretty much where I am too.

Not really. There are plenty of good reasons to want to avoid Labour getting in.

We live in a democracy, our whole political structure is based on freedom of thought.
Why do you vote/support Labour, you have not experienced a Labour government during your adult life so have no experience of how their policies directly affect you.
Come back in five years with the experience of government under both Labour and Conservatives.
I do hope that they are capable of forming a government that will meet the needs of our very diverse population.
What worries me most is the lack of MPs with ministerial experience. The practicalities of running a country are first and foremost not their political ideology.
We lack true statesmen in any of the major parties. People we can feel confident in who have a proven record of success in business or in sensible policies that will benefit all.
What we need is a strong chancellor and decent home and foreign secretary’s. We don’t need ministers who are only interested in their own popularity. There needs to be some serious changes to put the country back on track and it will mean some really unpopular decisions. Are Labour up to the job? Who knows?