Heidi Allen standing down

[PandaPaws99]

I'm not a huge fan of her politics but I'm appalled by yet another female MP being treated like shit and threatened by men people who don't agree with her or think she's a uppity woman or whatever. FFS!!
heidiallen.co.uk/heidi-allen-mp-letter-to-south-cambridgeshire-constituents/

It’s abhorrent the level of abuse she and other MPs have received.

However, despite you all jumping on a PP about it, that is clearly not the reason she is standing down. She’s been told to stand down because having joined the Libs it’s become quite apparent she is unelectable in a constituency that otherwise they have a chance of winning. Locally people are absolutely fed up of her antics.

If your local MP had been pro-Brexit. Then decided they were anti-Brexit, then left CON to be the leader of Change UK, then left change UK to join the Libs. Would you vote for them or would you think there were indecisive, self-serving and a strong risk to abandon whatever party you were voting for making the outcome of your vote deeply uncertain?

I rather disagree. This constituency has had a Tory MP since its formation, despite several strong opposition candidates. Heidi was brand new and unknown when she replaced Lansley, and still got elected. People like her, and she has been a good MP for us, and she is anti-Brexit, like the majority of the constituents (60% remain, 81% turnout). I think she could certainly have been re-elected even as a LD.

Our county council is LD and most of the local councils are LD, and certainly my local LD councillors are brilliant hard-working people. That said, I wouldn't want them in govt, so I don't vote LD nationally (or Labour or Tory or Green this time!)

The new Tory candidate is an unknown but of course is male and that often makes a difference unfortunately. As things stand now, we will get another Blue male MP and Parliament has lost a decent member.

Sorry that last post was a bit disjointed!

I'm not entirely convinced when those like Allen or Umuna who changed parties more than once are described as indecisive and self-serving. Sure, that's the characterisation party-loyal MPs want to portray to defend the fact they've stayed in a party they disagree with - I'd say those MPs are the self-serving ones, because they are hoping their loyalty will be rewarded with promotions and power.

Allen must have known that joining Change UK was unlikely to get her into government and was a risky gamble that would be likely to end her political career - the "safe" option would be to stay a Tory and keep her seat (and avoid some of the abuse).

As for indecisive: it's an easy shot for satirists (and I've laughed too at the "which party are you in this week, Heidi?" gags) to describe someone as indecisive when they change their mind when circumstances change (which they have quite dramatically this year).

Thanks @DadDadDad, that was really well-put. I agree. And I am planning to write NONE across my paper as not one of the parties represents what I want for the country

Thanks, SouthCambsVoter (oddly specific username - do you change it for every thread you're on? ).

I'm a bit surprised to find myself discussing politics on the Feminism board. It's an easy choice for me to vote LD in this constituency as the best chance to stop the Tories and fly the Remain flag one last time (maybe). I know LDs are not liked by GC feminists, but on the balance of what's really pressing now, I can't see an alternative.

I don't think you read what I said ofcourseidid.

I said, "I don't really care why she is stepping down tbh. I care that it is entirely believable that it is because of misogynistic abuse and that that hasobviouslyplayed a part in it. And that that should be an acceptable part of politics in 2019 beggars belief. That is what needs discussing. 'She was going to go anyway' is not a feminist response to this issue."

And you counter that by saying that I am 100% accepting what she is saying. When my whole point is that I don't.

@DadDadDad I lurk and comment but I'd rather people didn't know where I live so I name-changed just for this thread Welcome to the feminist board! The LDs aren't the only party who've chucked us under the bus, as you probably know... lots of us feel politically homeless.

BBC now claiming over 50 MPs preparing to stand down. A lot of this is about Brexit surely? And the abuse they get.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-49607907

She’s part of a Tory government who have fucked over 10s of millions of people worse off than themselves, so I have zero sympathy. You reap what you sow.
Good riddance

It is horrendous that women are being bullied out of public office. Heidi Allen is clearly not the only one. When this is a feature of everyday life you have to question who is getting all the abuse and why. Same old, same old

Front page Times article this morning

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/general-election-2019-morgan-in-exodus-of-moderate-tory-mps-zx7wdxknn?shareToken=ef42fb856fe628e473939bc09ae6b648

What a truly sad state of affairs we find ourselves in. It never ceases to sadden me. Who is going to be put in their place...? M/C white older men who follow the "do or die" party line and listen to no one but Johnson/Corbyn?