If a general election was called, who would you vote for?

[Anothernamechange3]

Or really, who can I vote for? I don’t want to vote Tory, especially after today’s revelations. I also don’t feel happy voting Labour or Green, for reasons often discussed on this board. Is there a party you’d feel happy to vote to be in power if you had a chance to, say, tomorrow? Feeling pretty despondent

@LobsterNapkin

I don't know. Women seem as likely if not more so to push identity politics and gender ideology.

I agree. I read an article about this recently, which discussed the results of a study that showed that women are more likely to want to enforce "niceness" (#bekind, check your privilege etc) and to employ ostracism in order to do so. I haven't been over this study with a fine toothed comb (in fact, can't even find the article! Was probably in the Critic or Unherd, anyone else see it?), but it did ring true to me. I mean, think of almost any supposedly women-run women's or girls' organisation or group - how many of them have stood firm against it, and how many have actually swallowed it whole and taken in on as their new crusade? And it's mostly women I see on LinkedIn displaying their pronouns. With men, there are the Harrops of this world, and then a larger number of beardy woke bros who like to take their high horse for a little ride, but beyond that I don't think there's the same #bekind guilt-fervour motivating many men. I think more women see this issue as being about protecting "the most vulnerable" and therefore of great moral importance, whereas men are less likely to see it that way, or to be that fussed.

I remember how disheartened I was during the last Labour leadership contest, when all the female contestants signed the pledge calling WPUK a hate group etc. Only Keir Starter refused (not that he's been much use ever since).

@TreborBore

If Tory is your idea of the best then you have extremely low standards.

This illustrates the problem I have with Labour.

No debate, just insult and othering.

A response which said something like “I would find it difficult to vote Tory because…” or I will vote Conservative because I am concerned that Labour do not seem to addressed possible anti Semitism, or because they seem to be ignoring women’s concerns.

Politics should not be tribal. We need to drill down and examine polities, and hold all parties to account.

FWIW my first term Labour MP is all but invisible. A safe seat so I will protest vote. She does not speak up for women, or it appears, anyone. It would be good for her to see her majority decline.

Trying to win over the opposition by telling them they are evil doesn't tend to be a particularly successful tactic. I think part of the reason the tories have done so well in the north recently is because people percieve Labour (and the left in general) to be patronising and vilifying them if they don't totally toe the line. I think that the superior attitude of the left and the insistence on total ideological purity has been a massive contributer to the state we're in now where I just can't see that anyone other than the tories will get in in the foreseeable future. Calling people scum for having differing opinions is not how we move forward.

And even if I was likely to vote tory I would still be of the opinion that that the left needs to sort itself out because the government, whoever they are, need a strong opposition. The lack of which we are currently seeing the effects of...

@CrispAndFrosty

thecritic.co.uk/did-women-in-academia-cause-wokeness/

God knows, out MP is in a safe Conservative seat and he tows the party line no matter what.

Our labour candidate is unelectable.

Not sure I'd that leaves anyone.

Communist Party

But I'll look into SDP right now...

Actually I'm not sure it is that article after all. Sorry for the distraction.

Whichever party is most likely to adversely impact the SNP’s vote share.

I know who I won't vote for. Any candidate that supports removing women's rights and disenfranchising them from society. Oh and any candidate or party that supports calling other citizens scum.

Conservative in a very safe Conservative seat.

[quote CrossPurposes]@CrispAndFrosty

thecritic.co.uk/did-women-in-academia-cause-wokeness/[/quote]
That's the one, thank you! Ha, not a great headline for a feminist forum, is it?

@FourTeaFallOut fair enough. That’s your decision. But not wanting to “sink women for anything” seems quite minor in comparison to sinking poor kids that the Tories are keen not to feed, or our education system that they are keen to academise, privatise and monetise, or the NHS which they’re systematically dismantling. And I say that as a feminist and someone on a similar page to you about the trans situation in this country right now.

I was talking about this with my mum. She lives in a Tory constituency where the Lib Dems have a good chance. She has campaigned for the Lib Dems/Liberals for over 50 years. At the last election the candidate basically said that anyone who refuses to believe TWAW is a bigot. She was upset that this counted far more than her years and years of volunteering and campaigning and for the first time didn't renew her membership. She's now considering voting Tory as at least the local candidate is not a Boris croney!

@EricCartmansUnderpants

Tory. Best out of a very shit bunch. It's not saying much.

^^this

I refuse to countenance voting for any party (or allowing one in by not voting) that fails to recognise and protect women’s rights

@TreborBore

If Tory is your idea of the best then you have extremely low standards.

The tories don't care about women.

Look at the FSM fiasco of last year where it would be mostly mums worrying about feeding their kids or the rape clause in Universal credit.

I live in a fairly marginal SNP/Labour seat and as much as I am pro indi I feel more drawn to Labour right now.

It's not about Tories caring about women. Nobody thinks the Tories give a fuck about anyone. It's the concerns about handing power to a government that cannot point to one and the cascade of unintended consequences for women and girls when their sex is silenced and erased and the inability to row back when that happens.

Labour.

I am concerned about the erosion of women's rights, and the role of Labour (collectively and many many specific individuals) in driving that. But for me it is a lesser issue than investment in public services, particularly education and health, and on those issues I strongly prefer Labour. Sending my children to school through this era of brutal austerity has been heartbreaking. The contempt and the corruption of the current government is also shocking - plenty of corrupt self-serving behaviour from politicians from all parties of course, but Johnson's government in particular are awful.

In practice I live in a very safe Labour seat, with a longstanding local MP who I agree with about many things, disagree hugely with about some others, but who is broadly very good in his local work. If he doorsteps me I will gladly discuss women's rights (and our right to hoard them ) with him, but I will vote for him again either way.

I’ve been spoiling my vote as I can’t vote Labour anymore

Despite the greed and utter shambles of the Tory government I may even vote Tory next time as retaining women's rights is too important an issue

@FourTeaFallOut

It's not about Tories caring about women. Nobody thinks the Tories give a fuck about anyone. It's the concerns about handing power to a government that cannot point to one and the cascade of unintended consequences for women and girls when their sex is silenced and erased and the inability to row back when that happens.

Well put

I live in a very safe Tory seat, so I will vote based on the views of the local candidates rather than the broader party
(knowing that alas it will make little difference). I’m hoping to make it clear to candidates who canvass that sex vs gender is not a niche issue!