Just had the labour candidate at my door

[porridgecake]

She called me a racist Daily Mail reader because I said I didn't think a child could consent to being sterilised and I didn't think rapists should be locked up with women. I also said I was disappointed with the poor resources for women wrt domestic violence, maternity care etc and she countered with how things are much worse for transwomen. I disagreed. Then she stomped off saying "Oh fine, you aren't going to vote labour then!"
I hadn't even said that, I said I would like her to persuade me to vote for her.
I suppose they get so cross because at some level they know they are talking nonsense.
I feel quite upset tbh.

Update added by MNHQ: The OP's since discovered that the person was a canvasser, not the actual candidate. The OP's sorry for the error - please see their later updates.

Labour is tiny in my area and I’m probably putting myself but we’re probably one of the few places where Lib Dem’s are the only ones with a chance against the conservatives so I vote for them. The local candidate lives nearby, genuinely cares about local issues as they affect him too, and has been genuinely supportive over a number of issues people have had.

What are that LD candidate's views on women/sex-based rights?

I wonder if it’ll be included in any party’s election manifestos, and also if not why not

I've been wondering the same thing (long time poster by the way and hopefully my name will indicate that I'm not a TRA plant :)).

I’ve not actually gotten as far as asking him yet, but it is on my list. Won’t put it all on here but all I’ve spoken to him about recently is a local issue and some questions on a newsletter regarding bus funding (riveting, I know).

Unfortunately I don’t think I’ll agree with what he says, or I actually wouldn’t be too surprised if he wasn’t too clued up with the issues actually. But unless he says something really extreme he’s still got my vote as a vote for anyone except Lib Dem’s in my area is a vote for tory. The other parties don’t even bother trying round here

The problem is that I bloody despite the Tories and all they stand for. I can't believe what they've gotten away with in the last few years. The level of corruption and nepotism is mindblowing and what's even worse is that they've got the arrogance not to care who knows it.

Do the Tories genuinely care about women's rights? Of course not. They're just smart enough to spot a gap in the voting electorate.

I don't think Labour or anyone else would be able to perform a miracle turnaround in the NHS, there might be a small improvement but things are so dire now I don't see how it can be quickly fixed. For this coming election women's rights and self-ID is the issue that I'm focussing on. I hope by the time the next election arrives we'll have moved on from this stupid phase in society.

YY exactly my position too.

Won’t put it all on here but all I’ve spoken to him about recently is a local issue and some questions on a newsletter regarding bus funding (riveting, I know)

Bus funding is important. Public transport is important. Parts of the country are still living with the radical change from the Beeching cuts. Bus links can mean the difference between living somewhere affordable and somewhere not, travelling to work or not and having access to shops and essential services. For women in abusive relationships, they can mean the difference between seeking help and not.

I am curious about your own stance on women's sex-based rights, though, User - your posts are a little evasive!

I don't think Labour or anyone else would be able to perform a miracle turnaround in the NHS, there might be a small improvement but things are so dire now I don't see how it can be quickly fixed.

Are you not scared that it will get worse under the Tories?

and you should find your local candidate - easy enough to do on the internet - and that candidate should be made aware that their canvassers are bringing them into disrepute.

Yes. These immature people shouldn't be insulting people on their own doorstep due to their own ideological views, the candidates deserve better.

@user1471504747 I agree with you, and I'm not a TRA ! it's beyond naive to think that because some Tories have seen this as an issue and can chuck us a soundbite they will actually DO anything...we've seen very clearly that they are liars and not to be trusted. If there was a different leadership and we had a government who were sincere, serious people then I might be weighing up their stance on protecting women versus their stance on poverty and public services. But they aren't.
The whole thing is going to implode quite soon I think and we need to nudge towards that and show the dissenting voices in the Labour party- the only party who have a chance of getting rid of the Tories- that they have a chance to be truly on the right side of history. There will be inquiries and law suits and judicial reviews and all sorts. As a PP said, this happened under the Tories' watch, they will suffer for this, hopefully.

But I’d rather have a bit of a mess over trans issues and a functioning NHS, a fit for purpose welfare system

Well yes, I'd like all of this and more.
What we will get if labour get in power is all the stats skewed.
I feel a bit like I'm repeating myself because I am but

Take cervical cancer. It affects one woman in 10 (made up stats because of menopause i cant remember the actual stats)
Now labour get in power and cervical cancer affects one person in 20.
Halved the rates. Done nothing at all. Win win
We can do this with all sorts of things.
Vawg halved at the stroke of a pen. The murder rate of women (or men if needed) you can think of any issue you like. If it involves humans it will be effected by merging the sexes. No money spent, no changes required. Instead of stating the sex it affects, state people. Or gender.

And rolling this back after laws have been changed and officially no harm done and nothing to see here and it never happens?
Good luck with ever rolling it back.

Good post @StillWeRise . I’m mystified how the tories have managed to brand themselves as champions of women. That’s not what I’ve witnessed.

I also distrust their stance because of the extensive history of populism and lying. I have a lot of trust to be earned before believing them, basically they need to put their money where their mouth is if I’m going to take them seriously.

I don’t agree with any other mainstream party on the extremes of the TR’s debate either so, personally, that rules out selecting any of them on that basis. I think it’s evolved into a debate that goes beyond party colours at this point. But I’m not comfortable with abstaining so I will use my vote for a party that can offer better than the tories and are likely to deliver. In my area that means Labour unless they form a coalition and encourage ‘borrowing’ of votes with the Lib Dems.

Which leaves me to consider other factors when it comes to me casting my vote and frankly the tories in their current form have no redeemable qualities. Certainly nothing that swings it in favour of taking a punt on them not lying (for once).

@Terfydactyl but where’s your reassurance that this wouldn’t happen under the tories?

from where I’m sitting it’s quite simply a bet with almost every other area of society as the stake. I don’t believe the tories are doing anything of substance and are just vote harvesting.

'So bearing in mind that a politician of Gordon Brown's stature once got caught on a hot mic calling a member of the public a "bigoted woman", is it really so hard to believe that some hot-headed young activist would call the OP a "racist Daily Mail reader"?'

No. We see councillors on Twitter talking to women like this all the time, using language like 'terfs'. Gregor Murray abused women online. I don't know why people suddenly think these individuals are all above this sort of thing. Half of them seem like idiots to me.

Why dont people believe OP? Labour Party has been particularly stupid about sex and gender, declining to know what a woman is (until lately). Then not understanding importance of women only spaces, so women dont get raped. (Only people with a penis can rape) or women only sports (do people with greater muscles mass dont always win). If I was in the UK I doubt I could any longer vote labour

Sorry feel like I’m derailing the thread!

In terms of my own views - I think women’s sex based rights should return, and single sex (not “gender”) provisions remain as exactly that.

I also think the sudden and drastic increase in gender issues experienced amongst children and young people needs a serious review. Which actually links into another issue I feel incredibly strongly about - CAMHS and the absolute state of them. They are quite literally not fit for purpose and it’s no wonder children and teens are channeling their feelings of depression, anxiety, trauma, into this new “change your gender and it will fix all your problems” rhetoric being spouted.

I was going to say I haven’t seen a viable plan from the government on how any of this is going to be addressed or the changes made under them revered. But never mind viable I’ve not seen much of a plan at all. Javids review is a good start, but I don’t think it’s going to be extensive enough to capture all issues with children and young people and I don’t think it’s going to lead to adequately funded mental health support. And even though Boris has correctly acknowledged what a woman is he doesn’t seem to have linked it with any action for reversing the loss of women’s spaces.

Well I’d say it’s a good thing people did question the OP @Grannyd47 since the OP herself has since clarified some points she herself mistakenly made regarding what happened.

bots/agitators/campaigners are prevalent across the internet. Not trusting an unverifiable statement on an anonymous forum should be everyone’s starting point. People lie and have ulterior motives, propaganda has evolved hugely over the last ten (and earlier) years. It would depend on your stance but QAnon is an example of what can be achieved.

Note I am not accusing @porridgecake of being any of those things, but that doesn’t detract from the point that her post is no better than overhearing one side of a conversation on the bus and probably shouldn’t be given too much weight.

Austerity benefits very few people but disadvantages the masses. It’s disproportionate affect on women, children, and disabled people is not something I can bring myself to vote for no matter what soundbite Boris comes up with about women.

It’s incredibly rare for someone to agree with 100% of one party’s politics, there’s always going to be areas that don’t quite hit the spot. But it’s about balancing what party you agree with the most, with what issues you give the most weight to, and also how good your local candidate actually is. Personally I can’t ever see myself being a single issue voter - women’s rights, the economy, NHS, housing, and education are all my top priorities that I give the most weight to and for me that’s not a vote for the conservatives.

user1471504747 - I agree with you about mental health services. In fact, I could have written your post.

Absolutely, in my email to ally candidates I was able to quote local issues. Our new swimming pool only had what they call family changing or a changing village. That is really important at a local level. I need my local councillor whoever they are to help me ensure they have good policies and procedures for filming, exhibitionism and voyeurism.
Schools are also a local issue and if you have kids at schools you need to check the policies and might want to involve local councillors.

None, but for damn sure it'll happen via labour.

My local Labour candidate is what you would describe as gender critical so I am very lucky. They appreciated my letter asking the questions (from Respect My Sex campaign) and my feeling is this is all good stuff for them to send to the Labour leadership. I doubt they will win locally as we tend to swap between Independent and Conservative, but it has given me hope.

I don't just think Labour are no more moral than the Tories, I question many of their MPs' intelligence for having been taken in so much by this absurd dogma.

Life long Labour voter, not thrilled by where they stand on trans debate. But it is one issue of so many and to be honest, and with no offence meant, it's hardly top of the most important issues at the moment. I see it as a debate to be had if in power.

As for being called a racist daily fail reader..if true ..it was wrong..but I'm more concerned with your motive to come and share..or are you a Jurno throwing red meat?

If OP was called names on the doorstep by some Labour canvassing fool, why wouldn't she share it on MN? There are lots of stories on MN that can be questioned. Some of them are true, some of them aren't. I don't see anything especially implausible here, knowing how many of these people feel emboldened to behave on social media.

None, but for damn sure it'll happen via labour

I disagree, this debate is far from over and there is a growing awareness and opposition. I also believe, for an awful lot of people this just isn’t on their radar yet.

Besides which, if Labour took over tomorrow the tories would still be the main opposition party and still have the same stance you believe they do now with a strong platform in parliament alongside a strong presence in the House of Lords.