“Maybe the Labour Party isn’t for you”

[tabbycatstripy]

A writer on Twitter says she asked her local Labour Party candidate ‘the question’ on the doorstep. Apparently defining a woman wasn’t a problem for him. But when the prospective voter wanted to discuss single sex spaces (I think the example given was a single sex grammar school for girls in an area that has two for boys already, and whether it should have to admit ‘trans girls’) the answer was “Maybe the Labour Party isn’t for you.”

Already a bunch of TRA responses accusing her of stoking up the culture war.

When the fact on the ground is that there is ALREADY double the provision in place for male children that exists for female children, it is not stoking a culture war to ask whether even more of those resources should be given to males. It’s just asking questions about things female people care about.

But then maybe the Labour Party isn’t for me.

Yep, I have decided the Labour Party is not for me. Feel like they've made it quite clear they do not want me to vote for them with my views on women and their rights.

Recently I was shocked to learn that my dad, lifelong Labour Party member (fond memories of leafleting with my dad when I was a kid). He even stood for election for them before Covid. But he has also got the message from Labour that they do not want him now with his views on Israel/Palestine.

Seems like they don't want socialists, feminists, those who are working class. Who do they stand for?

‘Seems like they don't want socialists, feminists, those who are working class. Who do they stand for?’

They stand for middle class social justice zealots.

I was shocked to find out recently that my parents, who were members of the Liberal Party here in my country, joined the Conservative Party. Which is just about the last thing I'd expect. But they've become disgusted with a number of their id politics issues, gender being only one of them.

‘I was shocked to find out recently that my parents, who were members of the Liberal Party here in my country, joined the Conservative Party.’

Liberalism (the thing the Liberal Democrats used to stand for) isn’t that far removed from economic conservatism. Under Johnson (until about now) it wasn’t that far removed from what the Conservatives were doing. Now with the immigration strategy and Policing bill that’s become more questionable. I can vote for liberal conservatives but probably not for the current direction of travel. I’m not hugely pro-immigration (or anti) but that Rwanda policy is cruel and probably illegal.

OLJ

Was trying to not name names. Then mistyped the initials 🙄

Obviously I meant the likes of little OJ

You have to laugh that this is the response to prospective voters on the doorstep. I recall the increasingly irrelevant Lib Dems tried that in the face of all the women protesting about their lack of interest in women's rights and child safeguarding) - and lost thousands of members along with their votes.
Fools.

‘You have to laugh that this is the response to prospective voters on the doorstep.’

I mean, it’s fine and I’m glad they’re telling the truth. It’s better than the candidate saying anything a prospective voter wants to hear. But I won’t be voting for it.

Why should girls’ schools be forced to admit male children and refuse places to female children? Big nope from me.

The candidate for the ward has replied to the writer on Twitter. He says he didn’t speak to her. He is (quote) ‘disturbed that anyone can leverage trans issues into a local election’ and says it ‘seems obsessive’.

This is how a prospective politician (who thinks they are fit to exercise our authority for us on local issues) speaks to a woman who is concerned about a political issue.

Mike Tapp: we can vote for you or not based on any issue we care about. We can vote for you or not because we don’t like your tie. You can also choose to answer any question, or not. But when you start insulting voters, you are digging a massive hole for yourself.

Seems like they don't want socialists, feminists, those who are working class. Who do they stand for?

Beardsplaining men who long since disappeared up their own wokery and anyone else who has suspended their ability to recognise reality.

That about nails it.

The Labour Party isn't for me, either.

As a matter of fact no political party is currently representing anything that I feel is 'for me'. However I will vote for the one least scary in terms of rampant anti-woman zealotry.

Don't forget the part where we say, 'Yeah maybe you're right and the Labour Party isn't for me any more', and they tell us we've still got to vote for them cos otherwise we're endorsing the Tories.

They stand for middle class social justice zealots.
I don't see the middle-class appeal. The level of aspirational policy of 1997 is noticeable only by absence. They really need to decide what they are and stick with it. The only way they'll win power is as a progressive centre-left party, but that upsets the Isreali boycotting never-kissed-a-tory wing.

I'm increasingly thinking that the only way to get the representative government you want, is to vote for whoever will deliver electoral reform first and who you really want the election after that.

I left in 2018. Not seen any reason to rejoin.

Also my OH who has been a red card holding Labour party activist left last year. Never ever thought he would do it but he did. And is not going back.

*Maybe the Labour Party isn’t for you.”
if you are an female or love one I think he’s probably right.

the candidate for the ward has replied to the writer on Twitter. He says he didn’t speak to her. He is (quote) ‘disturbed that anyone can leverage trans issues into a local election’ and says it ‘seems obsessive’
They're determined to paint this as a fringe issue. Let's see what happens when the results are in.
The Labour party really don't want votes from people who even mildly disagree with them do they?
I was looking at my postal voting slip earlier today and trying to decide who to vote for. Despite a very capable Labour councillor seeking re-election I think I am going to vote for the party least likely to win. That way I haven't wasted my right to vote and for me, it's a protest vote rather than a spoiled paper.

‘They're determined to paint this as a fringe issue. Let's see what happens when the results are in.’

Even if it is a fringe issue, it’s a legitimate and genuine question: how should society balance the rights of the girls who want the grammar school place in the girls’ grammar school against the boys who want the grammar school place in the girls’ grammar school?

Why would anyone refuse to answer such an obviously important question?

He is (quote) ‘disturbed that anyone can leverage trans issues into a local election’ and says it ‘seems obsessive’.

Funny that. I thought local authorities were responsible for schools, public toilets, care homes, carers, disability services, rape crisis services, refuges. All things for which the correct application of the Equalities Act matters a lot. But maybe it only matters to women.

“Maybe the Labour Party isn’t for you.”

I already decided that this year it isn't, and my postal ballot is in without Labour. Mostly because my Labour local election candidate works for an organisation that has very publicly not made good use of the single-sex exemption. I do fantasise that in secret she wants a public outcry or legal challenge to sling out the individual(s) concerned but as an employee she can't say so... but in reality I doubt it. I suppose she's as down with the programme as the rest of Labour. So this year she's right off my voting list.

The Labour party really don't want votes from people who even mildly disagree with them do they?

It seems they don't. Call me naive, but I thought the whole point of campaigning was to get elected🤔

why would anyone refuse to answer such an obviously important question?
It's not that unreasonable really is it?

No, it’s not.

And considering many local councillors then go on to ask for our votes as MPs, it’s not at all surprising that we want to know where they stand on issues not limited to local issues. They don’t have to tell us but we can ask whatever we want.

I've realised, sadly, the Labour Party is not for women anymore.

I'll be very interested in our local election results as I suspect our (usually safe) Labour representative will get a shock...

Maybe the Labour Party isn’t for you

Yes, maybe not. You won't be wanting my vote then, I'm sure.

That's true, these days though the Liberals and Conservatives here are roughly analogous ideologically to Labour and the Tories.

The idea of my mother even voting Conservative was a real shift.

The labour party is determined that vast swathes of the electorate are nasty, ignorant bigots. They don't want to taint their ideological purity by appealing to any voters they have deemed unworthy. Unfortunately they also don't seem to have worked out how to count.