Labour canvasser today

[SirSamVimesCityWatch]

I'm in one the constituencies with a by-election coming up.

Just had a labour canvasser (woman, mid/late fifties) knock to ask if I was voting. I said yes I would be.

She asked if I knew who I was voting for. I asked if she knew what a woman was. I told her I was a single issue voter and that was the only issue that was going to decide how I voted.

Her response: "I believe a woman is anyone who believes themself to be a woman".

I told her in that case I have nothing else to say to her, and closed the door.

I would have loved to have actually put some of the issues to her (rapists in prisons, assaults in mixed sex spaces, including schools, destruction of women's sports etc) but my heart was already racing and I knew it would be like talking to a brick wall anyway.

But anyway - at least that's a clear pile in the eye for the whole 'it doesn't come up on the doorstep' nonsense.

So, I'm either voting Tory or SDP.

Miriam Cates would be the best in this role in my view. Very Clear, knowledgeable and sympathetic.

Cates is direct and has been raising profile on this.

She spoke earlier on the news item

Oh great the country will get another terrible Tory government thanks to you

You know that's not strictly true. About only 150 seats swing the GE, such are the vagaries of FPTP.

I absolutely believe one should vote from the heart as much as anything.

If rejoining the EU means the most to you, pick the party best suited.

Ditto migration, the NHS.

For me, however incompetent the Tories are, I'm compelled to never vote for parties out of touch with material reality.

For me, that means only two options, likely the Independent most attuned to material reality.

Labour will only have themselves to blame if the GC vote against them crystallises.

Btw, are you criticising pro EU and environmentally sensitive and Scottish nationalists for also not voting Labour, plus all the Corbynistas who would rather be seen dead than vote Starmer?

They'll also contribute to a possible Labour defeat.

Would you expect gay people to vote for a party that opposed gay rights?

Would you expect black people to vote for a party that wanted black people thrown out of the UK?

Yet, somehow, women are always expected to put their own interests second.

I don't think it's clear-cut which will be the worst option for women at the next GE, but I'm fucked if I will be guilted into sacrificing my own interests. If Labour and the LibDems are happy to throw away my rights, they do not deserve my vote.

Very well said.

Well said. That's why I'm always so surprised at the Tory support here. Why would any feminist vote for them?

none of the mainstream parties are feminist. In that situation, choosing the party which at least demonstrates some willingness to recognise women as a sex class doesn’t seem that unreasonable.

Why would any feminist want the alternative to win?

And before the inevitable response…

If Tories lose it’s Labour and maybe Lib Dems up next

Since posters can’t even support them given how much they hate the Tories, it’s obvious they are worse on this

Tobias Ellwood Tory MP for Bournmouth East leading the way for women's right's in Afghanistan by encouraging UK to "re-engage" with Afghanistan diplomatically and "incrementally" improve women's rights.

Again I ask the question - what have the Tories been doing to improve the rights of women in their 13 years in power? Women's right go far beyond the fight for safe single spaces. I don't deny that this is important, but to claim that Tories support women's rights based on just one of many, many of the issues is just plain wrong.

I don't find these "Tories hate women" and "Tories don't support women's rights" statements particularly convincing. They are black and white declarations which seem pretty pointless.
Ask away though, maybe someone might humour you.

Women's rights start with recognising women as a sex. If you can't do that then everything that follows becomes meaningless, including the idea of 'safe single spaces'.

Not being able to feed your children or put a safe roof over their head due to years of benefit squeezes and cuts to the social services that would have been able to support you is the reality faced by many women. I am sure they would place those things as having more meaning than anthing else.

Where are the examples of practical things the Tories have done to support women?

Where are the examples of practical things the Tories have done to support women?

Depends whether you are talking about women as individuals or women as a class. If it’s individuals then Liz Truss will be receiving £100k a year as a former prime minister. Same for May.

Yep, the Tory party sure is a meritocracy, lol.

Where are the examples of practical things the Tories have done to support women?

I posted this already but 30 free hours and SEISS both were very good and meant I could work and get support when required

And the £900 plus direct cash and benefit uplift not for me but others

Yes dear, women need to Vote Tory for Perpetuity if they really are feminists.😆

I look forward to your 😆 when Labour come in calling you a dinosaur.

Enjoy.

I don’t think anyone’s saying this? They are making a judgement based on how things are currently, as sensible people tend to do.

😂 and an emoji at how crap it will be.

Good luck it’ll be your lot then.

Can you post a link of where Starmer said this? Google isn't helping me. I can only find him saying that the current GRA doesn't go far enough and supporting the Scottish GRA reform bill.

I think this poster just posts unsubstantiated stuff tbh

See Mordaunt would be leader last time

You go vote the way you choose.

We shall vote how we see fit.

I realise some women don't get it yet.
But if you cannot identify a woman, you cannot help her. It is a basic idea, but true.