Avoiding politics

It seems that, in the present state of chaos, even people standing for election want to avoid talking about politics.

We have just received a message from the Conservative candidates in our local Council elections on 2nd May.

They tell us that "The national issues of the day are above our pay grade and no national party is entirely blameless in the current Brexit debacle so we shall not be discussing this on doorsteps"

I would suggest that they know very well which national party should take most of the blame!

Alexa yes it is a U3A Group. When I forwarded the email excluding me from the current affairs group to the co ordinater she also suggested I start my own group! The leader of the group made the decision on his own. I have no idea if other members are aware of his decision as I have no way of contacting them. I’ve been a member of U3A for many years and this is the first time this has happened. I’ve been told oh well he is a volunteer. A volunteer with the power to suppress ideas etc. What can I do? I run other groups outside of U3A and have never excluded a member.

Blueskies, I have been a U3A group leader and I did not know I could exclude a member!

If he indeed can do so his power is restricted to that group. I hope that I may apologise on behalf of the U3A and confirm that the group in question is not one I would want to leave my sofa for.

Thanks Tilly for understanding, so often it feels as if no one is listening?

I do hate it when people 'interpret' what I write, if they would just read the words it would be so much easier all round. I have even been told I am very right wing when I have no political allegiance at all and vote according to my conscience on each occasion.

Why do people feel the need to attack?

People have huge brexit fatigue even politicians. We have just come through months of being on the edge of not knowing what was going to happen to us. Expecting to have the plug pulled on us three weeks ago but were saved until October.
People power has had a huge influence when votes were not being offered, the marches,, petitions, the sharing of facts that were being hidden by our major broadcasters. It has been exhausting for the millions of Brits who never had an interest in politics before, especcially the youth who have emerged as the most politically sophisticated of their generation ever.
Now we have a vote, the EU election, and the British political scene has changed, new parties, others maybe disappearing.
I don't know many now not interested in talking politics as we have a huge threat on our future. But most are very tired, need a rest after months of anguish. But it will all start again soon.

On Thursday 2 May, voters will head to polling stations across England for local elections.

There are 8,425 seats up for grabs in a total of 248 councils, including metropolitan, district and unitary authorities.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-47961144

These elections are not supposed to be about brexit but may still result in revealing information about support for the different parties.

blueskies, that's appalling. I presume you were stating your views calmly, not hectoring the group members.
That 'current affairs' group can't be very interesting, imo.

I'm interested, but I don't want to talk about it socially. I have been known to ban the B word from a gathering at our house. Brexit fatigue is spot on.

We are off to visit a close friend in Stockholm soon and I'd bet anything that at least some of her friends/family (some of whom we know) will be asking what we think about Brexit - same happened in Amsterdam some months ago -from total strangers inc. a taxi driver.

So I'm going to be ready to say I absolutely don't want to hear the wretched B word at all.

I’m in agreement with many of you.
I’ve always had an interest in politics, have always voted, and often helped on the day
However, I am now totally disillusioned by the state of British Politics, I will never vote conservative again, they disgust me, and I see no alternative at the moment.
I no longer even want to talk about it, sick to death of Brexit, and ashamed of the dreadful mess we’ve made of it all

'I would suggest that they know very well which national party should take most of the blame!'
Once again, Varian, you have missed the point.
The local elections are about local councils, councillors, and local issues, and canvassers want to find out and discuss, these issues: housing, benefits, school places, building targets, street lights, potholes and transport are the issues where I live. For once, Brexit is a side issue.

Blueskies, were you a member of a U3A current affairs group and subsequently asked to leave, or were you not allowed to join?
I belong to a current affairs group and there is a U3A member who has tried several times to join, and has been rejected, because apparently he 'has been overheard making racist remarks.' I do not know who this person is or the nature of his alleged remarks, and it concerns me as a form of discrimination based on hearsay.

I believe the group leader has the say on who may join, but normally that is down to numbers in over-subscribed groups.

How can anyone 'not be interested in politics'? It is about our future and our children's future. If you are not interested in politics you are going to get an awful shock when it all goes pear-shaped and it is too late to do anything about it. I despair of people sometimes.