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Is Gransnet leaning more to the left?

(44 Posts)
Sago Tue 20-Oct-26 19:19:59

After looking through the thread on the Guardian top 10 books it prompted me to revisit a thread I started in August re the Daily Telegraph top 50 books.

The responses were pretty negative on the whole, it would seem posters felt the list was “subjective, tosh, prescriptive, snobbery, silly, objective, woke”

The Guardian list was far better received.

This got me thinking is Gransnet leaning too far left?

I asked Chat GPT’s opinion.

Here’s some of the feedback.

Some 10 active posters create 43% of posts.

During the 2024 election academic research found strong views on both sides.

The researchers described the discussions as politically diverse and sometimes polarised.

The most interesting though was a Trustpilot review.
This echoed my my feelings exactly.

“Gransnet is the sister site for the very well known Mumsnet site but aimed at Grandparents and mainly over 50s.

It has so much potential to be a great site and there are some really nice, helpful people on there with a wide range of discussions which are usually pretty lively, supportive and informative.

Unfortunately in more recent times it has become very cliquey with a number of Far Left supporters who tend to dominate any discussion on politics and news and seem to spend all their time on there arguing fiercely with people who do not share their views and they can get very aggressive and rude. The Gransnet moderators used to do a great job but if you report them now, the nasty comments remain which is very unfair. moderators should be unbiased but it looks as though they favour people on the Left. These contributors also like to belittle others or make sarcastic remarks about grammar, spelling etc which, again, are usually allowed.

It is also very sad that several people have either been banned from the site with no good reason given and others have just left because it is so cliquey.”

LemonJam Tue 20-Oct-26 21:01:04

Casdon I agree re Trustpilot single post. It is representative of that single person’s view and not representative at all.

The very very many other Gransnet members can though form a view on whether posts are far left or far right according to accepted definitions not withstanding their personal political leaning I would have thought. Though accept others may not hold my view.

LemonJam Tue 20-Oct-26 21:02:29

Have any others see far left posts recently like this single trust pilot poster?

Wyllow3 Tue 20-Oct-26 21:04:03

Its got it really wrong as regards, "Far Left" I've been in the left since I was 14 and really know the difference (Communist Party Mum and Dad)

Many of the so called "left wing views" were actually standard "left conservative views) 40 years ago. (as in paternalistic but welfare supporting Conservatism). Politics have moved tot he right, but the huge majority of posters are centre or centre left.

Above all, remember that although News and Politics are a big section, most discussions on GN are on other topics.

We don*t know what those Gransnetters vote at all Do how can AI speak as it were for them? It can only draw data from the N and P or some of the chat threads.

Galaxy Tue 20-Oct-26 21:10:44

Actually many centrists views would now be viewed as far right. Much of the stuff the left is now saying would have been considered insanity 10 years ago. It is why you have a number of originally from the left commentators saying for goodness sake stop this.

MG55 Tue 20-Oct-26 21:15:13

Wyllow3

Its got it really wrong as regards, "Far Left" I've been in the left since I was 14 and really know the difference (Communist Party Mum and Dad)

Many of the so called "left wing views" were actually standard "left conservative views) 40 years ago. (as in paternalistic but welfare supporting Conservatism). Politics have moved tot he right, but the huge majority of posters are centre or centre left.

Above all, remember that although News and Politics are a big section, most discussions on GN are on other topics.

We don*t know what those Gransnetters vote at all Do how can AI speak as it were for them? It can only draw data from the N and P or some of the chat threads.

Good point 👏👏

MaizieD Tue 20-Oct-26 21:17:28

I'm not clear as to whether to OP is talking about the entirety of GNet or the News and Politics forum in particular. Chat Gtp's analysis cold well be of that forum, as could be the anonymous Trustpilot review, but when you consider the very wide range of forums offered by Gnet, most of which seem to have no political bias whatsoever I can't see either critiques applying to Gnet forums as a whole.

I tend to agree with Casdon here:

Everybody can join in, but throwaway comments without any substance or evidence are given scant attention because the debate is more important than the view,

Casdon Tue 20-Oct-26 21:28:49

Galaxy

Actually many centrists views would now be viewed as far right. Much of the stuff the left is now saying would have been considered insanity 10 years ago. It is why you have a number of originally from the left commentators saying for goodness sake stop this.

That’s just the other side of the same coin though.

Maremia Tue 20-Oct-26 21:29:09

I think it all depends on the perspective of the Poster.

Galaxy Tue 20-Oct-26 21:33:23

Yes that's why I saying it casdon grin

MT62 Tue 20-Oct-26 21:46:02

I would say so mainly left on N & P.

Chocolatelovinggran Tue 20-Oct-26 21:59:19

With reference to your original post, Sago, I can't see a connection between the choice of favourite books and political persuasion .

eazybee Tue 20-Oct-26 22:01:14

I would agree with your post, Sago.
Particularly the 10% of posters responsible for 43% of the posts.
I wouldn't describe them particularly as far left, simply Labour supporters convinced of the rightness of their cause.
Far too much placing people in categories and use of far and hard and even extreme to describe the views of those they disagree with.
Plus a whiff of sanctimony.

Cossy Tue 20-Oct-26 22:07:11

If you consider decency and honestly and compassion to only be traits belonging to the left, then the answer is yes.

However, I don’t believe this to be so.

I think these three positive traits, and many other positive characteristics actually exist across left, central and right wing politics.

Sago Tue 20-Oct-26 22:08:50

Chocolatelovinggran

With reference to your original post, Sago, I can't see a connection between the choice of favourite books and political persuasion .

Because the DT is considered right, the Guardian left.

Cossy Tue 20-Oct-26 22:09:09

In the words of some others here, what a goady post!

MaizieD Tue 20-Oct-26 22:09:50

I tried giving Chatgtp a simple statement. 'Gransnet is left leaning. Discuss'

It immediately homed in on the News and Politics forum and ignored all the rest. Forming an opinion from one forum out of many doesn't seem to me to be a valid critique.

I suggested that it might count all the active users of Gnet and see how many there are compared with News and Politics posters. It can't do that at all easily it says. So much for AI...hmm

Sago Tue 20-Oct-26 22:10:45

I will stress at no point have I described any posters. As far left.

The Trustpilot quote did.

I simply asked if this forum was leaning too far left.

Cossy Tue 20-Oct-26 22:11:39

LemonJam

Casdon I agree re Trustpilot single post. It is representative of that single person’s view and not representative at all.

The very very many other Gransnet members can though form a view on whether posts are far left or far right according to accepted definitions not withstanding their personal political leaning I would have thought. Though accept others may not hold my view.

I agree with you.