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Do you feel politically homeless?

(135 Posts)
grannyactivist Wed 06-Nov-19 13:49:13

The news that Dr. Bendor Grosvenor, the art historian, has withdrawn his support from the Conservative party has got me thinking.

I wonder about how people are affected when they have become disenchanted with parties they have supported assiduously in the past.

My parents-in-law were lifelong supporters of the LibDems (previously Liberals), but they tore up their membership cards when they joined forces with the Conservatives. I also have a dear friend who has been a very active lifelong Conservative party member and even an Agent for many years. I know he has struggled with recent events and I don't yet know whether he has jumped ship, as I suspected he might do, but there must be a huge personal cost to someone in giving up on a political party they have been so invested in.

How do you choose who to vote for when the party you've believed in no longer seems like the party you joined? Do you feel you've been betrayed? How do you find a new political home?

Grany Thu 07-Nov-19 15:49:56

paintingthetownred I agree with everything you wrote that's how I feel about Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour Party.

PamelaJ1 Thu 07-Nov-19 14:32:14

Grannyactivist, that last sentence sums it up.
I don’t seem to be able to make sense of most of what I’m hearing.

grannyactivist Thu 07-Nov-19 12:38:44

I'm fortunate enough not to have had the dilemma of having a really good constituency MP whose party has core policies that I don't support. I'm really not sure how I would vote in those circumstances, or deal with the ensuing cognitive dissonance.

Having written the above paragraph I then googled politics+cognitive dissonance to see what has been written on the subject and came across this article.

The following is an extract that I think is particularly germane:

In today’s political world, the desire to reconcile cognitive dissonance drives the growing tendency of political candidates to emphasize apolitical qualities such as personality and demeanor while deliberately cultivating vagueness about their policy positions in an effort to minimize cognitive dissonance in voters’ eyes, said Blackwell.

“The less they know about your policies, the less strife they’ll feel in voting for you if they disagree with you,” he said.

Flossieturner Thu 07-Nov-19 11:10:37

I am really torn. I loathe Boris and think Jeremy should have spoken out much more on Brexit. He was said to be euro-sceptic so why not say what his personal belief is. That said, we have an excellent young labour MP who takes a genuine interest in his Constituency .

As a remainer I should vote Lib/Dem but feel it is a wasted vote.

varian Wed 06-Nov-19 19:40:52

Please think again EV. There is so much at stake. If you want to save our country from this looming brexit disaster vote Liberal Democrat.

lemongrove Wed 06-Nov-19 19:39:06

Everyone has had their fill of politicians and their nonsense and game playing in the HOC.
In the end though, I could not vote for either Lib Dems with their anti democratic stance on Brexit or a party with a leader like the hopeless Corbyn (and crew.)So although I don’t like Johnson I will vote for the Conservatives like I did last time and time before that.
When I first came to GN I was a Lib Dem voter ( in fact I remember being asked by Varian not to give up on them) .
Where I lived before in the West Country, we had an excellent Lib Dem MP.
In time, Labour may become more palatable under a different leader, so may the Lib Dems ( and the Conservatives as well)
At the moment it has to still be Conservatives though.

EllanVannin Wed 06-Nov-19 19:18:31

I'd rather stay at home thankyou. They can all get on with it !

Grammaretto Wed 06-Nov-19 18:35:37

I feel even worse off here in Scotland. I really don't want the union broken up and I am a Remainer so it looks like I should vote LibDem but it could be a wasted vote. If a wasted vote, I would go Green whose ideals I espouse, but the Greens are chumming up with the SNP. Labour has little or no hope in Scotland and anyway they would allow Nicola another referendum.

I am cynical and think the party who plays dirtiest and is richest will probably win but I would be very depressed if Boris got back in. I don't mind Jeremy. I think he's genuine though whether he could unite the country is another matter.

As you say Blinko maybe wine is the answer.

Blinko Wed 06-Nov-19 17:48:52

Safe Labour seat here, so it won't matter a jot what I vote. I will vote, though.

Lib Dem even though whatsername Swinson doesn't fill me with enthusiasm. I do ask myself if she were a male would I feel the same lack of inspiration shock

Do I suffer from unconscious sexist views? Like, I always think of doctors as men, even though most are female nowadays.

Oh dear, there's no hope (on so many levels). Maybe wine is the answer.

phoenix Wed 06-Nov-19 17:28:26

In answer to the OP, yes, very much so!

I will turn up at the polling station on 12th, but may well end up writing "none of the above" on my ballot paper.

Have yet to receive any leaflets from local candidates, but hope that some will arrive so that I can at least see what their policies are locally.

However, can't stand Corbyn (and don't even mention Diane Abbott!) and wouldn't trust Boris as far as I could spit, and I don't spit, not being a footballer!

GrannyGravy13 Wed 06-Nov-19 17:28:14

I could not vote for Jeremy Corbyn, I am not a fan of Boris Johnson, but if my constituency MP is still standing on Election Day I will vote for them, as they are extremely good and supportive of all things local, easily contactable and replies to emails. They are a Conservative MP.

grapefruitpip Wed 06-Nov-19 17:24:35

painting..genuine non goady question....which of the team do you particularly like?

paintingthetownred Wed 06-Nov-19 17:20:10

No, we are not, (let down). I for one, feel enthused by Jeremy and his team, hopeful for the first time in years and very glad that he is someone who is not going to engage in personal attacks.

Rather than feel politically homeless, I am starting to feel as if I have come home again.

Last time I voted, a fellow voter reminded me that women died for the vote. The reason why we should all get out, regardless of the weather and make our minds up on December 12th.

No apologies for my stance. About time, I feel some of us stopped being old 'fogies' and got real with younger generations in particular.

painting

GillT57 Wed 06-Nov-19 17:14:14

It truly is difficult, probably more so for Tory voters IMO. People like my late parents were one nation Tories, believed in fairness, in reward for hard work, but support when needed, they believed in decency, truth and honesty and would find it very difficult to find any of those qualities in the current Cabinet. Johnson would be beyond the pale as far as they were concerned. I realise of course that there are many Labour supporters who will not feel able to vote for Corbyn, but are they as much let down as the Tory voters?

sodapop Wed 06-Nov-19 16:23:51

That sums up my feelings too GrandmaMoira an utter shambles all round.

suziewoozie Wed 06-Nov-19 16:13:47

Thanks GA

Grannyknot Wed 06-Nov-19 16:08:35

SuzieWoozie my comment about Channel 4 was purely because I hardly ever find anything to watch on Channel 4 smile

suziewoozie Wed 06-Nov-19 16:03:48

Out of interest GA why ‘on C4 of all places’?
ATM I’m planning to spoil by ballot paper

Grannyknot Wed 06-Nov-19 15:38:26

I think there is another category of people who are or may be 'politically homeless' or suffer from 'electile dysfunction' (made me chuckle).

People like me, who in 20 years in this country has not got their head around the politics, the class system, the historical (and sometimes hysterical) allegiances (and sometimes hatred towards people with opposing views), and the current bunch of politicians and their politics. So yes, I am most definitely politically homeless.

I learnt a lot recently about past Prime Ministers and their Parliaments from watching a programme (on Channel 4 of all places) "How Europe Stole My Mum" - it was a brilliant run through of how we got where we are. Here's a short summary of the Guardian review:

The hour-long mix of impressions, news footage, historiography and scenes between mother and son growing up and on that fateful day in June 2016...

www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/nov/01/how-europe-stole-my-mum-review-brexit-miracle

nightswimmer Wed 06-Nov-19 15:35:41

GillT57 you sum it up perfectly 'electile dysfunction' ??. l live in a safe Tory seat area, so safe that there have been captions on FB and Twitter of him sound asleep on the benches!

Whitewavemark2 Wed 06-Nov-19 15:33:42

Oh dear annie not sure if you would like to detract your post 14.38.

The last poster who posted that about Corbyn was deleted.

Oopsminty Wed 06-Nov-19 15:28:13

I'm not sure any more.

I've always gone on at my children to vote.

I think they may have to harangue me this time

Tooting29 Wed 06-Nov-19 15:23:47

Yes definitely I am relatively homeless politically. A previous conservative voter, the referendum was the final straw and I swore I would never vote for them again and voted Lib Dem in the last GE and local elections and Green in European. The recent shenanigans in Parliament has lead to further disenchantment. What I hope this election will deliver is a 2 fingered salute to both the main 2 parties who have dominated politics for too long with the country swinging one way or the other. Short termism with an eye on their parties interests and power. I would like to see more consensus n Parliament and the vocabulary of the political arguments changed. Rather who thinks they are right or wrong. Too tribal and too divisive. It's such a pity that it's replicated in GN where I had a forlorn hope that we could raise the standard and least be fair in our postings. Are we any better than them I would like to think we could be.

FlexibleFriend Wed 06-Nov-19 15:09:43

No my local MP is Conservative but always conducts himself with dignity. He represents his constituents well and has done for the last 20 years or so. He is a leaver representing a massively leave constituency so has a lot in common with the voters in his area. Probably just as well because I'd find it difficult to vote for any of the other parties.

GrandmaMoira Wed 06-Nov-19 14:53:07

I think very many of us feel politically homeless as both main parties have become more extreme. Most of the One Nation Tories have been pushed out as have most of the moderate Blairite type Labour MPs. In addition to the right wing views, Boris is an untrustworthy liar with a scandalous private life. There's something about Corbyn aside from his politics that I find creepy and unsavoury.
I am a moderate, slightly left of centre and only the Lib Dems fit near that nowadays but they only have a few seats and no power.