Anyone understand why Johnson is so far ahead in the polls?

Great idea, Callistemon. That would cut out the ‘stupid’ riffraff.
Oh, hang on, that would probably include me!

Starmer has yet to really capture the public imagination

I think this is true and I actually like him (which is shocking I know)

Callistemon I hope your suggestion is not meant to be taken seriously?

There are several reasons why he is still ahead in the polls. The first is that lies and sleaze are already factored in with people's opinion of Boris. Second, the opposition is incredibly weak. The Shadow Cabinet is hopeless and Starmer has yet to really capture the public imagination. Third, Boris is still popular as he did get Brexit done whilst Labour appeared ambivalent on the issue. Things may change however if it's found to be true that he made that appalling comment about the Covid deaths.

MaizieD

^MaizieD is always questioning people’s right to vote if they are not political astute/intelligent enough.^

I'm still waiting for someone to explain how people who take no interest at all in politics (and who actually seem to think that elections are some sort of personality or beauty contest) are competent to vote for a government? What do they think a government is 'for', for heaven's sake?

Right, before the next GE everyone eligible to vote has to take an IQ test and a compulsory 6 month course in PPE, Central & Local Government and Law & Justice.
Anyone getting less than 100% in the final exams will be struck off the Electoral Register.

I think Johnson is popular because he's a "bloke". People can relate to him. They feel at ease. For all his faults, he's the kind of bloke you can talk to. He's a "common or garden", as the saying goes, man.

I think people, rightly or wrongly, think Johnson understands their problems and what they want out of life, what matters to them. And they don't feel like that about the other political leaders on offer currently.

This may be ephemeral but somehow it holds right now apparently.

Do you think a perm would suit him?

but.....the fact remains that Johnson is a proven liar

I'm trying to think of any PMs we have had who have not been.

The demographic on Gransnet is not necessarily representative of the UK voting public as a whole of course. Here’s the latest poll regarding the bodies piling high issue, which is interesting.
c.newsnow.co.uk/A/1077580728?-850:14274

I'm still waiting for someone to explain how people who take no interest at all in politics (and who actually seem to think that elections are some sort of personality or beauty contest) are competent to vote for a government?

Competence is irrelevant (I'll come back to that). The definition of democracy is that people vote for their political leaders and can vote them out if they prove useless – useless as judged by the voters, that is. Anything else is not democracy.

There is a fashion nowadays to scoff at ordinary voters as unworthy and "incompetent". Still, for all that, people choosing, or at least having a choice even if they don't very often get exactly what they want, is the only fair form of government. Democracy may be rubbish but it's only rubbish , to paraphrase, except for all the other kinds of government the world has seen. And then, by somparison, it's the best.

lemongrove

I think the reason that some posters don’t ‘get’ the popularity of Johnson are the same ones who didn’t ‘get’ the large majority gained by him at the last GE . They were upset and confused as to why Corbyn did so badly,they don’t understand the man in the street ( most voters.)They still don’t understand, even after the sort of year we have all had.

Valid point lemon but it does not explain why so many, including a fair few on here, are members of some sort of insane Johnson fan club. Corbyn is yesterday's man, Starmer may not be everyone's cup of tea, but this still doesn't explain why so many decent, kind, honest people are prepared to support a man who is not any of those things. I was not a Corbyn supporter, I am disappointed with Starmer, so far, but these facts do not mean I would vote for the corrupt, liar and his band of merry men and women. I get it that the vaccine programme is successful, I even get it that a misguided number of people are happy to have Brexit at any cost, but.....the fact remains that Johnson is a proven liar, looking out for himself and his chums and I am staggered that so many are prepared to be happy with this.

What do the Labour party need to do to stop their slow death? (539 Posts)

Best I can do

I'm still waiting for someone to explain how people who take no interest at all in politics (and who actually seem to think that elections are some sort of personality or beauty contest) are competent to vote for a government?

Erm ... I dare say competency doesn’t come into it per se MaizieD but every voter is affected by the outcome so dim or intelligent, we all need to be offered a vote. Many don’t bother though from both ends of the IQ scale.

I wonder if mandatory voting would make a difference? Ah well. Not going to happen, nor PR voting. We are stuck with FPTP it seems.

Mind you PR seems to produce a ‘stuck’ parliament of factions and coalitions. Look at the mess in Spain! No thanks.

Oldwomen exactly what I have been saying for weeks.

I think it’s just the way GN political threads roll lemongrove

Sorry oldwoman70 I hadn’t seen your post?

Looks like we are still the only posters who disagree with a pretty awful judgement on voters though GG13
Undemocratic indeed! That may be the understatement of the year ?

MaizieD

^MaizieD is always questioning people’s right to vote if they are not political astute/intelligent enough.^

I'm still waiting for someone to explain how people who take no interest at all in politics (and who actually seem to think that elections are some sort of personality or beauty contest) are competent to vote for a government? What do they think a government is 'for', for heaven's sake?

People may not take a great deal of interest in politics on a day to day basis - but when elections come around I think you would be surprised at the amount of discussion that goes on.

The majority of people do not consider politics to be an all consuming topic being busy getting on with their lives

Nicegranny

I’m a big fan of Boris he’s no fool he’s very intelligent. He doesn’t sweat the small stuff.

Every time I see Kier Starmer on tv he’s choosing to run Boris down using serious words to do damage but l’ve never once heard one sensible suggestion come out of his annoying mouth.

How about his suggestion that politicians should abide by the law of the land? Or don’t you watch PMQT?

Because there's no reasonable alternative.

MaizieD

^MaizieD is always questioning people’s right to vote if they are not political astute/intelligent enough.^

I'm still waiting for someone to explain how people who take no interest at all in politics (and who actually seem to think that elections are some sort of personality or beauty contest) are competent to vote for a government? What do they think a government is 'for', for heaven's sake?

We live in a free country, all those who have a legal right to vote have just that a legal right to vote !!!

Nowhere is it stated that there is a legally required IQ test before a cross is put on a ballot paper.

People are entitled to make up their minds as they see fit, to gather information from wherever leading up to elections.

What you appear to be advocating for is the UK to have its Government decided by a section of society you deem to be politically astute

That is not democratic in my opinion.

I do think people are easily manipulated by the media and other sources. I don't think it is directly linked to intelligence levels though. I think we all need to be a bit more switched on as to what is happening locally to us for a start. We need to question what we are told and we need to question that rhetoric. It is pointless arguing with one another, that is what we have been set up to do.

MaizieD is always questioning people’s right to vote if they are not political astute/intelligent enough.

I'm still waiting for someone to explain how people who take no interest at all in politics (and who actually seem to think that elections are some sort of personality or beauty contest) are competent to vote for a government? What do they think a government is 'for', for heaven's sake?

one of the unknown side effects of covid?

Much better GG and much fairer

Aveline

Aww can't you work it out Suziewoozie? I'll happily leave you guessing.

No guts then ?