John Bercow has joined Labour - wow

Whitewavemark2

LauraNorder

Well Whitewavemark2 you don’t speak for this middle class, well educated Tory.

I’m simply quoting the various reports that I am reading, shame to make it such a personal remark, it does degrade the debate.

Well it sounds personal.

What, us from the hard left, as you want to describe us, have is a social conscience.
Most tories haven’t and that’s that.

Riverwalk

^I think Tony Blair was a self serving politician who was duped over Iraq^

Sorry Alegrias I have to pick up on this - do you mean TB duped us? You don't really think he was duped?

He either believed the lies he was told about the content of the "dodgy dossier" or he knew they were lies and went ahead anyway. Either he was stupid or he was duplicitous. I could believe either one.

I'll go with duplicitous.

Personally, I don't like the man - but I'm not fussed which party he chooses to join! In my opinion, there are people of many kinds, with many different opinions, within any political party. We are all individuals - why would any party have people who thought exactly the same as one another? It's the policies that matter - isn't it?

LauraNorder you are so right.

Blimey! That's all Labour needs.

Labour are welcome to him. Can't imagine Boris will lose much sleep, he's enough to worry about with Cummings.

icanhandthemback

It is hardly a surprise that he has joined labour. Having watched him as Speaker of the House, it was more of a surprise to me to find that he had ever been a Conservative. Whilst I enjoyed his wit sometimes, I don't think I ever thought he was impartial. He and Ken Clark could have started the "I tell people I am a Tory but I am really a Socialist" party.

Saved me the job of writing it.

I was shovked when i found out he was Tory after he left!

I started watching the Piers Morgan life stories with Kier Starmer on. Interesting. Making me look at him but i just wish he would speak up he is leader of the opposition.

Riverwalk

I'll go with duplicitous.

Yes, me too. Nobody could have been THAT stupid- devious indeed, and massively dishonest.

frenchie

What, us from the hard left, as you want to describe us, have is a social conscience.
Most tories haven’t and that’s that.

As a Tory voter I do object to your generalisation. I have raised thousands for a cancer charity, volunteer at an end of life hospice and support a charity helping homeless ex-service personnel amongst others. Some of my fellow volunteers also vote Tory, some vote Labour and surprise surprise we all manage to get along without insulting each other

eazybee

The people of Amersham are driven by pure self-interest; they resent the effect HS2 and the building of new homes will have upon their local environment. Let other parts of the country deal with overcrowding and disruption to the countryside; not them. Nimbys.
As to Bercow; why has it taken him so long? He always was Labour at heart.

I couldn't believe the woman from Amersham who was interviewed for TV news, she really did complain that these days the Tories send all the money "up north" when the people "down south" put all the money into this country!

I agree Bercow was always Labour at heart, at least it got him back in the limelight which he loves.

Beckett it doesn’t surprise me at all that Labour and Conservative voters get along without insulting each other. Most of us are in the same position. We are all there, in public and may even be posters on here.

But on GN it’s like the line in that Charlie Rich song- “oh no one knows what goes on behind closed doors”. So we can say anything on here. What each of us believes to be true or false, make a wild generalisation, pass a personal opinion, all under the blanket of anonymity.

theworriedwell

All parties will have individuals with prejudices, pretending otherwise isn't helpful. Some Conservatives have issues with Islam and I think they also have issues with Judaism. It doesn't mean either party is a racist party, it means they have members who are human, shock horror

Disgusting post. So being racist and anti semitic is fine when it’s someone you support is it? They’re just being human?

The stench of hypocrisy on this thread is vile. The Labour party have been proven to be anti semitic basically because they’re too stupid to separate their hatred of Israel with Jews.

John Bercow’s father was Jewish but his mother wasn’t so strictly speaking he isn’t Jewish as it passes down the maternal line. However, I believe his mother converted and he was brought up as a Jew.

The stench of hypocrisy on this thread is vile.

Is it overwhelming the aroma of anti-intellectualism and hatred?

Bercow is a humanist, by the way. I'm with Dawkins - there are no Jewish/Muslim/Christian/athiest babies. We all get to choose.

Becket
Of course you all care, that’s why after 11 years of Tory government, food banks’ numbers have rocketed, more children are going to school hungry and it needed a footballer to make sure children could have food during holiday time.
My daughter is a headteacher in south London.
She has been in education for 22 years and can’t believe the poverty and the social problems she encounters daily.
And let us not forget this Tory government voted against carry on free food during last October half term.
So don’t tell me they have any empathy towards the poor. It’s shameful.

*All parties will have individuals with prejudices, pretending otherwise isn't helpful. Some Conservatives have issues with Islam and I think they also have issues with Judaism. It doesn't mean either party is a racist party, it means they have members who are human, shock horror

Disgusting post. So being racist and anti semitic is fine when it’s someone you support is it? They’re just being human? *

Surely what the poster was saying is that just because some party members have issues with prejudices doesn't make the party as a whole prejudist. Human beings all have failings and we should own up to that.

tickingbird

theworriedwell

All parties will have individuals with prejudices, pretending otherwise isn't helpful. Some Conservatives have issues with Islam and I think they also have issues with Judaism. It doesn't mean either party is a racist party, it means they have members who are human, shock horror

Disgusting post. So being racist and anti semitic is fine when it’s someone you support is it? They’re just being human?

The stench of hypocrisy on this thread is vile. The Labour party have been proven to be anti semitic basically because they’re too stupid to separate their hatred of Israel with Jews.

John Bercow’s father was Jewish but his mother wasn’t so strictly speaking he isn’t Jewish as it passes down the maternal line. However, I believe his mother converted and he was brought up as a Jew.

In no way did I say it was ok to be racist or antisemitic, I was pointing out that the party isn't racist or antisemitic just because some members are. The members of all parties are human with the faults and frailties of humans so some will be racist, some will be dishonest, some will be violent because unfortunately some people are.

I did not say it was OK, either apologise for your allegations or I will be taking it further. I have never said anything positive about racists, my husband is black my children mixed race and if you want to look back at my posts you will see that I have referenced that many times.

And yes if a mother is Jewish by birth or conversion so is the child.

Alegrias1

^The stench of hypocrisy on this thread is vile.^

Is it overwhelming the aroma of anti-intellectualism and hatred?

Bercow is a humanist, by the way. I'm with Dawkins - there are no Jewish/Muslim/Christian/athiest babies. We all get to choose.

In a regime that discriminates against Jews he would be classified as a Jew. If my husband decides not to identify as black it won't change people's prejudices.

dolphinbaby eazybee

"He was always Labour at Heart" How can that be true when he joined the Conservative Party when he was 17 and became a member of the Monday Club.

Joining the LP shows that he has thought for himself and developed a conscience. Something lacking in some CP members.

WishIwasyounger, thank you. Reassuring to know comprehension is still a thing.

frenchie

Becket
Of course you all care, that’s why after 11 years of Tory government, food banks’ numbers have rocketed, more children are going to school hungry and it needed a footballer to make sure children could have food during holiday time.
My daughter is a headteacher in south London.
She has been in education for 22 years and can’t believe the poverty and the social problems she encounters daily.
And let us not forget this Tory government voted against carry on free food during last October half term.
So don’t tell me they have any empathy towards the poor. It’s shameful.

I'm sure that many tory supporters are caring in their personal lives. The thing that is difficult to reconcile is that they support a party that isn't caring.

It is hardly a surprise that he has joined labour. Having watched him as Speaker of the House, it was more of a surprise to me to find that he had ever been a Conservative.

I don't think that people understand what the role of Speaker entails. Their job is to try to ensure that the government (the Executive) doesn't exceed their powers and try to evade the supremacy of Parliament. 'Parliament' being the MPs of all parties in the Commons and the members of the House of Lords. This is bound to cause some conflict with the government, whichever party forms it, if it tries to exceed its powers.

I would imagine that had the government been a Labour government while Bercow was Speaker people would have accused him of favouring the tories.

*MaizieD
*am sure some Tories care, but obviously not enough as they still get voted in.

Beckett

frenchie

What, us from the hard left, as you want to describe us, have is a social conscience.
Most tories haven’t and that’s that.

As a Tory voter I do object to your generalisation. I have raised thousands for a cancer charity, volunteer at an end of life hospice and support a charity helping homeless ex-service personnel amongst others. Some of my fellow volunteers also vote Tory, some vote Labour and surprise surprise we all manage to get along without insulting each other

You are obviously a good person Beckett, someone with a strong social conscience.

What I am finding so hard to understand is, being the nice person you are, why on earth are you still a Tory voter?