I have never felt as much despair in our politics as I do right now.
The Tory Party currently in power is led by a man who quite clearly isn't up to the job, who is well and truly out of his depth. He could just about bumble and bluster his way ahead pre-pandemic, relying on his staff and ministers to come up with solutions to problems, but that isn't working any more.
The party and its leader are feeding us an absolute load of drivel, issuing countless meaningless soundbites and making equally empty statements about the state of the country that don't stand up to even the most basic scrutiny by anyone with half a brain.
In fact, proper scrutiny of the statements now being made is frankly extremely worrying - the supply problems and the resulting shortages in the shops, both now and for some time to come, are finally being acknowledged, but a narrative is being created to say that this (and the inflation that is set to get worse) are a necessary and expected part of our leaving the EU and ridding ourselves of the cheap labour in order to rid ourselves of uncontrolled immigration, something that we as a country voted for, and for which we must therefore accept the consequences.
Recent statements suggest that they are trying to absolve themselves of all responsibility for both for the depth of the current crises (yes, plural), and of Government responsibility to help ease them.
I fear that we, both the people and businesses struggling as a result of these crises, are being thrown to the wolves.
Meanwhile the Labour Party is in pieces. It is totally fractured, and can't even lead itself at the moment, let alone a country.
As for the Lib Dems - do they even still exist? I doubt if the majority of the population could even answer that question with absolute certainty, so far out of the public eye they seem to have fallen!
The only other party that most people could probably name is the Green Party, but I think it will be some time (especially under the first-past-the-post voting system) before they can be in a position to hold much political sway.
I feel utterly homeless, politically, and really do despair about what is happening in British politics.
We actually have a very good constituency MP but I don’t like any of the main parties and what they stand for at the moment. Nearly every politician seems remote and totally distanced from ordinary people and their needs. I think we need a sound, electable centre party, neither left wing nor right wing. A party that actually listens to its voters and puts them first.
It seems beyond belief that, with the shower of incompetents running the country, we do not have a credible opposition party. At this rate it will be decades before anyone dislodges the Tories.
And in answer to MaddyB if Boris hadn't got us out of the EU we would be a damn sight better off than we are now. She may not have noticed but we are currently being controlled by a would be dictator that the vast majority didn't vote for and, while the EU may be faced by the same problems, they are not being as badly affected. If we've managed Covid so well why do we have one of the highest infection rates in Europe?
we are currently being controlled by a would be dictator
I got into trouble for using the word 'dictator' on another thread ?
why do we have one of the highest infection rates in Europe?
You're right, Deeda. Our much vaunted world beating vaccination programme hasn't done us much good, has it? And we're actually behind most of the EU now in the percentage of the population double jabbed...
I don't need to vote our constituency has been Tory since Adam was a lad. I still do though, women fought and died for the right to vote and I make sure I use mine even if it is one of a small minority most times.
I am the same.
I feel pure hatred for what the Tory elite have done to this country in the ten yrs they’ve been in power. And there’s no end. No real opposition party.
Iam64
Whitewavemark2
Yes me to.
The only way out as far as I can see is to hope that the opposition parties see sense and form an alliance. The vote will than not be split. The majority of the voters don’t vote Tory.I’m unhappy the LP continues to destroy itself. Starmer may not be everyone’s choice but he’s the elected leader. The same noisy group who demanded loyalty to Corbyn are consistently opposing Starmer
I don’t feel as homeless as I did when JC was leader. As white wave reminds us, the majority aren’t Tory voters. Tactical voting and consensus between the opposition parties seems essential
There is such a big hole in what is on offer. I can only agree with you about the Labour Party Iam. It was the same while Corbyn was Leader and now reversed. There are two or more parties endlessly fighting inside the Labour Party while the Conservative Party is two or more parties endlessly covering up.
There are so many myths that the right-wing press have managed to embed in the countries psyche. I always knew there were lies about labour and the economy but this: The Tories have always borrowed more than Labour, and always repaid less: they are the party of big deficit spending is a truth that surprised me - it shouldn't have but the propaganda always works at some level.
I still think - no change here, I always have - that PR is the only way for a growingly educated nation to go. But I can't see how we will. If we did smaller parties would get their share of MPs; larger parties could afford to split into people in parties who agree with one another. The voters could pull together a coalition of the policies they actually want.
People knew what they were voting for when they voted this Tory Government in. They couldn’t fail to see Johnson’s ‘blundering blubbering toff act’ was in fact not an act, but a display of his vacuous mind. His amoral behaviour was well documented - he was and is a womaniser, a liar and a racist who is self serving and unprincipled. He changed his stance from pro Europe to Brexiteer when he saw the chance to be PM. He surrounded himself with obnoxious people like Rees Mogg, Patel and Gove and left the country in the hands of the odious and unelected Cummings.
Never forget the Tories think Johnson is the best they have got - so worry more about the rest of them!
Even taking the personalities out of it, the policies of the Tories has never been to unify and level out - they have single handedly divided the UK and watched the have and have not part even more.
Things are only going to get worse and it’s galling that Johnson thinks that Nations that did not vote him in should suffer under this UK government any longer.
But more people didn't vote for this government than did StoneofDestiny. You can't blame the majority that a minority of voters command more seats. It's the system that isn't working for all.
I feel despair too. Nothing would induce me to vote Tory but I left the Labour party after Starmer and Evans employed Stalinist methods to ensure my CLP - and others - could not debate the issues they wanted to. I live in a safe Tory constituency and my MP is an ERG Brexiteer. I will vote because people suffered and died to get me that privilege, or right, but I can't see myself joining another political party in what is left of my lifetime.
Another one who has been disenfranchised by our current political parties.
I did vote Conservative, once. And once only. It was in 1979, the year Mrs Thatcher was elected. My constituency returned the Labour candidate.
Never since.
But at the moment I haven't a clue which party would govern in the best interests of the country.
graykat
If we were still in the EU we would have full shelves in the supermarket, full petrol pumps, staffed hospitals, abattoirs, farms, restaurants and cafes, better Covid mitigations, easier travel and the right to live, study and work abroad. What has Brexit brought?
Whilst I didn’t vote for Brexit, and I don’t like BJ, your post needs some viable evidence for me.
If . . . doesn’t prove anything is true.
It is very easy to critisize, But, at the end of the day, do you want the job?? None of them expected a pandemic, Brexit was on its way, what more or less do you want??
Bring back Maggie Thatcher!
Thank goodness we are not a republic - absolutely not one of the current lot in Government, regardless of their Party colour, would be suitable (in my opinion) to be a 'President' a la Trump!!
The HoL is a joke - taxi in, sign name, taxi home - another £300 in the Bank.
MamaCaz has put it so well. I’m deeply, deeply disappointed with the Lib Dem’s at the moment, so sad that Paddy Ashdown is no longer with us. Keir Starmer has so much on his plate at the moment, if only his party would get behind him and fight the wretched Tories instead of each other. Do we have too much choice with too many parties to vote for? Seems to me the Americans have it easier with just two. I’m at the stage now where I just do not believe a single word that comes out Downing Street, anything that Boris pronounces on has become mere fluff with no substance at all.
SJV07
It is very easy to critisize, But, at the end of the day, do you want the job?? None of them expected a pandemic, Brexit was on its way, what more or less do you want??
Bring back Maggie Thatcher!
Brexit was on the way because that's what they, and the people who voted for it, wanted.
They don't get to complain about it now.
I'm not sure someone who died a decade ago could help much, but it certainly couldn't be much worse.
TanaMa
Thank goodness we are not a republic - absolutely not one of the current lot in Government, regardless of their Party colour, would be suitable (in my opinion) to be a 'President' a la Trump!!
The HoL is a joke - taxi in, sign name, taxi home - another £300 in the Bank.
Is the Queen helping things then?
Keir Starmer is a brilliant leader and will make a great prime minister. The Labour Party has always faced internal battles but it can rise above them. Maybe you can find a way to support that outcome.
The Queen keeps us stable and helps us to avoid personality cults.
Hmm....dilemma: local elections always vote for labour as they're absolutely brilliant in local issues and we get very good value for council tax etc. Much to my utter shame I did vote for the vampire party last round as the thought of red jezzer and his comrades gave me the heeby jeebies! NEVER AGAIN! I get so frustrated with those who moan constantly then chip up 'i never vote.....' unless a concerted effort is made to mobilise those thickos who fail to make the connection between who's in power and who voted for them- we need to rid ourselves of the Eton gang once and for all and make it really easy for the common person to get into power, kids in tow and charging in their wheelie chariots! We deserve proper understanding and representative politicians in order to really make the changes we need to make. Why this OBSESSION with running the whole country from a crumbling old dump in Westminster!?! Scots have theirs Welsh have theirs, storming too. As there are more northerners than the rest put together!!! where's the Midlands' and northern assemblies eh? Sick of hearing about Frau Sturgeon and her megalomaniacal tunnel vision too! Poor Scots are on their knees and she doesn't give a fig! Well done the Welsh they have a leader they well respect (a steady eddy) as for stormont!?! On strike for 2 years on full pay and a corrupt leader still drawing salary , OMG what a joke!
We're all doomed.....!!
We are just emerging from the Covid ‘era’ which has been incredibly difficult for all of us - we have seemingly been living on a strange alternative planet! The shock waves are still reverberating.
I’m sure things will improve for all parties and for all of us given time. I’m not a particular fan of Boris - but really don’t know how anyone else could have coped with Covid country any better.
Buddleja
The Queen keeps us stable and helps us to avoid personality cults.
I think the adoration of the Queen is the definition of a personality cult.
Gabrielle56
Hmm....dilemma: local elections always vote for labour as they're absolutely brilliant in local issues and we get very good value for council tax etc. Much to my utter shame I did vote for the vampire party last round as the thought of red jezzer and his comrades gave me the heeby jeebies! NEVER AGAIN! I get so frustrated with those who moan constantly then chip up 'i never vote.....' unless a concerted effort is made to mobilise those thickos who fail to make the connection between who's in power and who voted for them- we need to rid ourselves of the Eton gang once and for all and make it really easy for the common person to get into power, kids in tow and charging in their wheelie chariots! We deserve proper understanding and representative politicians in order to really make the changes we need to make. Why this OBSESSION with running the whole country from a crumbling old dump in Westminster!?! Scots have theirs Welsh have theirs, storming too. As there are more northerners than the rest put together!!! where's the Midlands' and northern assemblies eh? Sick of hearing about Frau Sturgeon and her megalomaniacal tunnel vision too! Poor Scots are on their knees and she doesn't give a fig! Well done the Welsh they have a leader they well respect (a steady eddy) as for stormont!?! On strike for 2 years on full pay and a corrupt leader still drawing salary , OMG what a joke!
Nice balanced assessment there.
As a (non practising) Jewish lass whose pa and his fam landed here in 1935 - vote Hitler, be model member, move up ranks, cheat and abuse your position to help those in need, get really close....... Oops pushed wrong button, silly me, need new candidate........change can only ever be really effective when pushed from inside out.
Gosh...no mention of the Monster Raving Loony Party. Maybe they should be given a chance. They fought for many things that more main stream political parties took on as part of their policies...some even becoming law.
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