Is he a bot or merely incapable of thinking for himself?

No Maizie, I won’t name people even by username. That would be wrong. I don’t lie. People have left because of the bullying behaviour of Labour supporters. It’s sad that you don’t seem to notice their absence. There should be room for polite and respectful debate but sadly there isn’t. It’s rather like a school playground.

Casdon, Conservative posters are no less robust than others but the overwhelming majority here are left-leaning and some take advantage of that majority to bully others, to be rude and to insult. Some can cope with that, some can’t. Everyone here is a person with feelings. There is no Speaker to deal with those who cross the line, unlike the HoC.

Whatever your political persuasion you have to be pretty robust and knowledgeable to post on politics threads because you’re going to get challenged - but I find it hard to believe that Tory posters are less robust than Labour posters - why would that be the case? My observation is that people on the political threads don’t agree with each other over a topic just because they are a Labour or a Tory voter, it’s much more nuanced than that - in fact I don’t think very many people at all are what I’d call left Labour, and those that are have to fight their corner hard against the more moderate amongst us too. It’s like a mini House of Commons.

Germanshepherdsmum

Very true Oreo. Some have left due to the bullying of the left wing posters.

Evidence, GSM?

You could name a few names (usernames, of course). Then we might be able to judge if it was 'bullying' or just exchanges of views...

Very true Oreo. Some have left due to the bullying of the left wing posters.

That being the case DaisyAnneReturns which doesn’t surprise me at all, there will be many Conservative GN members who are influenced in their views by what left wing posters on this site say and come away with a very negative opinion of them sadly.

Oreo

MaizieD

P.S It's possible that a 'warped view' of Conservatism stems from the views of tory posters on this site...

Sometimes I feel embarrassed to be a Labour voter when I read puerile stuff like this.

But Maizie is right. I am sure I am not the only one who is influenced in my opinion about Conservative voters, by those who post on here. There are very few times in real life where people would be as honest about their views. If anything that view is moderated by Conservatives I know and then aggravated once again when I come into close contact with our local Consevative politicians.

There was nothing childish in the observation, as far as I can see. The reply ...

DaisyAnne
No we can’t.
This poor country is stagnating at best, decaying at worst

Applegran

Do you think the political parties monitor GN and MN and other sites, to get a sense of what at least some of us are feeling? And if they do, how much impact does it have? I suppose, should they be doing this, it is all fed into the system along with opinion polls and may or may not make any difference. This is just a thought which occurred to me, reading what has been added to this thread. There may be others here who actually have an answer to this.

Just my thinking but I would guess they will generally be taking an interest in floating or floatable voters in significant seats.

If we had a very large active membership they might just check occasionally.

Callistemon21

My feeling is that he is more like a caretaker Prime Minister, keeping everything ticking over between the last two disastrous occupants of No 10 and the next election when he can gracefully make his escape.

Can we afford to wait?

No Daisy, rudeness is very much your preserve.

You made a statement which you haven’t backed up, which you took me to task for doing last week. I then supplied a link to a House of Commons briefing note which confirmed what I had said - not that you acknowledged it. If you stand by your statement then you should be willing to provide proof of what you say beyond ‘what the millennials are saying’ and ‘do some research of your own’.

Germanshepherdsmum

Facts please Daisy.

Did you not read what I said, or do you just set out to be as rude as you can as quickly as you can?

Why not do some research of your own?

No MaizieD I’ve seen no ‘appalling stuff’ by tory voters on this site, in any case how would I know they were tory voters unless they say so. There’s a certain mindset on SM tho, who are very left wing and go all out to insult others who have different political views, I try and distance myself from them.😬

Callistemon21

My feeling is that he is more like a caretaker Prime Minister, keeping everything ticking over between the last two disastrous occupants of No 10 and the next election when he can gracefully make his escape.

That feels about right, he’s trying to keep the ship steady until that time, which tbf he’s managing to do.
He may want to keep going as opposition leader but I bet they will choose a new leader if badly beaten at the election.

Oreo

MaizieD

P.S It's possible that a 'warped view' of Conservatism stems from the views of tory posters on this site...

Sometimes I feel embarrassed to be a Labour voter when I read puerile stuff like this.

Perhaps you don't notice some of the appalling stuff posted by tory voters...

MaizieD

P.S It's possible that a 'warped view' of Conservatism stems from the views of tory posters on this site...

Sometimes I feel embarrassed to be a Labour voter when I read puerile stuff like this.

Human trolls, no. But AI will be on the case sooner rather than later (if it's not already) and it will get increasingly difficult to spot.

Doodledog

Yes, they will. And they will post, too.

I saw the end of a discussion about the situation in Russia on MN the other day, and from what was left of the discussion I think a bot had been identified and blocked for posting propaganda. Prigozhin is infamous for owning 'troll farms' which publish disinformation all over the Internet, so it may have been something to do with that.

On a smaller scale, 'nudge units' and media scanners definitely operate online - whether GN is big enough to attract them I don't know, but it wouldn't surprise me, as we represent a defined demographic which is more likely to vote than others.

I agree Doodledog, but I do think one of the strengths of Gransnet is the ability of many of the regular posters to sniff out and report trolls. It always surprises me how extreme some peoples views are, but they are easily recognisable as ‘belonging’ in our demographic or not. Trolls aren’t generally that good at understanding how we tick.

Yes, they will. And they will post, too.

I saw the end of a discussion about the situation in Russia on MN the other day, and from what was left of the discussion I think a bot had been identified and blocked for posting propaganda. Prigozhin is infamous for owning 'troll farms' which publish disinformation all over the Internet, so it may have been something to do with that.

On a smaller scale, 'nudge units' and media scanners definitely operate online - whether GN is big enough to attract them I don't know, but it wouldn't surprise me, as we represent a defined demographic which is more likely to vote than others.

Do you think the political parties monitor GN and MN and other sites, to get a sense of what at least some of us are feeling? And if they do, how much impact does it have? I suppose, should they be doing this, it is all fed into the system along with opinion polls and may or may not make any difference. This is just a thought which occurred to me, reading what has been added to this thread. There may be others here who actually have an answer to this.

My feeling is that he is more like a caretaker Prime Minister, keeping everything ticking over between the last two disastrous occupants of No 10 and the next election when he can gracefully make his escape.

GrannyGravy13

MaizieD

P.S It's possible that a 'warped view' of Conservatism stems from the views of tory posters on this site...

Oh that’s unfair MaizieD

Not all Tories are the same just as not Labour followers are the same.

I would be mortified if I came across as uncaring…

You should know by now, GG13, that I have the greatest respect for you and you are an honourable exception (I sometimes find it hard to believe you're a tory )

DaisyAnneReturns

Casdon

GrannyGravy13

MaizieD

P.S It's possible that a 'warped view' of Conservatism stems from the views of tory posters on this site...

Oh that’s unfair MaizieD

Not all Tories are the same just as not Labour followers are the same.

I would be mortified if I came across as uncaring…

You’re right there, or should I say, correct rather than right to avoid any confusion!
When you get to know people on here you realise just how many shades of political views there are.

But you are not a Conservative GG. Or so you have just declared.

I have always voted Conservative in General Elections, Independent when there is a candidate in local/County Elections.

So by any measure I am a Conservative, but I do not recognise the party as it stands at the moment.

Unless there is a cataclysmic change they will not get my vote in the next GE.

Facts please Daisy.

Germanshepherdsmum

In what way have the hopes of a whole generation for a life even as good as their parents been blighted? Which generation, and specifically how has the current government blighted their hopes?

I have to put this new and pernickety machine on charge GSM. But read what the millennials are saying. You will not agree with them but that, against there anger, is irrelevant.

Casdon

GrannyGravy13

MaizieD

P.S It's possible that a 'warped view' of Conservatism stems from the views of tory posters on this site...

Oh that’s unfair MaizieD

Not all Tories are the same just as not Labour followers are the same.

I would be mortified if I came across as uncaring…

You’re right there, or should I say, correct rather than right to avoid any confusion!
When you get to know people on here you realise just how many shades of political views there are.

But you are not a Conservative GG. Or so you have just declared.