Current talk is that the Tories should join with Reform

Grantanow

Reform is, in my opinion, a danger to UK democracy and it would be foolish of the Tories to join it.

Only if they reduce our right to vote for our government every 5 years, and I do not think they would do that.

Reform is, in my opinion, a danger to UK democracy and it would be foolish of the Tories to join it.

Chocolatelovinggran

Politics Nerd, I think that your comments are unnecessarily unpleasant.
No part of my post said that I am better than anyone else.
I was drawing attention to the fact that some families talk of politics and current affairs, and some do not.

No part of my post said that I am better than anyone else.

No, it didn't - nor did anyone else's who were simply discussing their experiences growing up in a family where politics were discussed.

It's not an elite subject - anyone can 'talk politics'.

Perhaps one of the reasons why they don't is because families often no longer sit round the table at dinner-time because of work commitments, in fact they might not have much time at all to discuss anything if parents are working full-time. But it's a shame nevertheless - if you don't engage in the matter, you can have no influence on decisions and policies that affect your life.

Politics Nerd, I think that your comments are unnecessarily unpleasant.
No part of my post said that I am better than anyone else.
I was drawing attention to the fact that some families talk of politics and current affairs, and some do not.

I have criticised people who don’t vote but have not claimed that I am better than them.

I didn't get that impression, rather that its very desirable that people turn up to vote, and looking at what has made them determined, plus reasons why people don't turn out.

Why do so many people need to declare they are better than others? Now we have the I'm better than those who don't vote brigade.

Same here, a politically aware family in that my parents had an interest in current affairs, which I have passed on to my children. I don't understand when people say they "don't do politics". OK, not everyone takes a keen interest, I get that, bit surely people are aware of what is going on here and overseas, and how it may or may not affect them? Even seemingly petty irritations such as pot holes are affected by politics!

Same here, Cossy and Dickens. I was raised in a politically aware household, and I did the same with mine.
We don't always agree, but all vote and take an interest in current affairs
I'm now talking to the older grandchildren about such matters, but I am aware of the fact that we are a slightly unusual family.

Dickens

Yes, I agree.

My parents were very politically aware and active, so therefore so was I, though changed political allegiance, much to my parents dismay!

I have encouraged political interest and awareness of current affairs, all children bar number 5 (he’s 22) vote and have pretty strong views, they don’t always align with mine, but tbh that’s fine.

Between us we have Green, Lib-Dems and Labour.

No Reform, im relieved to say!

Cossy

Barleyfields

If people are very busy they can always vote by post, as my son and daughter in law do in case work commitments on the day prevent them from getting to the polling station. There is no excuse for not voting, other than inertia.

I agree, inertia and in lots of cases ignorance and disinterest. My 24 year old daughter told me this week she is the only one among her friends who takes a real interest in both politics and current affairs.

I agree, inertia and in lots of cases ignorance and disinterest. My 24 year old daughter told me this week she is the only one among her friends who takes a real interest in both politics and current affairs.

... perhaps you encouraged her interest?

My two grandsons have been motivated by their parents to take an interest - the 16 year old actively campaigned for his 'chosen candidate' at the last election, even though he can't vote yet; the 13 year old is "undecided" but asks a lot of questions.

Maybe the interest, or lack of it, stems from the home environment?

Galaxy

I think some labour voters are closet reform voters

Really?? 😂😂😂😂😂

Barleyfields

If people are very busy they can always vote by post, as my son and daughter in law do in case work commitments on the day prevent them from getting to the polling station. There is no excuse for not voting, other than inertia.

I agree, inertia and in lots of cases ignorance and disinterest. My 24 year old daughter told me this week she is the only one among her friends who takes a real interest in both politics and current affairs.

You hear so many say, "I don't listen to the news, it's too negative, they're all the same" The space is left open for "solve it all" sloganising. people either believe these short cuts or turn away

I think this certainly is a major part of the problem, the lack of respect for politicians has made many people disillusioned,

I do think that there would be a higher turn out at elections if there was a box for 'none of the above'. This is an indication of opinion, showing involvement in the electoral system, but disillusionment with the choices offered

I agree with Barleyfields.

Maybe not voting is a statement of 'I-can't-be-bothered'. With the justification of "they're all the same anyway".

Of course the young might be disillusioned, but if anyone is going to change the political climate, it's them. They have youth on their side and they can get involved at a local level or become part of a larger activism.

There is no excuse for not voting, other than sickness or accident... even if - to borrow from Mercutio in Romeo & Juliet - you only write "A plague o' both your houses!" (or similar). That's more of a statement than not voting at all.

A one party state? What voting would be needed in such a situation?

Then we have to agree to disagree Barleyfields. I would personally hope I could make the decision not to vote if we got to a one party state situation.

I don’t agree that not voting is a statement. There is usually a reasonable choice of parties from which to choose.

Barleyfields

If people are very busy they can always vote by post, as my son and daughter in law do in case work commitments on the day prevent them from getting to the polling station. There is no excuse for not voting, other than inertia.

They can and many do.

We have the choice whether to vote or not. I don't think Britain has yet got to the point of marching people to the polling station. Not voting is a statement in its own right.

I think young people may do politics in a different way to other generations, so they may not be involved in party politics as such but more issue based activism. It was later in life that I became involved in traditional party politics but some of the things I was involved in when young were 'political'.
As far as I am aware the younger generation are quite avid consumers of some of the issue based podcasts for example.

I agree the ever shrinking voting figures are a great danger to our democracy. One of the reasons to me is that the celeb culture has afflicted politics. The press and SM often inclines towards what I would describe political gossip on individuals rather than policy.
Day after day of negative pulling or cutting down of individuals in the MSM sticks in peoples minds rather than information leading to policy discussion that actually really affects peoples lives.

You hear so many say, "I don't listen to the news, it's too negative, they're all the same" The space is left open for "solve it all" sloganising. people either believe these short cuts or turn away.

I'm not sure how we can turn the tide for young people to vote, but its much needed.

I would have thought it's because the have very full lives. They are in the "striving" part of their working lives, trying to have a partner and possibly children.

That didn't stop us voting when we were at that stage of our lives. Our demographic have been lifelong habitual voters. We were brought up believing the importance of having the vote.

not better or more knowledgeable

I don't know. We seemed to be quite politically active, as were our seniors. Aldermaston marches, Greenham Common, Grovesnor Square, those pointless university sit ins, anti Thatcher protests, anti Iraq war.

There was always seemed to be something political going on which embraced a wider range of topics than self interested causes, like the farmers 'protests'.

Not that I have any explanation at all for the failure of younger people to vote these days.

If people are very busy they can always vote by post, as my son and daughter in law do in case work commitments on the day prevent them from getting to the polling station. There is no excuse for not voting, other than inertia.

Churchview

I think young people are less inclined to vote than older folk is that they don't remember the war and the aftermath of the war when having the right leaders and right policy was a pressing matter of life or death.

I would have thought it's because the have very full lives. They are in the "striving" part of their working lives, trying to have a partner and possibly children.

The older vote is obviously going to be different. We are simply at a different stage in life - not better or more knowledgeable (as often proved on GN).

I doubt anyone under 70 remembers the war and the decade after it. I was born in 1943, which makes me 82 this year, I do not remember the war and, barely, the restrictions on life in the decade after it, but by 1955, the boom years had started and by 1957 the Prime MInister, Harold Macmillan could say 'We have never had it so good'.

Election turnover began to fall in 1997, where the youngest voters would have been born in 1979, the baby boomers children.

Perhaps the low voter turnout is the price we pay for a long period of peace in this country, somehow how we are governed and by who, dosn't matter.