Gransnet forums

News & politics

Just how stupid do the Tories think we are?

(158 Posts)
CvD66 Fri 22-Sep-23 11:03:37

‘Keep people fearful and they are easier to lead’ is a long held, erroneous theory often espoused by politicians. Sunak’s latest claim to cancel 7 environmental policies were designed to make people fearful - and to be relieved that he ‘cancelled’ them. These 7 policies did not exist. There are vague hints of elements of these in some enviromental research papers but NO ONE has remotely suggested these will be implemented. Yet Sunak can blithely announce he has cancelled these so we are all supposed to be delighted. What he has done is provoke lots of derision and other ‘ideas’ of things he could cancel next eg: toothpaste tax., air tax etc Help people recognise they are being duped!!

maddyone Fri 22-Sep-23 11:35:44

Twas ever thus.
All politicians think the population are stupid, and they are pretty well all lacking in any real care towards any of us. The higher up the greasy pole they climb, the more contemptuous of us they become.
Don’t trust any of them, whatever their political allegiance. They are in it for themselves and themselves alone. Do not think they care about you, the poor, the disabled, the pensioners, the sick, or anyone else. They care about power.

Yes, I’m cynical. I wonder why?

Whitewavemark2 Fri 22-Sep-23 11:40:43

No, not all politicians are as bad as what we have been landed with lately.

I give you Johnson, Truss and now Sunak.

You would be hard pushed to find another lot of such scoundrels of any political colour.

maddyone Fri 22-Sep-23 11:44:02

You’re an idealist Whitewave.
It’s nice to be an idealist because you believe things can be changed. Sadly I lost that a long time ago and now I’m just cynical.

Salti Fri 22-Sep-23 11:45:26

You're no more cynical then I am. I think it takes a "certain" type of person to succeed in politics. I watched the 1990 mini-series House of cards this week, set in Westminster, and thoroughly enjoyed it. As the French would say, "Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose".

biglouis Fri 22-Sep-23 11:50:23

I think it takes a "certain" type of person to succeed in politics. I watched the 1990 mini-series House of cards this week, set in Westminster, and thoroughly enjoyed it

Agree 100% and an excellent series. Far better than the American version.

I believe it takes a certain type of narcissistic personality to go into politics.

nanna8 Fri 22-Sep-23 12:21:34

I sometimes wonder if they were in fact any better before. We hear more now because of the internet and social media but perhaps they were always a bunch of self serving egotists? I really don’t know.

DiamondLily Fri 22-Sep-23 12:29:21

You know if any politician is lying - their lips are moving.🙄

There are a few notable exceptions, but the vast majority (all parties) are self serving, hypocritical, money grabbers.😗

MerylStreep Fri 22-Sep-23 12:30:02

Keep people fearful and they’re easier to lead
They certainly proved they could do that with Covid. Now they know they can more or less do what they want with you.

Hetty58 Fri 22-Sep-23 12:31:49

nanna8, I don't think they've changed that much - but at least they used to aim for a veneer of respectability, would, at least, try to cover their tracks - but no more.

Grantanow Fri 22-Sep-23 12:41:33

Today Fraser Nelson in the Telegraph analyses Sunak's strategy.

He writes 'He (i.e., Sunak) had reconciled himself to writing the cheque for projects he disliked but Boris Johnson wanted (like HS2). But when the prime minister pledged to subsidise care home costs, Sunak knew – as chancellor – that the plans were just not being put in place to make it happen. It was, he thought, a fake promise. They were all living a lie.'

Very good to see the Telegraph calling out Johnson for a blatantly untrue pledge to help social care: there was no plan to implement it. It seems to have disappeared into the piffle cloud surrounding the Tory Party. What a surprise! HS2 next?

MaizieD Fri 22-Sep-23 13:00:53

Sunak doesn't have any strategy.

He's just hanging on to power for as long as possible and desperately clinging onto the hope that his populist wheezes will garner enough votes to make the tory's inevitable loss at the next GE a little less humiliating than currently forecast.

Delaying the 'green' agenda has certainly gone down well with the tory voting demographic if Gnet posts are anything to go by....

jenpax Fri 22-Sep-23 13:07:21

maddyone

You’re an idealist Whitewave.
It’s nice to be an idealist because you believe things can be changed. Sadly I lost that a long time ago and now I’m just cynical.

I am also a cynic! I feel as if there are no political parties (save possibly The Greens) who share my core values or beliefs. It is deeply disheartening

nanna8 Fri 22-Sep-23 13:12:25

Same over here is Oz. They’re all ‘orrible, don’t trust a single one. Sometimes they start off ok but to keep sweet with the leadership they compromise - and compromise - and compromise.

Oreo Fri 22-Sep-23 14:50:46

maddyone

Twas ever thus.
All politicians think the population are stupid, and they are pretty well all lacking in any real care towards any of us. The higher up the greasy pole they climb, the more contemptuous of us they become.
Don’t trust any of them, whatever their political allegiance. They are in it for themselves and themselves alone. Do not think they care about you, the poor, the disabled, the pensioners, the sick, or anyone else. They care about power.

Yes, I’m cynical. I wonder why?

I agree with you.

Oreo Fri 22-Sep-23 14:52:47

Whitewavemark2

No, not all politicians are as bad as what we have been landed with lately.

I give you Johnson, Truss and now Sunak.

You would be hard pushed to find another lot of such scoundrels of any political colour.

Early days ,Labour haven’t got in yet.😖

silverlining48 Fri 22-Sep-23 15:13:26

Bring it on. No one can be worse than these clowns

AGAA4 Fri 22-Sep-23 15:35:14

I don't trust any of them. Do they have to fail a lie detector test to get into politics.

johnnyretro Fri 22-Sep-23 17:55:08

Your point is so wrong in many ways. This idea mirrored by so many is exactly what they want us to think, if the average person turns a blind eye to politics then there is a greater chance that this greedy Elitist mob will regain power again and again.
We must never ever take this attitude, most people did, then one time back in 2015 along comes this average looking chap with a heart as big as mount everest, who has spent his career campaigning and helping the less fortunate, suddenly he is voted in as leader of the labour party. Every portion of this man has been there for the poor & the oppressed, irrespective of their creed this man tried to be the Robin Hood of our time, giving back to the people the power and the riches stolen from us by every other P.m and aristocrat in history.. but the people were not ready, blinded by ignorance they found it easier to ignore the truth believe the lies of the gutter press. and thereby gave away the only chance we ever had of improving our lives!

Galaxy Fri 22-Sep-23 18:03:43

grin Oh bless you.

Ilovecheese Fri 22-Sep-23 18:32:28

johnnyretro

You are certainly right about the influence and lies of the press, not just the press though.

Ilovecheese Fri 22-Sep-23 18:34:00

Still, at least we have been spared the meat tax! and compulsary car sharing! That was a close shave.

Grany Fri 22-Sep-23 18:38:42

johnnyretro

Your point is so wrong in many ways. This idea mirrored by so many is exactly what they want us to think, if the average person turns a blind eye to politics then there is a greater chance that this greedy Elitist mob will regain power again and again.
We must never ever take this attitude, most people did, then one time back in 2015 along comes this average looking chap with a heart as big as mount everest, who has spent his career campaigning and helping the less fortunate, suddenly he is voted in as leader of the labour party. Every portion of this man has been there for the poor & the oppressed, irrespective of their creed this man tried to be the Robin Hood of our time, giving back to the people the power and the riches stolen from us by every other P.m and aristocrat in history.. but the people were not ready, blinded by ignorance they found it easier to ignore the truth believe the lies of the gutter press. and thereby gave away the only chance we ever had of improving our lives!

Agree

The right the staffers in his party including Starmer smeared him too.

Rachael Swindon Blog

The Labour Party conference of 2023 won’t be a place to go and wave your free Palestine flags, but if you want to meet up with weapons manufacturers, major banks, private healthcare providers, fossil fuel companies, or maybe even a contentious CIA-funded spy-tech firm, you’ll feel right at home.

Labour have absolutely no shame in demonstrating how they are bought and paid for by the same morally dubious interests that have been working the strings on the Tory party for the past 13 years.

If Keir Starmer can sell out to corporate interests and the billionaire media to this extreme degree while in opposition I shudder to think what he will do in power.

And to those who still laughably insist Keir Starmer will reveal his true radical colours when he gains power, I ask you a couple of very simple questions:

Firstly, where is the evidence to support your far-fetched fantasy?

Was it the abandonment of the House of Lords reform, the continuation of cruel Tory welfare policy, or the swiftly deleted tweets demanding a second Brexit referendum that convinced you that Keir Starmer is a misunderstood shy radical?

absent Fri 22-Sep-23 19:52:02

In many instances, the people who crave political power are the ones least suited. Those who would be well suited don't want it.

DaisyAnneReturns Fri 22-Sep-23 20:33:23

Grantanow

Today Fraser Nelson in the Telegraph analyses Sunak's strategy.

He writes 'He (i.e., Sunak) had reconciled himself to writing the cheque for projects he disliked but Boris Johnson wanted (like HS2). But when the prime minister pledged to subsidise care home costs, Sunak knew – as chancellor – that the plans were just not being put in place to make it happen. It was, he thought, a fake promise. They were all living a lie.'

Very good to see the Telegraph calling out Johnson for a blatantly untrue pledge to help social care: there was no plan to implement it. It seems to have disappeared into the piffle cloud surrounding the Tory Party. What a surprise! HS2 next?

It really is no wonder Sunak is pulling out of various promises as, just as they have behaved for 13 years, none of the ground work has been done so they will jot be ready to move forward. Suggesting this is doing us a favour is the language of Baldrick.

He is trying to make the lack of attention to detail, which is a real and negative characteristic of the Neo-Liberal far-right, into a positive. All he is actually doing is covering up the increasing degradation of living standards.