Someone please explain to me why you would vote Tory.

I blame Thatcher!

 

If it wasn't already privatised!

 

So I looked at the figures for London.

The conservatives lost 1 seat.

Lib Dems lost 6.

Labour gained 7.

London only has 3 parties represented and only 1 seat of 73 not from the big two which to me is the opposite of bold considering the socio economic and ethnic diversity.

Had London had a viable 4 th option (interesting UKIP weren't) like SNP I suspect those new Labour votes might have gone there.

Broadly I think the Lib Dem hammering across the country was seen in London, just they didn't go to the Tories is all.

 

Hasn't the old white / blue collar divide faded away now with the decline in manual working jobs and the rise of the service sector? I think this, and the decline of the trade unions, is why Labour struggles to have a clear identity and solid core support.

 

I'm camping
(Still keeping an eye though)

 

I think the Labour dilemma is an interesting one - you can't get into parliament now without support from the media, even (or maybe especially) when targeting the working classes, who are largely owned and run by rich right wing folks. I'm not so sure that the manual vs service sector change is the issue so much as the need to find and identity that gets influential Tory-type support from the bigwigs in order to reach (or counteract the arguments the Tories and Tory media are feeding to) the people who would/should in theory benefit most from traditional left wing policies.

This dilemma is compounded by the frustrating fact that the most support they've ever had in recent (ish) times came when they became almost right wing.

I'd really love a genuine socialist(ish) party to be viable and achieve popularity across the whole UK, and I have to say I'm intensely irritated by the LibDems' failure to maintain trust in their word or build themselves a credible image when in government as if they had it would have been an excellent USP for them vs the others.

 

I hope all you angry people have calmed down now, the Tories won get on with it

 

Actually, if I'm honest, what annoys me most is that image is almost EVERYTHING in politics (also irritating because it seems their actual actions are irelevant to the electorate), and I frankly have no idea at all who would really be best at choosing policies and running the country because that's not something that's ever communicated. It doesn't matter how much I inform myself so I know at least a little of the theory behind all kinds of areas of government because what they say in their manifestos (actually sod the manifestos, nobody reads them, it's what they say in soundbites that the media report) is b*llocks, they are not held accountable for selling one image and doing other things when in power.

I used to work in advertising, and left in part because I dislike the ethos behind the industry, and they are significantly more regulated than politicians and their political campaigns. Hell, I suspect even bankers are more regulated than politicians!

(sorry OP, this is completely off topic re London and the rest of the country! - FWIW I think Londoners are probably closer to the rich-poor divide and see it more closely day in day out, as well as London often seeing the actual results of any policies before the rest of the country (imho the volume and the being packed to capacity shows up flaws in things quicker) and thus don't believe the pap about how "we're all in it together" and so on.)

 

Maggies' dead.

 

They slaughtered Labour at the poles

 

I'm perfectly calm. I voted Labour, despite my rervations as they most closely align with my politics. I don't agree with all they do or have done. I don't think slaughtered is possibly the right word. They did do better than expected and I accept the outcome but I don't have to like it.

 

Dicky you voted Labour, I am a Tory , I'm not going to change your view nor you mine, but I'm sure you will agree that there is no need for people to get quite angry and abusive because you don't share their political view

 

because I couldn't trust the labour party with my grand daughters pocket money never mind the nations.

 

How are you a Tory if you didn't vote?

Don't think anyone got angry or abusive really did they?

 

Just because I didn't vote doesn't mean I'm not a Tory , same as someone who doesn't attend a football match doesn't mean they are not a supporter

 

If you read the comments I think some where

 

I didn't get that to be honest. People are entitled to be passionate about something they believe in. I'm happy to argue with anyone in a discursive way, there's usually no atresia involved although it is possible we have different perceptions.